By Cheryl Rahal, D.V.M.
The geriatric pet holds a special place in the hearts of many. I’ve seen the gruffest of cowboys turn into a tender caregiver for his aging canine companion. Whether they are losing their sight or hearing, living with a chronic disease, or just moving slower than they used to, senior pets require special care.
It’s important for senior pets to see their veterinarian more frequently as they age. The American Animal Hospital Association recommends every six months when living disease free. If you think about it, that’s like grandpa seeing his doctor every 3 years. Remember, pets age an average of 7 years for every single human year.
Your veterinarian may notice many more subtle changes on physical examination. Many of the changes may have happened over time and slipped under your radar, so don’t feel bad if you haven’t noticed.
The Outer Exam includes body weight, shape, hair and skin. Thinning, coarse or oily hair could be a sign of an endocrine disease like hypothyroidism, Cushing’s or Addison’s disease. We’ll look at any skin lumps and determine whether they need to be addressed. We also watch our patients move around the exam room and take note of stance and movements, evaluating for osteoarthritis.
The Inner Exam includes listening to lungs and for abnormal heart sounds and rhythms, as many senior pets can develop heart murmurs, which if addressed early can slow the progress of heart failure. Then the feeling of the abdomen, for any sensitivity or palpable masses. If there are concerns, we move to more advanced diagnostics such as radiographs (x-rays), ultrasound, or bloodwork. Senior wellness blood work and additional diagnostic tests helps pick up many diseases in the early stages.
Common Ailments
In elderly dogs, we commonly see dry eyes and crusty noses, which can be treated and kept from progressing into vision loss and open sores. Dental disease is a significant problem and can be painful. Arguably, the most common untreated ailment in senior pets is arthritis. Thankfully, many effective options for treatment include simple supplements to NSAIDs, to alternative treatment modalities such as acupuncture or therapeutic laser therapy. It is important to monitor kidney and liver function when our geriatric pets are on daily medications for arthritis.
Plan for the Senior Stages
What’s most important is “quality of life,” and what that looks like for you and your canine companion. I recommend you think about expenses involved in caring for an aging pet ahead of time, consider whether pet insurance makes sense, and discuss limits. Make these decisions before they become emotional decisions.
If you have an aging pet, I encourage you to discuss with your veterinarian what the future holds and what can be done for your pet to live a longer, healthier, happy life.
Toby’s Take
No one told me there were dogs in retirement! It is taking me awhile to get used to these canines at Dr. Cheryl’s house―they’re not very smart. In my spare time, I have been doing a bit of research on treating geriatric cats with arthritis. Now, I am nowhere near arthritic, let alone, geriatric, but I want to make sure I can keep up with these annoying canines. So, I’ve discovered cats do get arthritic, but unlike dogs, we don’t do well with the classic NSAIDs, as our livers and kidneys are quite sensitive to them. There are some newer medications which prove promising, but long-term research is lacking. Besides, we don’t really like to take pills or yucky liquids on a daily basis. Nevertheless, there are methods and medications to relieve the achy bones of the geriatric cat, which makes us all happy.
Dr. Cheryl Rahal is a doctor of veterinary medicine at The Pet Wellness Center in North Phoenix.