Caring for Your Older Pet ~ Pawprints and Purrs, Inc.

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Any health care links located here are NOT to replace a veterinarian visit; please take your cat to a vet immediately at any sign of odd behavior or any symptoms of illness or injury. Call your vet and describe your cat's symptoms with any of your concerns about the cat's well-being. Your veterinarian may discover changes in your cat's health that you have overlooked. It is always better to err on the side of caution.

Caring for Your Older Pet

Savvy seniors - preventive care for older pets.
Senior wellness is really lifelong wellness.

The best kind of health care for pets, veterinary experts say, is the preventive kind. "The earlier we can detect problems, the better we can control them," says Dr. William Fortney, a veterinarian at Kansas State University and an expert in the care of older pets. "That is the message in human medicine, and it is the message in veterinary medicine as well."

Exams Are The Key

Just as in people, senior wellness is really a lifelong process, one that builds on taking good care of yourself - or your pet, in this case - before signs of old age ever appear. That's why screening tests like mammograms and blood pressure checks are so important for you, and why similar wellness exams are just as critical for your pet throughout its lifetime.

While there is no one "perfect exam" for senior pets, Dr. Fortney believes a basic, thorough physical examination by a qualified veterinarian is a great start. A basic wellness exam should include a good health history and routine blood work. Older pets should have this type of exam not just once but twice a year, says Dr. Fortney, because they age so much more quickly than we do. In general, "One year in a pet's life is like seven years in a person. That means kidney failure progresses seven times as fast. Cancer progresses seven times as fast.

SENIOR WELLNESS EXAMS:

Not every veterinarian will perform a senior wellness exam the same way, but in general you can - and should - expect the following:

A complete health and lifestyle "history" and physical exam. Your veterinarian will look into your pet's eyes, ears, and mouth. He will listen to your pet's heart and lungs and "palpate" your pet's internal organs and muscles to make sure everything feels as it should.

A thorough examination of any "lumps and bumps" on or under your pet's skin. While our bodies naturally get more "lumpy" as we age, certain bumps can be a sign of more serious disease, such as skin cancer or infectious disease.

A blood test that will include a complete blood count as well as a panel of standard tests to check dozens of other body functions.

Urinalysis.

Fecal examination.

Nutritional and lifestyle counseling.
Depending on what your veterinarian finds during the course of the exam, he may also order additional tests to rule out or diagnose such suspected problems as kidney failure, liver problems, or Cushing's disease (a disease of the thyroid). Radiographs or ultrasounds may be necessary to diagnose heart, lung, or skeletal problems.

AGE: IT'S NOT JUST MATH

In animals, as in people, old age isn't just a number. At age seven, some dogs will still act like puppies, while others will have gray muzzles and be stiff and achy. Many factors can affect the rate of aging in animals. Species, breed, living conditions, health care, and genetics all play a role.

Many veterinarians will use the age of seven as a general rule of thumb for starting senior wellness programs in average-sized dogs. For cats and small dogs, who seem to age more slowly, senior status is usually given a few years later, while many giant breeds show signs of reaching their golden years by age five. The most important thing to remember, however, is that there really is no set age at which you can say a pet is truly "senior." Your pet's own behavior and appearance, along with the results of regular veterinary exams and screening tests conducted by your veterinarian, will be your guide.

Because of differences in how individual animals age, be sure to discuss any planned changes in your pet's care ahead of time with your veterinarian. For example, many owners think they need to switch their pets to senior diets once they see a gray hair or two. In reality, many older pets are still very active and require the extra energy of an adult maintenance diet.

Tests Can Help Paint a Picture of Health

Dr. David Aucoin, a noted expert in veterinary pharmacology, agrees. "Nothing is more important in caring for a senior pet than the physical exam and tests that are recommended by the veterninarian." To Dr. Aucoin, these tests are an extremely important part of your pet's health care. Simple blood tests can give your veterinarian a virtual picture of your pet's health, and are even more useful when they have been conducted regularly over the course of a pet's life. "When we see changes in tests that may, at first glance, appear normal but in reality may actually be abnormal for your pet. We can pick up on such problems earlier when we have a history of past test results available to compare current tests to." This information can be vital in the early diagnosis and treatment of such problems as kidney failure or thyroid dysfunction, diseases that are common in cats and dogs but very treatable when caught early on.

COMMON PROBLEMS IN AGING PETS

Cancers (skin and mammary tumors as well as lymphoma are the most common).

Heart disease (dogs rarely have heart attacks, but congestive heart disease is common).

Kidney disease.

Liver problems (of special concern in cats).

Diabetes.

Thyroid problems (hypothyroidism or under-active thyroid; hyperthyroidisma, or over active thyroid).

Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS) (similar to Alzheimer's Disease in humans).

Hearing and vision problems.

Arthritis (don't forget that cats get this, too!).

As a diagnostic tool, veterinarians use blood tests differently than human doctors do. Blood tests in humans are usually very specific, because the doctor is typically investigating a specific symptom described by the patient. Standard blood tests for dogs and cats, however, check for dozens of problems. There is a good reason for that, says Dr. Aucoin. "We do not have the ability to ask our patients a lot of questions. Because we can't ask them what's wrong, we need more extensive, in-depth blood tests." That "language barrier" is also why Dr. Fortney advises owners to be attuned to their pets, especially as seniors. As an owner, you have a vital role to play in the early detection of health problems because no one knows your pet better than you do.

