Tips to Care For Your Physically Impaired Pet

Pets aren’t immune from injury and aging. Sometimes life leaves your pet with a disability. There are pet owners who can’t handle this and end up putting their pet to sleep. I wonder if most pet owners are aware of the many resources available to them.

Personally, I could never put my pet down due to their having a disability. There are products available and informative websites that provide a full life for an injured or senior pet. Here are some things you can do as a pet owner to make your special needs pet’s life a bit easier.

If you have a dog whose sight is impaired, what would you do? Seriously, what would you do? Think of your pet’s surroundings. You wouldn’t rearrange the furniture, right? And you’d probably be more conscious of picking things up off the floors. You would want to put gates in front of dangerous places like balconies, swimming pools or hot tubs. You can even find protective headgear for her so she doesn’t smash into something and injure herself. You might also softly speak to her before you approach or touch her so she’s not startled. Help her out by working with her other senses. Things like using a fountain water dish where the noise will guide her to her dish. There are many ways to appeal to her other senses to enable her to understand where she is. For example, use a different shape and texture of pet bed or mat in different rooms. I think you get the idea.

What if your dog can’t hear you? The first thing that comes to my mind is to make sure she’s in a secure area. She’s either on a leash or in a fenced yard or exercise dog pen. If she can’t hear a horn blow or a motor start, please keep her secure! Teach your hard of hearing dog some new tricks using flashing lights. Turn your outside lights on and off when you want her to come inside. Use a flashlight inside for communication. Be conscious of your movements and facial expressions, as your dog will be taking cues from them, too.

I’m sure you’ve seen dogs whose back legs or hips are bad and they’re strapped into a device that holds the injured part up and has wheels on it so they can move around. At first, you say “so sad”, but when you think about it, the alternative is so much worse. Probably the biggest thing you should be monitoring as a pet owner of a pet with mobility issues is their weight. The last thing they need is additional strain on their functioning parts. There are all kinds of devices to aid your pet in mobility.

In closing, there are many simple steps we as pet owners can take to afford a loving and fulfilling life to a pet with special needs.

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