Planning & Technology: a Must for Aging Pet Owners! Taking care of a pet can become a more difficult task as we age but with a bit of p...
Planning & Technology: a Must for Aging Pet Owners!
Dr Fenny, the WA state manager for national mobile vet service Pawssum Vets, said whilst getting older brought new considerations for owning a pet, it was not necessary for people to give up their furry friends.
“As people begin to experience health issues such as arthritis or knee or back pain, for example, it can affect their ability to walk their pet and some owners worry about forgetting to take them to the vet for their regular health checks and vaccinations,” she said.
“While these are issues that need to be considered, the mental and physical benefits of owning a pet are so great that it’s worth looking at ways to keep them in your home for as long as possible.”
Dr Fenny suggested finding a friend, family member or volunteer to specifically help you care for your animal – and also highlighted the benefits of embracing technology in supporting pet care.
“A pet buddy is someone who helps you remember to walk and feed or give medications to your dog or cat, ensures they’re getting enough water and checks they’re in OK general health,” she said.
“New technology can also make it easier to care for pets – for example, you can use mobile phones to set daily feeding and walking reminder alarms, you can use websites or apps like Pawssum to book mobile vets to come to your home, avoiding the need to travel if mobility is hard for you and reducing the stress for you and your fur baby.
“And you can keep all your pet’s health care details online with the Pawssum app so there’s no need to have to recall specific medication names or dosages or dates of vet visits.
“These days you can also get SMS or email reminders for regular vaccinations and health checks which reduce the chances your pet’s health will be put at risk.”
Dr Fenny said when considering buying a new pet, there were better options for ageing owners – and Pawssum vets could provide information to support your decision.
“But do get a vet to do a full health check when getting an older pet to ensure they’re well as a sick pet can be costly.”
And Dr Fenny pointed out that a growing number of aged care facilities were now accommodating dogs and cats. “So if a move is on the cards and you want your pet to come with you, do your research and seek out one where your fur baby is welcome too,” she said.
Pawssum vets can deliver 80% of a pet’s health care needs in the home – or office – and cases needing surgery attend trusted Pawssum referral vet clinics around Australia.
For more details, please visit www.pawssum.com
About Pawssum
Pawssum gives back to the community by donating a portion of each booking to a pet-related charity. It was founded by Guy Sharabi and Barry Green in 2016.
The idea was inspired by an experience Mr Sharabi’s friend went through earlier that year. "My mate told me about her stressful day, when her 16-year-old son called her at work, worrying about their dog vomiting, and she didn't know what to do. She rang a few vets in the area but none could make a house visit,” he said. "I couldn't believe that in 2016, where you can get almost anything to your home on demand, a home vet visit was not widely available and affordable.”
To date Pawssum has serviced over 1,000 pets at home and more than 120 vets have registered to service Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.
MEDIA RELEASE, 8th January 2019
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