Symptoms of aging may manifest as confusion, or being "slower" than before, urinating or defecating in inappropriate places, constipation or fecal incontinence, a deterioration in coat condition, lethargy, weight loss and poor appetite.

Signs of confusion and odd behavior can be put down in old pets to their age affecting them adversely. If you find your pet no longer wants to spend time with you and seems to find it less anxious to hide, he may be getting confused, which is a sign his age is affecting him.

Help is at hand in the form of Cholodin, a choline supplement. Scientific research has shown that choline lessens the risk of heart disease.

It is also taken by people who want to improve their mental awareness, as a compound of choline is key to important neurotransmissive functions in the brain, especially with cognition. As you can see, Choline could help your pet with his old age as many of the benefits to humans would also benefit your pet.

Choline has been proven to help subjects retain memory and also as a supplement in the treatment of Alzheimers. This may make it clearer how a choline supplement, such as Cholodin, can help your ageing pet.

MVP Labs make Cholodin for Cats and Dogs. They come in packets of 50 chewables, and the cat variety also contains taurine, as cats do not make this compound themselves; a lack of it can cause blindness and tooth decay. The dog version also comes in packs of 50 chewables.

In the case of dogs, the dosage is one tablet a day crumbled over their food or given by hand. Small dogs should half the dosage, large dogs should double it. The rule for cats is one tablet per ten pounds of body weight.

Within days you should see a marked improvement in mental agility, energy levels and a return to more normal behavior. Prolonged courses of treatment will maintain this improvement.

Side effects can manifest themselves as hyperactivity, jumpiness and muscle agitation. If you stop giving the supplement for a few days and then resume, these side effects usually take care of themselves.

It is wonderful to see your old friend restored back to 'normal behavior', both for you and your pet. With the use of this inexpensive supplement, combined with a good diet, you should be able to give your pet a golden and healthy old age.