No matter how well you care for an animal, as they grow older, they will invariably start to encounter health problems, from arthritis through to diabetes.
Different animals will be more prone to different maladies and, as such, it is always worth looking at what the most common health problems are for your own unique breed of animal whilst they are young, and finding out what changes you can make in terms of how you care for them to avoid such problems ever arising.
From what you feed an animal and how much, to how often you offer them the chance to exercise, changing your approach to pet care can have a huge effect on how happy and healthy they end up being when they are older.
However, once they are indeed older, whether they are showing signs of illness or diseases or not, knowing how to care for them and remedy any problems will be extremely important.
Firstly, always make sure that you choose animal feed that is tailored towards older animals. There are plenty of companies that make food specifically for animals in their twilight years, and sourcing such food could make a huge difference to how healthy your pet is and how they cope with any illness.
Next, make sure they exercise regularly, even when they may seem tired. Letting an animal become inert can be extremely dangerous for any breed, and the more exercise they get, the longer they are likely to live.
Finally, consider what non-intrusive therapies might be available for older animals. From laser therapy to acupuncture, there will be all manner of alternative therapies that may be far cheaper and far less distressing for older animals than traditional treatments.
Older animals will need very different care to their younger counterparts, but focussing on caring for your specific breed of pet early on may make it far easier for you to keep them healthy long into their old age.