Recommendations For and Care of Senior Pets
We are lucky to have many senior dogs and cats as patients at CCPH. They have lived many long, happy years with loving families, and now they need a little extra attention. Below are some recommendations for routine preventative care and some common conditions we need to watch for in our older pets to make sure they have the best care possible.
When is my pet considered a senior?
This will vary between species and breed. In general, larger breed dogs tend to have shorter lifespans, and cats and small dogs can live 15+ years comfortably if good medical care is provided. A Great Dane may be considered a senior at age 5 while a Chihuahua or cat may not be considered senior until age 10-12. We generally begin to make recommendations for pets to get routine bloodwork and other yearly senior screenings done beginning at age 7-8.
Yearly wellness exams are an important part of monitoring senior pets, and we can catch many common disease processes at that time. In general, the following will be recommended for senior cats and dogs:
Common Diseases/Conditions in Senior Pets
Arthritis
Common symptoms include difficulty rising, especially after sleeping or in the morning, lameness, irritability or aggression where previously there was none, hesitant to jump or exercise, exercise intolerance, eliminating outside of the litter box (hurts to step over the sides), weight loss (especially in cats that are fed from counters). Usually we can identify arthritis pain on a physical exam, and we may recommend x-rays to see the extent of the problem before starting medication. There are many different possible treatments for arthritis pain in our pets (including anti-inflammatory and other pain medication, physical therapy, joint supplements, prescription diets, laser treatments, acupuncture, and more). Please remember it is unsafe to give human medications (such as Aspirin, Tylenol, or Ibuprofen) to dogs and cats! Do not begin any medications before consulting with a veterinarian!
Dental Disease
As our pets age, they accumulate tartar on their teeth that can cause gingivitis, bone infections, sinus infections, eye infections, and potentially cause heart and kidney problems if severe enough. We will evaluate your pet's teeth during the yearly wellness exam and make recommendations based on the disease we see. Many owners are hesitant to anesthetize their senior pets, which is understandable. While there are risks associated with anesthesia, if there are no severe underlying conditions (an example would be heart failure), as a general rule anesthesia is usually safe. In fact, the earlier a dental cleaning can be performed, the less time your pet will spend under anesthesia and the safer the procedure will be. This is why we recommend dental cleanings early, before teeth become infected and anesthesia and dental cleanings become extensive. Even if your senior pet needs an extensive cleaning or teeth pulled, it provides a MUCH better quality of life for your senior pet if we can treat dental disease. Most pets feel considerably better following a dental cleaning!
Grooming
As pets age (especially cats) it gets harder for them to be able to keep up with their own grooming. Extra brushings, baths and possible haircuts or shavings will help them feel better and prevent painful mats and skin infections.
Cognitive Dysfunction
As pets age, mental function may deteriorate. Any changes in behavior, a loss of housebreaking, and confusion should be evaluated. Medication and diet change often help.
Loss of Vision/Hearing
This is a common aging change in both cats and dogs. Hearing and vision loss are usually gradual processes and pets cope well with both as long as their environments remain stable. Any loss of vision or hearing should be evaluated to make sure there is nothing easily treatable (especially if symptoms come on suddenly - things like glaucoma, inner ear infections, tumors and blood pressure problems need to be ruled out).
Kidney Disease
This is a fairly common condition in senior cats that, if found and treatment started early, can be managed for quite some time. By the time we find chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats, the cause of the initial kidney damage is usually long resolved, but the kidney cells are not repairable. At this point, CKD is not curable, but is a chronic condition that we monitor and manage until quality of life is no longer good (this can be years if treatment is given). By doing routine bloodwork yearly on senior cats, we can catch early signs of CKD and begin management right away before symptoms occur. Early management is usually diet change and one or more supplements to help prolong kidney function. Over time, more involved treatments (fluid therapy, medications for secondary problems) will need to be added in. The first symptom of CKD is usually weight loss, so if your cat has experienced a steady weight loss in the last few months bloodwork to check for CKD is indicated.
Cancers
Senior pets are more prone to cancers. Any skin lumps need to be checked immediately (the vast majority of these in dogs will be benign fatty tumors but this is not always the case). Dogs and cats can also get intestinal cancers, cancers of the bladder, lungs, spleen and liver, so we also need to address any long-standing symptoms that have not responded to medication. In general, the earlier we know if and what type of cancer your pet has, the better chance we can treat it.
Saying Good-Bye
Making this decision is always hard, but I like to approach the end of my pets' lives with this way of thinking (this is just my own personal philosophy and it helps me to know that I will let my best companions go with dignity and a little joy left in life):
Take 3 things your pet has always loved to do, whether it's going for walks, being petted, eating, or playing with a favorite toy. When your pet can no longer do or no longer enjoys 2 out of the 3 things on your list, it is time to consider saying goodbye. This will leave your pet with some happiness in life and you know you won't be waiting too long. The ultimate expression of love is loving something so much that you can let it go to relieve pain and suffering.
When is my pet considered a senior?
