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Pet Medication Home -> Graying Pet Population
Changing Times Bring Good News for Graying Pet
Population
Boston - Five years ago, 39% of America's companion
cats and dogs were considered senior or geriatric. With nutritional
and medical advances, that percentage continues to rise...and more
people are now sharing their homes with a beloved pet that is less
mentally alert, more irritable, and facing a set of challenging
health issues. But old age doesn't have to be accepted at face value.
Many age-related problems are preventable, curable or at least effectively
controlled.
"Old age is not a true disease," said William
Fortney, DVM, a veterinarian with Kansas State University. "It
represents the effects of time upon the physical, mental, and internal
organs. Unfortunately, uninformed owners fail to seek veterinary
assistance for age-related conditions and falsely assume that their
pet is just getting old and nothing can be done."
(continued below)
When does a pet become "old"? Although the
oldest dog on record was 29, the average life span of all dog breeds
is around 13.5 years. Client bonding, preventive health care, environment,
nutrition and disease all affect life expectancy, but genetics has
the most profound influence. Small dogs and cats are considered
geriatric at 11.5 years, but giant dogs breeds have reached the
"twilight" period at 7.5 years.
One of the common behaviors reported in older pets
is a changing sleep cycle. Owners are kept awake by their pet's
panting, pacing, requests to go outside, inability to get comfortable
or constantly "fluffing" the bed. And because 62% of pets
sleep in the owner's bed or bedroom, nighttime disturbances can
be a very frustrating, in-your-face problem.
"Various causes include an underlying painful
condition, such as dental disease; sleeping on a hard surface; an
altered biological clock; being uncomfortably cold due to poor circulation;
or even a phobia of the dark," Dr. Fortney said at the 138th
Annual Convention of the American Veterinary Medical Association
(AVMA) held in Boston, July 14-18, at the Hynes Convention Center.
To lull a pet back into a restful sleep pattern, he often prescribes
a warm soft bed, a night light, a radio playing softly, a brief
walk before bedtime, or, in some cases, drug therapy.
Altered sleep cycles in dogs and cats can also be
a sign of cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS). A progressive, age-related
disease, CDS may be caused by the genetically pre-programmed death
of neurons, by metabolic and neuro toxins, or by changes in various
CNS neuro-transmitter levels. Clinical signs are related to impaired
mental function or "senility."
In cats, CDS is common after 16 years of age and is
often manifested by increased vocalization, inappropriate elimination,
excessive grooming, aggression, and confusion. Dogs share most of
these traits. After other medical conditions or diseases are ruled
out, CDS symptoms can often be managed by drug treatments, oxygen
therapy, and additional exercise.
Another symptom of CDS is a previously unexhibited
fear or phobia. Called "panic attacks" in people, geriatric
anxiety can cause trembling, salivation, pacing, vocalization, destructive
behavior, eliminations, and escapism. A good example is a pet that
fears loud noises, as in thunderstorms or Fourth of July fireworks.
"Many owners reinforce the fears by comforting their pet,"
Dr. Fortney said. "Better success will be achieved by implementing
a program of counter conditioning and desensitization." A desensitization
program attempts to increase the threshold of abnormal behavior
through distraction and positive reinforcement. The stimulatory
levels are gradually increased.
Certain age-related changes, such as hearing loss,
cannot be prevented, but many others can be managed. Skin and coat
dullness can be helped with increased grooming, less bathing, and
nutritional supplements. Warm bedding and garments can benefit the
hypothermic dog or cat that has a decreased basal metabolic rate.
Changes in appetite can be due to many conditions, including gastrointestinal
disorders, a decreased sense of taste or smell, or muscle atrophy,
and may be remedied by hand feeding, adding water to dry food or
feeding canned food, or a program of mild exercise prior to meal
time.
Regular veterinary care is crucial for older pets,
so that owners can become educated and common warning signs of serious
chronic disease are not missed. The four most common causes of death
in older dogs are cancer, cardiovascular disease, renal failure,
and epilepsy and hepatic diseases. In older cats, cancer remains
the number-one fatal disease, followed by renal failure, cardiovascular
disease, and diabetes mellitus.
Considerable research in the area of interrupting
the aging process continues, both in people and their pets. "Gene
splicing and other technologies, antioxidant vitamins and compounds;
and hormone research may someday provide us with the 'Fountain of
Youth,'" said Dr. Fortney. "In veterinary medicine, our
overall goal must be to improve the quality of life, not just longevity."
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