SENIOR PET HEALTH AWARENESS
As we grow older and
experience changes, so do our pets. With
the exception of giant breed dogs (such as Great Danes, Mastiffs or Newfoundlands, which are
considered "seniors" by age five); the majority of our pets are "seniors" at
age seven. A small dog or cat can age up to 4 times quicker than us, and a
large dog ages even faster. You can
determine pet's "life-stage" using this general information:
SENIOR GERIARTRIC
Small dogs (weighing 1-20 lbs) 7 yrs old 13 yrs
old
Cats
Medium/large dogs (21-90 lbs) 7 yrs old 11 yrs
old
Giant breeds >90 lobs 5 yrs old 9
yrs old
Why is it Important to Know if my Pet is
a Senior?
The key to having a happy and
healthy older pet is early detection and prevention of illness, as well as a
nutritious diet appropriate of your pet's life-stage. With increasing age,
nutritional and medical needs change for dogs and cats. Older pets are more
prone to behavioral changes, weight gain, arthritis and infection.
As an owner, you may notice
some subtle changes in your pet's behavior, such as disorientation,
apparent reason and loss of
house-training. These may be signs of senility in older dogs, called "Cognitive
Dysfunction Syndrome" (CDS).
Pets experience changes in
their body composition just like older people. There is a tendency for a
decrease in lean mass (muscle) and an increase in fat stores. Weight gain can
lead to significant problems in older animals. It can affect your pet's
mobility especially if he or she already has arthritis. Obesity also increases
the risk for diabetes in pets and people. Therapeutic diets (Hill's
Prescription Diets R/D, and W/D) can help achieve weight loss without
compromising your pet's nutritional needs.
Osteoarthritis (arthritis or
degenerative joint disease) can affect various joints and is often associated
with mechanical wear due to aging. Arthritis can cause severe pain, difficulty
rising and walking, stiffness and loss of muscle mass in the affected limbs. The goal in the treatment of arthritis is to
improve the quality of life in our pets by alleviating joint pain, increasing
joint mobility and reducing cartilage deterioration. This can be done by
combining weight control, moderate exercise and medication. Commonly used medications
in veterinary medicine for the treatment of arthritis include:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as
Rimadyl)
- Nutraceuticals (such as Dasuquin or GlycoFlex for
felines)
They can help to reduce joint
inflammation and rebuild cartilage in the joint.
The fourth most common change
in aging pets is a higher rate of infection due to lower immune response. There
are special diets made for senior pets formulated with anti-oxidants (Vitamin
E, B-carotene) which have been proven to protect and enhance immune response,
as well as prevent further cellular damage caused during aging.
One type of infection is caused by dental
disease. Dental disease can be very painful to your pet. Pawing at the mouth,
decrease in appetite, or refusal to eat dry kibble can be symptoms of dental
disease. Many senior pets will have gingivitis and/or periodontal disease which
can spread infection to other parts of the body (heart, kidneys and liver).
Another potential complication