This will vary between species and breed. In general, larger breed dogs tend to have shorter lifespans, and cats and small dogs can live 15+ years comfortably if good medical care is provided. A Great Dane may be considered a senior at age 5 while a Chihuahua or cat may not be considered senior until age 10-12. We generally begin to make recommendations for pets to get routine bloodwork and other yearly senior screenings done beginning at age 7-8.
Yearly wellness exams are an important part of monitoring senior pets, and we can catch many common disease processes at that time. In general, the following will be recommended for senior cats and dogs:
- Minimum of a yearly physical exam
- Vaccinations are dependent on the age and underlying conditions of your pet
- Yearly fecal exams and heartworm tests (included in wellness exams)
- Monthly heartworm prevention (not just for senior pets - this is recommended for everyone!)
- Yearly routine bloodwork (complete blood count, chemistry panel, thyroid testing) to catch underlying metabolic diseases early
- Urinalysis to screen for early kidney disease
Common Diseases/Conditions in Senior Pets
Arthritis
Common symptoms include difficulty rising, especially after sleeping or in the morning, lameness, irritability or aggression where previously there was none, hesitant to jump or exercise, exercise intolerance, eliminating outside of the litter box (hurts to step over the sides), weight loss (especially in cats that are fed from counters). Usually we can identify arthritis pain on a physical exam, and we may recommend x-rays to see the extent of the problem before starting medication. There are many different possible treatments for arthritis pain in our pets (including anti-inflammatory and other pain medication, physical therapy, joint supplements, prescription diets, laser treatments, acupuncture, and more). Please remember it is unsafe to give human medications (such as Aspirin, Tylenol, or Ibuprofen) to dogs and cats! Do not begin any medications before consulting with a veterinarian!
Dental Disease
As our pets age, they accumulate tartar on their teeth that can cause gingivitis, bone infections, sinus infections, eye infections, and potentially cause heart and kidney problems if severe enough. We will evaluate your pet's teeth during the yearly wellness exam and make recommendations based on the disease we see. Many owners are hesitant to anesthetize their senior pets, which is understandable. While there are risks associated with anesthesia, if there are no severe underlying conditions (an example would be heart failure), as a general rule anesthesia is usually safe. In fact, the earlier a dental cleaning can be performed, the less time your pet will spend under anesthesia and the safer the procedure will be. This is why we recommend dental cleanings early, before teeth become infected and anesthesia and dental cleanings become extensive. Even if your senior pet needs an extensive cleaning or teeth pulled, it provides a MUCH better quality of life for your senior pet if we can treat dental disease. Most pets feel considerably better following a dental cleaning!
Grooming
As pets age (especially cats) it gets harder for them to be able to keep up with their own grooming. Extra brushings, baths and possible haircuts or shavings will help them feel better and prevent painful mats and skin infections.
Cognitive Dysfunction
As pets age, mental function may deteriorate. Any changes in behavior, a loss of housebreaking, and confusion should be evaluated. Medication and diet change often help.
Loss of Vision/Hearing
This is a common aging change in both cats and dogs. Hearing and vision loss are usually gradual processes and pets cope well with both as long as their environments remain stable. Any loss of vision or hearing should be evaluated to make sure there is nothing easily treatable (especially if symptoms come on suddenly - things like glaucoma, inner ear infections, tumors and blood pressure problems need to be ruled out).
Kidney Disease
This is a fairly common condition in senior cats that, if found and treatment started early, can be managed for quite some time. By the time we find chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats, the cause of the initial kidney damage is usually long resolved, but the kidney cells are not repairable. At this point, CKD is not curable, but is a chronic condition that we monitor and manage until quality of life is no longer good (this can be years if treatment is given). By doing routine bloodwork yearly on senior cats, we can catch early signs of CKD and begin management right away before symptoms occur. Early management is usually diet change and one or more supplements to help prolong kidney function. Over time, more involved treatments (fluid therapy, medications for secondary problems) will need to be added in. The first symptom of CKD is usually weight loss, so if your cat has experienced a steady weight loss in the last few months bloodwork to check for CKD is indicated.
Cancers
Senior pets are more prone to cancers. Any skin lumps need to be checked immediately (the vast majority of these in dogs will be benign fatty tumors but this is not always the case). Dogs and cats can also get intestinal cancers, cancers of the bladder, lungs, spleen and liver, so we also need to address any long-standing symptoms that have not responded to medication. In general, the earlier we know if and what type of cancer your pet has, the better chance we can treat it.
Saying Good-Bye
Making this decision is always hard, but I like to approach the end of my pets' lives with this way of thinking (this is just my own personal philosophy and it helps me to know that I will let my best companions go with dignity and a little joy left in life):
Take 3 things your pet has always loved to do, whether it's going for walks, being petted, eating, or playing with a favorite toy. When your pet can no longer do or no longer enjoys 2 out of the 3 things on your list, it is time to consider saying goodbye. This will leave your pet with some happiness in life and you know you won't be waiting too long. The ultimate expression of love is loving something so much that you can let it go to relieve pain and suffering.