A Guide On How To Lengthen and Improve Your Senior Pet’s Life
Courtesy Dr Rigby & Dr. Norton
WHEN IS MY PET A SENIOR CITIZEN?
In most cases our pets are classified as senior from 7 years of age, although Large/Giant Breeds it is from 5 years old.
Life expectancy for most small breed dogs and cats is 14-16y. For Large Breed dogs it is 10 – 12 years.
Just like us, they start to slow down – exercise less and put on weight.
REGULAR CHECK UPS ARE PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT NOW AS:-
The earlier organs ‘slow down’ pr diseases are picked up – the more likely these can be treated, the quicker the response to treatment and the better the prognosis.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MY PET GETS OLDER?
(Rare – if you’re pet has been sterilized)
HOW DO WE PICK THESE UP AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT?
WE RECOMMEND A GERIATRIC PROFILE AT LEAST EVERY TWO YEARS FROM 7 YEARS OF AGE
This will tell us if your pet has:
**These blood tests can be done while you wait***
DIET
Why is senior food important?
Weight gain and diabetes
EXERCISE
How much? --- it varies but around 10-15mins twice daily – but also LOOK at your pet’s body languag e.g. limping, panting, tongue is blue
HOW WOULD I SUSPECT MY PET HAS A PROBLEM?
REMEMBER PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!!!!!!!!
In most cases our pets are classified as senior from 7 years of age, although Large/Giant Breeds it is from 5 years old.
Life expectancy for most small breed dogs and cats is 14-16y. For Large Breed dogs it is 10 – 12 years.
Just like us, they start to slow down – exercise less and put on weight.
REGULAR CHECK UPS ARE PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT NOW AS:-
- Internal organs start to ‘slow down’ (work less efficiently)
- The likelihood of cancer increases
- Immune system slows down thus takes longer to recover from infectious diseases e.g. Tick Bite Fever
The earlier organs ‘slow down’ pr diseases are picked up – the more likely these can be treated, the quicker the response to treatment and the better the prognosis.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MY PET GETS OLDER?
- Weight Gain
- Arthritis
- Dental Disease
- Lumps and Bumps
- Reproductive problems
(Rare – if you’re pet has been sterilized)
- Kidney Failure
- Heart Failure
- Eye Problems
- Diabetes (sugar diabetes)
- Doggy Alzheimer’s (Canine Cognitive Dysfunction)
HOW DO WE PICK THESE UP AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT?
- A full clinical exanimation by one of our vets can pick up many of the above problems e.g. cataracts, heart murmurs, dental disease
- The History that is given to vets is VERY IMPORTANT as often these can give vital clues to what may be going on e.g. Kidney disease, Diabetes, Arthritis
- For Lumps and Bumps a FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATE (FNA) can be performed. This involves putting a small needle into the lump and ‘sucking’ up some cells and looking at these under the microscope. This will tell the vet if it is cancerous or not.
- For the other diseases we require a small blood sample to help us diagnose problems.
WE RECOMMEND A GERIATRIC PROFILE AT LEAST EVERY TWO YEARS FROM 7 YEARS OF AGE
This will tell us if your pet has:
- Kidney Failure/Disease
- Diabetes
- Liver Disease
- Anaemia (not enough Red Blood Cells)
- Low Grade Infections
- Certain types of Leukaemia’s (blood cancers)
- Good screening test for over active adrenal glands
**These blood tests can be done while you wait***
DIET
Why is senior food important?
- It has less fat, fewer calories – helps to prevent obesity
Weight gain and diabetes
- Supplemented with glucosamine and chondroitan – helps prevent Arthritis
- Specific protein levels and quality – helps the Kidneys
EXERCISE
- Still important to prevent weight gain
- Helps slow down arthritis
- Mental stimulation and social interaction
How much? --- it varies but around 10-15mins twice daily – but also LOOK at your pet’s body languag e.g. limping, panting, tongue is blue
HOW WOULD I SUSPECT MY PET HAS A PROBLEM?
- Drinking and urinating more than normal – is common with KIDNEY PROBLEMS AND DIABETES
- Spending more time lying around – commonly seen with HEART DISEASE, ANAEMIA AND ARTHRITIS
- Poor appetite – dental problems, kidney disease, liver problems.
- Becoming aggressive – poor eye sight, pain, nervous system problems
- Sleeping less at night, urinating and pooing in abnormal places, barking more than usual – CCD (Doggie Alzheimer’s), eye problems
REMEMBER PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!!!!!!!!
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