GERIATRIC PETS

Like their owners, dogs and cats are living to ripe old ages, thanks, in part to the advances that have been make in veterinary medicine. Here is a list of questions frequently asked Colonial Terrace Animal Hospital by owners of geriatric dogs and cats.

Q: How can I help my older pet achieve the best quality of life possible?
A: Annual exams provide the best way to monitor the health of older pets.
Included in these exams are diagnostic blood tests that check the health of kidneys and liver, monitor blood glucose (checking for the presence of diabetes), test thyroid activity, and screen other indicators in the blood. Colonial Terrace Animal Hospital also encourages ECG and chest radiographs if indicated and blood pressure monitoring. This annual exam should begin around eight years of age (younger for large/giant breed dogs, Schnauzers, “short-nosed” dogs, and purebred cats). Early detection and treatment of many geriatric diseases can both improve your pets quality of life and lengthen their life. Sometimes, the treatment can be as simple as a change in diet.


Q: Are all those tests and the annual exam really necessary?
A: National surveys indicate that one in four older pets will have some sort of problem on the physical that can be discovered and treated. Frequently seen problems that are now very treatable include diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, congestive heart failure, and thyroid gland disease. Finding and treating problems like cancer, skin diseases, and obesity early can often have
favorable outcomes.


Q: Why is my older pet not as active as it used to be?
A: While the aging process in animals causes the same effects as in people, arthritic changes, especially in hips and knees, frequently slow aging pets. As they experience pain and move less, they tend to lose muscle, making movement even more difficult. Complicating arthritis and loss of movement, obesity frequently becomes another restriction to activity. Veterinary medicine has become much more aware of pain in pets and accordingly has developed a large number of new pain relief medications and procedures for aging pets. Many of the new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are very safe for older animals to take, even for those already on some other type of medication. Counseling the geriatric pet’s owners often is helpful to find new diets and modes of exercise that can reduce the weight of obese geriatric pets. In many cases when pain is reduced or alleviated, the increased activity of the pet is a significant aid in weight reduction.


Q: How do I evaluate my older pet’s quality of life?
A: Veterinarians at CTAH frequently hear that pet owners are torn between parting with a pet versus concern about the animal’s quality of life. While there is no one "correct" answer, modern veterinary medicine with advances in testing, the availability of many new medicinal agents (especially the pain relievers), heightened awareness about owners’ concern to do what is best for their pet, can help owners work through the decision about when their pet’s quality of life is decreased. The older years of a pet’s life are often the very best for the owner/pet bond. Gone are the chewing, digging and destructiveness of youth. In their place is a pet that is responsive and enjoyable to the owners. Making the best of those years with good veterinary care is responsible pet ownership.