Pets are living longer thanks to
advances in veterinary care, diagnostics, and earlier intervention. But the key
to enjoying our “senior” pets lies not only in extending their life span, but
in helping them enjoy their later years to the fullest.
By: David G.
Beauchamp, DVM
Like people, dogs and cats are prone to debilitating
ailments as they age. Kidney failure, heart disease, arthritis, dental disease,
cancer, and cognitive dysfunction can occur during the normal aging
process. In the past, because many
diseases weren’t diagnosed until advanced stages, veterinarians could do little
more than make a pet’s golden years a little more comfortable by treating the
symptoms of age-related illness. If the pet was lucky, the problems would
progress slowly. Most pet owners just accepted the fact that their four-legged
friends were just going to live a relatively short life, get old, and pass on.
But thanks to technical advancements in modern veterinary
medicine, surgery, diagnostics and nutrition, not only do pets live longer but their
quality of life has increased dramatically as well.
One example follows human medicine in the development and
use of the new generation of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs help the aches and pains of many
senior pets while keeping side effects to a minimum.
Many age related problems are still seen as inevitable, but the
attitudes of both veterinarians and pet owners have changed. The belief now is
that “age is not a disease”, and veterinary medicine is putting increased
emphasis on senior pet health through preventative wellness programs.
The earlier we can intervene, the better, say the staff
veterinarians, Drs. Beauchamp, Brazik, and Claypool at Leland Veterinary
Hospital. We now have greater knowledge, improved diagnostics and better
therapeutics all of which mean we can effectively prevent or manage many senior
health care issues.
At what age is a pet considered a senior? Generally, smaller
breeds of dogs live longer than larger breeds, and cats live longer than dogs.
Life spans vary with individuals, and pets, like people, age at different rates,
some more gracefully than others. Some smaller breeds of dogs, like Bones, are
considered geriatric at fifteen. Large and giant breeds like Labrador
retrievers and mastiffs are considered seniors as early as seven years old.
Cats, especially if they are kept indoors, frequently live to their early
twenties and don’t reach their golden years until their teens.
The single most important step a pet owner can take to keep
their pet happy and healthy as long as possible is to schedule regular
veterinary exams. As pets age, these exams are more important than ever,
because as with people, early detection is crucial for disease and problem
intervention. Young pets need regular exams once or twice yearly. But as dogs
and cats approach middle age, these exams should be more frequent because every
year in a pet’s life is equivalent to 5-7 human years.
Keeping pets healthy helps pet owners stay young, too. Lots of pet owners have
arthritis so exercise is important to stay in shape and keep from getting
stiff. Years ago, when pets got arthritis, we just accepted it as old age and
let them lay around. Now, we go for walks, and there are safer medications for
arthritis pain. They even get glucosamine and antioxidants in their senior pet
foods!”
Veterinarians recommend regular lab work,
electrocardiograms, blood pressure monitoring, and x-rays to look for early
problems like thyroid, kidney, heart, and liver disease. With early detection,
pets with organ function problems can be treated with medication and special
prescription diets that not only extend their life span but the quality of
their lives. In some cases, medical problems can even be reversed.
In general, some early warning signs that your pet may be
having a problem are:
·
increased
thirst and urination
·
loss
of bladder control or breaking house
training
·
repeated
vomiting
·
bad
breath, drooling or changes in appetite
· excessive panting or exercise intolerance
· lumps or changes in areas of skin color
· change in appetite - eating more or less than
usual
· changes in behavior such as “spacing out” or
excessive whining
· unusual bowel habits - diarrhea or
constipation.
· changes in body weight - gaining or losing
weight
Watch pets closely and report any unusual behavioral or
physical problems to your veterinarian immediately. Work with your veterinarian
and develop a specific senior wellness program for your pet’s individual needs
so that your special friend can enjoy aging gracefully.
For more information on geriatric health care for your pet,
visit
Dr. David Beauchamp is a veterinarian at Leland Veterinary
Hospital, 508 Village Rd, Leland, NC, lelandvethosp@gmail.com
