As a pet caring business owner, you might have experienced the joys and challenges of caring for aging pets. Watching a pet grow older is bittersweet. You have more time with them, but you’re always worried about health issues that come with old age. Older pets, especially dogs, are prone to many health conditions, and knowing the signs will help us manage their symptoms in one way or another and improve their quality of life. In this article, we’ll explore common health risks for senior pets and share thoughtful ways to honor their memory when they pass, including Pet Loss Sympathy Gifts and unique pet loss remembrances from Pet Perennials.
Heart Disease in Senior Dogs
As dogs age, they experience an increasingly high prevalence of cardiac disease. 75% of senior dogs will eventually suffer some degree of cardiac disease, progressing to congestive heart failure in many cases. When the heart fails to pump efficiently, fluid accumulates around the lungs resulting in coughing, shortness of breath, and general weakness. An alert pet owner may catch early warning signs of heart disease from a pet, such as sudden fatigue or catching their breath after slight activities and alert their vet. This information will allow your veterinarian to help nurse your pet back to health. Though heart disease is progressive, treatment can slow its progression, allowing seniors to end their lives with less pain.
Kidney Disease in Older Dogs
Kidney disease is another silent disease that often raises its head in older dogs. Pets show a range of symptoms when kidneys fail to filter toxins properly from the body. These symptoms may range from increased thirst to vomiting to weight loss. Unfortunately, chronic kidney failure is irreversible, and therefore, timely detection is necessary. Indications of kidney disease include alteration of urination habits, appetite, and general appearance of your pet’s fur. Diseases such as this in the kidneys can be hard to control, but with the appropriate care, senior dogs can lead comfortable, long lives.
Liver Disease in Senior Pets
The liver is one of the most essential organs in your pet’s body, and its failure can be nonspecific with varied symptoms. Dogs suffering from liver diseases may show jaundice, lethargy, confusion, or abdominal swelling due to fluid retention. Diagnosing liver disease is critical because it impacts many bodily functions. When your pet starts exhibiting increased thirst, dark urine, or sudden disorientation, it is time for a vet visit.
We are sharing these potential diseases in pets because we care. Pet Perennials is an online gift store that makes it easy to send thoughtful pet sympathy gifts directly to the people who need them the most. Visit our website to learn more about Pet Loss Gifts.
Memorial Products for Senior Pets
Honoring a loving pet’s memory may comfort pet lovers when saying goodbye. We provide a range of Pet Loss Gifts to help pet lovers deal compassionately with their grief by memorializing their furry friends. Below are some unique pet loss gifts that bring peace and healing during such hard times.
Heart Remembers Most Sympathy Cards
Losing a pet is such an emotional journey that words can sometimes bring solace. The Heart Remembers Most sympathy card set enables you to extend your condolences in a heartfelt way. Each card has a beautiful design with the words “The heart remembers most what it has loved the best” and a message of sympathy inside. You can send an individual card along with a decal in memory of a pet. We will handwrite your custom message onto the card for you and mail it to your intended recipient. Sympathy cards can be purchased in sets of 6 cards. This pack of six cards lets you directly communicate your love and concern to pet parents who have lost a pet.
Healing Hearts Memorial Candle with Keepsake Heart Stone
One beautiful remembrance for a deceased pet is the Healing Hearts Memorial Candle. It is an all-natural soy candle, infused with calming lavender and chamomile essential oils— soothing scents that nurtures peace while grieving. What makes this candle different is that only when you melt the wax do the embedded keepsake healing heart stones reveal themselves, and each heart stone is unique and linked to a specific Feng-Shui message so that you can have a meaningful message and reminder of your pet. The candle also has a scannable QR code that takes you to a guide about the meaning of that stone for added comfort and something more to ponder upon.
Bird Memorial Garden Stake with Wildflower Seeds
Our Bird Memorial Garden Stake is a great chance for anyone who’s lost a favorite bird to remember their life still while striving to keep its memory close to their heart. This lightweight, 14-inch stake is perfect for planting in a garden, yard, or even indoors among houseplants. The stake comes in a packet of wildflower seeds, and you can grow a living tribute to your pet that blooms year after year. This thoughtful gesture adds a touch of nature and beauty to the grieving process, making it one of the most unique Pet Sympathy Gifts. You’ll enjoy the view as the seeds begin to bloom into colorful wildflowers.
Of course, aging pets bring different challenges, but the relationship and love we build with them only intensifies during their old age. Bereavement products such as those from Pet Perennials help you through trying times and towards healing. You can leave a tribute to your (or someone else’s) beloved pets and recall their happy moments by sending gifts such as Pet Loss Sympathy Gifts like a Bird Memorial Garden Stake with Wildflower Seeds that will bloom into Pet Sympathy Flowers.
