Is My Pet Sick or Just Getting Older?
Is My Pet Sick or Just Getting Older?
As our pets get older, we expect them to slow down as part of the aging process, but how much slowing down is too much? What signs should pet owners watch out for in their senior pets that may suggest there is more going on than simply normal aging?
What qualifies a pet as a senior pet?
Senior pets can loosely be defined as those in the last 25% of their anticipated lifespan for their species and breed. For example, a cat expected to live 15 years would be considered senior at 11 years of age. What that means to dog and cat owners is 9-11 years of age is the start of your pet’s senior years. One notable exception is giant breeds of dogs who are considered senior a year or two earlier.
Slow motion
Many pet owners assume their pet is slowing down because it is older. Since aging is associated with a variety of illnesses, if you have a senior pet who seems to be slowing down, take him for a complete physical examination. Your pet can’t tell you their joints hurt from arthritis, but your veterinarian can. Never give your dog or cat your arthritis medication as these drugs are extremely toxic to pets. There are medications that can help make your arthritic pet more comfortable and kick their activity level back up a notch.
Forgetfulness
Another behavior change incorrectly attributed to aging is loss of housebreaking/litterbox use. Older cats are especially prone to developing kidney problems, and the accompanying increase in urine production. Couple an increase in urine production with creaky joints that don’t move so well anymore and your cat may act as if he has forgotten where to find the litter box. Placing litterboxes conveniently near your cat’s favorite perch will help overcome this problem. Some creaky cats can no longer climb over the edge of the litter box and will “go” right outside the litterbox. Substituting a box with lower sides or a cut out for easy entry will often resolve this situation. Diabetes and urinary tract infections will also cause what appears to be a loss of housebreaking. All of these reasons may contribute to a lack of litter box use, but the reason may be as simple as not changing the litter often enough to your cat’s liking.
Cognitive dysfunction syndrome
A syndrome is a collection of clinical signs that commonly occur together. Once your veterinarian has determined an illness is not causing your pet to slow down, cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) will be considered. CDS in a decline in brain function in the aging dog exemplified by behavior changes. Dogs with CDS may stand in one place more often, greet the owners less often and have accidents in the house. At the recent Zoobiquity 3 Conference in New York City, Dr. Chad West, one of The AMC’s board certified neurologists, discussed a case of CDS in a dog. The MRI findings in the dog were strikingly similar to the second most common cause of dementia in humans, vascular dementia.
Keeping your pets young
Sadly, there is no fountain of youth for either you or your pet, but there are things pet owners can do to keep their favorite fur baby around as long as possible.
- Don’t assume changes in your pet’s behavior, activity or appetite are “just old age.” Bring these changes to the attention of your veterinarian.
- Take your pet for regular veterinary check-ups. The current guidelines recommend annual visits for younger pets and more frequent visits as your pet ages. Early detection of disease can mean all the difference in extending the life of your pet.
- Keep your pet mentally and physically active. Use feeding toys to challenge your pet to “hunt” for her food. Consider low impact exercises for your dog, such as swimming. Exercise your dog or cat on a regular basis.