Help keep your best friend happy and healthy for as long as possible with proper insurance in place.
Pet owners are being urged to prepare for the rising cost of caring for their animal companions in later years.
Like all of us, as animals get older they can become prone to more serious health issues. While humans can turn to the NHS however, there is no free healthcare for pets, which can lead to rising costs for owners.
And without the proper pet insurance that can put an unexpected strain in family finances.
Studies suggest that in recent years almost a third (32%) of Scottish owners have used money set aside for something else to pay for their senior dog’s care.
The findings from Petgevity highlighted that nearly a quarter (24%) have also taken time off work or cancelled personal plans to care for their senior dog, having a direct effect on their income, while nearly one in five (19%) have rearranged their work schedule or working pattern.
And they have also shared some of the most common genetic conditions that can affect both cats and dogs in later life.
Kerry Willecome, Head of Marketing at Petgevity, commented: “Older dogs often face conditions such as osteoarthritis. Claims for osteoarthritis have more or less doubled in the last few years, and about 35% of dogs will get that. Cataracts are another common issue, and while these are manageable conditions, they can be expensive to treat.”
Depending on the breed and age, treating something like osteoarthritis can cost anywhere between £1000 and £3000 per year. And that is the kind of cost that can be difficult to absorb into general spending.
“Owners need to watch out for symptoms as well, as often they are dismissed as just the animal getting older - they can seem a little slower, less excited to go on walks or struggling to jump up, or if they have vision problems they might not seem as sure of where you are so won’t be rushing towards you like they used to,” said Kerry. “Getting treatment earlier is always better and can save you thousands.”
A lot of pet owners are prone to dismissing the potential costs, meaning that instead of taking out insurance they might put a little money aside, but often will end up using it for something else.
And with some common conditions, it is estimated owners would need to be saving almost £200 a month for most of the dog's life to be able to cover the costs.
Bow tie for older dogs
As well as facing increasing vets bills, many Scottish pet owners say they feel judged for their older dogs
Model David Gandy has helped create a bow tie for senior dogs with pet insurance brand Petgevity, to highlight their need for more space, time and patience in busy places like public transport.
David, who adopted his mixed terrier dog Dora, aged 9, as a puppy in 2017, commented: “Dora acts like a young dog but it’s on my mind what support she may need as the years go on. I know there’ll be owners of senior dogs across the UK who are thinking the same.
“As dogs get older, they can suffer from worsening eyesight or hearing and need a little more time, support and space.
“By having the bow ties out and about, I hope it will encourage people to be just as understanding of age-related health changes in dogs as they are with humans.”
As well as ensuring you have the correct insurance for your dog - taking into account the potential conditions the breed can be prone to - there are other steps you can take to help keep your best friend happy and healthy for as long as possible.
One of the biggest things you can do is to keep your pets weight down, with obesity one of the biggest causes of disease in later life. Owners are also advised to have a regular check up with a vet, on average twice a year, to ensure any problems are diagnosed early.
“The cost of treating older animals in general is more expensive - there’s almost a hidden age tax, as they need more fluids in surgery, need more after care and generally need care for longer so an operation on an older dog will cost more,” Kerry said.