Adopt a Senior!

By Lisa Horne, R.A.H.T.                


                As an AHT, it really makes my day when people bring in their adorable puppies and kittens for me to play with.  I get to handle them, wrestle with them, watch them sleep, feed them cookies, and get puppy and kitten kisses all during my initial physical exam.  Even when the vet comes in to vaccinate, I love that I get to be a source of comfort for these “traumatized” babies; I love that even after a shot, they are usually just so happy to be adored that they forget about that unpleasant part of their vet visit.  The best part comes after I get my puppy/kitten cuddle time: I get to send them home.

                Don’t get me wrong:  I love puppies and kittens (who doesn’t?), but it’s really nice to give them back to Mom or Dad before they start crying, having accidents all over the floor, waking me up in the middle of the night, chewing holes in my pants or shoes, or wearing me out before my day is even half over with their endless energy.

                When most people go looking for a new fur-baby to add to the family, they want puppies and kittens; the rationale behind this is that they will have more time with the pet, be able to raise them so they become more bonded to the family as they grow up, and, of course, because they’re just so darn cute.  What many people fail to consider is the amount of destruction these cuties can cause, and the amount of work they really are.  My suggestion: adopt a senior. “But wait,” you say, “don’t seniors have their own set of problems?”  The answer is “Yes, but …”   

If you get a puppy that is, for example, a German Shepard Cross, that puppy may grow to anywhere between 20-50kg!  That’s a huge size variation and many people end up giving up their dogs when they’ve grown bigger than they expected.  With a senior, you don’t have to worry about that because they are as big as they’re going to get.  As far as behavior problems go, getting a puppy or kitten is a bit of a gamble; you never know what kind of adult they’ll grow up to be, but with a senior most behavioral problems are already known, so there’ll be no surprises; with seniors, you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.  Most seniors also come with some basic training under their belts, and (in general) have calmer dispositions than puppies/kittens; you may have to brush up on your “sits” and “stays” but they have the maturity and experience to pay attention and pick things up quickly.  Seniors also still enjoy the companionship that you can offer, but don’t need the supervision that a puppy or kitten would.  As far as bonding with your pet, you don’t have to raise it from a baby to make this happen; in fact, many seniors bond very strongly to their new owners because they’ve never known a good home, or perhaps they had a good home once and they appreciate that you can provide the security and love that they miss.  You can even teach your senior new tricks (contrary to the old wives tale); in fact, this will actually be beneficial as it provides mental stimulation for aging brains, and give you both a fun activity to do together.         

                Many people assume that getting a senior means they can’t go on long hikes, or play with the “fun” cat-toys.  This is FALSE!  I know a lot of senior dogs and cats that can put the young ones to shame with their ball-catching, bush-whacking, and wrestle-mania skills; I love watching older dogs playing with the “teenage” pups because not only can they hold their own, but they teach the young ones everything from play techniques to proper manners.  Obviously there are some limits to this, ie.  you wouldn’t put a feeble 20 year old toy poodle out to play with a strapping 18 month old mastiff, but  the main thing to take away from this is that old-age does not mean they have to be sequestered at home alone with no activities; if something is too much for them to handle, they will let you know.  As a natural process of aging, seniors will start to lose some energy and start having a hard time getting up the stairs, or slowing down on those long hikes; when this happens, it does not mean that they no longer want to do the activity.  Proper pain control (like Metacam or Deramaxx), and/or joint friendly diets (like Mobility or j/d) can help seniors continue to do the things they love in a way that is comfortable.  Sometimes all they need is a cushy bed, or a ramp to get in and out of the car.  Doing physiotherapy or massage therapy treatments at home are not only a good way to make your senior’s joints and muscles feel better, but it’s a great and relaxing way for both of you to bond.  Also, if you've had a long day and you just don’t feel like walking the dog, a senior will be alright with that too.  Try telling your very active Labrador puppy that you’ve had a long day and don’t feel up to a long walk; I guarantee you that puppy will fill your evening with chewed walls, barking, and forced playtime (they’re not being malicious, of course, they just have no other way to spend their overflowing energy). 

What about life span?  If you get a puppy or kitten, you could have it for 20 years potentially!  That’s great, but seniors have a lot of years left in them, too.  Think about it this way: let’s say you adopt an 8 year old cat.  Officially, that cat is a senior, but it’s still got anywhere between 4 to 12 years left!  That’s a lot of time.  Sure it’s not as much as you’d get with a kitten, but they’re still good years, and seniors can provide just as much entertainment and companionship.                     

    Alright, we’ve gone over the pros; let’s talk about the cons of adopting a senior.  The biggest one?  Increased vet bills.  Young pets need to see a vet at least once a year; seniors need to see their vet about twice a year and they need to have extra diagnostic work done.  This is not because your vet is trying to squeeze more money out of you; it’s because when an animal (or a person for that matter) enters their senior years, their various body parts start to decline.  Seeing your veterinarian every 6 months allows them to run bloodwork, take x-rays, and do a physical exam so that these issues of old age can be caught early, before they start to cause problems.  Cancer is more common in senior pets, but many cancers can be cured with medical and/or surgical treatments if caught early.  Some conditions, like chronic renal failure can’t be cured, but they can be slowed down, and         

the earlier you treat these conditions, the earlier you can start slowing down the disease’s progression.  Along with joint and organ decline, brain function also declines.  Dogs and cats can suffer from senility just like people and this often manifests itself as, for example, going in and out all day with that “why did I come out here?” look on their faces.  This can be helped with nutritional supplements, like DHA, or with diets geared towards improving brain fuction, like b/d; the problem will never go away, but with your patience, it doesn’t have to mean a poor quality of life.  This seems like a lot of money compared to a puppy or kitten, but there are a few things to consider.  For one thing, puppies and kittens will turn into seniors eventually, so you will have to pay for puppy and kitten related costs as well as senior costs down the line.  Also, if you adopt from a shelter, your senior would be spayed or neutered already, so there’s a major expense that you don't have to worry about.  As far as ongoing senior related problems, many shelters are already treating them so you would cover the cost of continuing treatment, not for starting it. 

                Seniors may also suffer from incontinence.  This is understandably a big problem for most people as they don’t want their house smelling like urine and feces because their pet can no longer control their excretory functions.  There are some medications, like Propalin, that can stop urinary incontinence, but otherwise it’s very frustrating to deal with.  Most incontinence occurs while the pet is sleeping, so it’s easy enough to just cover their bed with a pee pad, but this is a very frustrating problem for owners, as well as for their pets, and often results in the decision to euthanize.  One of the hardest things about owning a pet is determining when it’s time for euthanasia.  That being said, it’s a decision that you will deal with at some point no matter how old they were at the time of adoption.

                Seniors do come with their own set of issues, just like puppies and kittens do, but the best reason you could have for adopting a senior over a young one is this: they need it.  Puppies and kittens are easy to adopt out, but many seniors are doomed to live out their lives in a shelter.  Many shelters are very nice places with staff who love them dearly, but it’s just not the same as having a home and family of their own.   

                People flip over puppies and kittens, including myself, but I think that well loved and well cared for older pets are some of the most beautiful creatures on earth, even with grey muzzles and stiff joints.  Seniors have a nobility about them and a look that speaks of all the years and all the love that they still have left to give.  I know when it comes time for me to adopt a new family member, I may be looking at the puppies and kittens, but I'll be  taking home and loving a senior.


All seniors pictured here are available for adoption through S.A.I.N.T.S.  (Senior Animals In Need Today Society)-->http://www.saintsrescue.ca/