What exactly should owners look for? Take note of any changes in your pet's behavior, bathroom habits, appetite, or appearance. An increase in drinking or urination can indicate kidney disease, says Dr. Fortney, while difficulty breathing can be a sign of heart trouble. Confusion can be a sign of cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), a disease process very similar to senility in humans. Be sure to check your pet's eyes, ears, and mouth as part of your regular grooming routine. Smelly breath or discolored teeth can mean it is time for a dental exam and cleaning, which can help prevent tooth decay and other diseases.

Your pet's annual or biannual exam is also a good time to ask your veterinarian what vaccinations are appropriate for your aging pet. According to Dr. Richard Ford, a professor and infectious disease specialist at North Carolina State University, opinions in the veterinary research community have recently changed on how often pets, especially adult pets, should be vaccinated for certain diseases. "Because of the growth in number and increase in quality of our vaccines, we don't feel that every dog or cat should get every vaccine, every year," notes Dr. Ford. "We now have 25 types of vaccines for the dog and 16 for the cat." While appropriate vaccines are an important part of a preventive medicine program, not every one is essential for your pet. Far more important to overall health are regular physical examinations, with vaccine recommendations arising out of a pet's individual disease risks, says Dr. Ford.

Conquering Cancer

While fewer pets may be at risk of contracting infectious diseases today due to vaccines, almost every pet is at risk for cancer. Sadly, the incidence of the disease is on the rise. "It is the number one cause of death among dogs and cats in the United States, Europe, and Japan," says Dr. Greg Ogilvie, a professor at Colorado State University and one of the world's leading experts in veterinary oncology. Recent studies have shown that more than 50% of all dogs ultimately die of cancer, and some breeds, like golden retrievers and boxers, have cancer rates that are even higher. In fact, pets are more likely to get cancer during their lifetimes than their owners, a phenomenon that has both human and veterinary researchers concerned, says Dr. Ogilvie.

While that may seem like a lot of bad news, the good news is that cancer is also the most curable of all chronic diseases in pets. "The cure rate increases dramatically with early detection and diagnosis," says Dr. Ogilvie. To help improve detection, specialists like Dr. Ogilvie encourage veterinarians to include cancer screenings in their wellness exams for pets of all ages. The single most important tool in the fight against cancer is a physical exam, notes Dr. Ogilvie, followed by routine blood tests. Eventually he wants to see the same kind of standard, age-appropriate cancer screening tests for dogs and cats as there are for people. "Hopefully, that's where we are headed."

Owners also need to realize that a diagnosis of cancer isn't a death sentence. "The most frightening word in the English language, for many people, is ‘cancer,’" says Dr. Ogilvie. The second most frightening word is ‘chemotherapy,’ Where our children are concerned, whether two-legged or four-legged, we panic when we hear those words." Instead, owners should focus on the reality. Today, veterinary oncology is highly advanced and many pets can recover and lead healthy lives.

Finally, Dr. Ogilvie, like Dr. Fortney, urges owners to check their pets regularly. Look for lumps or bumps and, if you find any, have them evaluated by a veterinarian. Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease to strike both dogs and cats, notes Dr. Ogilvie, and it can be almost impossible to determine whether a lump is benign or malignant without a biopsy.

Preventing Other Problems

While senior pets may need more specialized preventive care as they get older, don't forget about the basics. Flea, tick, and heartworm prevention, good quality nutrition, and vaccinations - when they are appropriate - will all help keep your pet at his or her healthiest.

Potential drug interactions are another problem to be concerned about in the senior set. As the number of drugs available to treat pet illnesses continues to increase, this issue will likely become of even greater concern in the years ahead, says Dr. Ford. The best way to avoid drug interactions is to develop a stable, long-term relationship with a veterinarian who will keep track of all your pet's medications. If you have to move or change veterinarians, make sure you show the new doctor everything your pet is taking. Furthermore, never mix an over-the-counter drug or product with any existing medications, as it is easy to overdose your pet. Clear the use of any such products with your veterinarian first, says Dr. Ford.

Finally, all the veterinary care in the world can't replace large doses of TLC when it comes to keeping your aging pet happy. Dr. Fortney, who sees some 2,000 geriatric patients a year in his practice, emphasizes the importance of "comfort care" for older pets. "The overall approach to an older person or pet should not be how much medication they are on, but how comfortable they are," he says. Older pets frequently develop trouble sleeping, so make sure any old codgers in your family have a soft, warm, dry bed. Aging teeth can become painful or even break or fall out, so softer food may help keep your pet eating properly. Just like older people, aging pets cannot see or hear as well as they used to, so don't assume they can hear you coming up behind them or trying to step over them.

With all these efforts, "We may not be able to turn back the hands of time, but we may be able to have an impact on age-related diseases," concludes Dr. Fortney, and improve the longevity and happiness of a beloved pet's life.

Additional information on older pets:

Aging Cats
Geriatric Cats: Special Needs
Signals of Silver

Page URL: http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/aging2.html

Resource References:
Handout provided by Southern Hills Animal Hospital, Shreveport, LA
Milton Williams, DVM and Steven Everson, DVM
Author: Yvonne Claire Stecher