Geriatric Care
Hall Vet Surgery is committed to providing high quality and appropriate care for older pets. We recognise that older pets are much loved and valued family members. Their health and comfort is our concern too. Old age is not simply a set age that your pet reaches but is a time when there are noticeable changes due to the aging process. On average, age related changes might be noticed at 9-12 years of age in small dog breeds and cats and 6-9 years of age in large breed dogs. Our general advice is to start looking out for signs of aging in any dog or cat of 8 years or older.
Some useful things to look out for include excessive drinking (more than 100mls/kg/24hrs for dogs and 50ml/kg/24hrs in cats), weight loss, coughing, vomiting, diarrhoea, incontinence, stiffness or lameness, bad breath, skin lumps and changes in hair coat. Pets displaying any of these signs should have a check up. In older pets the focus shifts from disease prevention to health management. A key aspect of this is that the earlier a disease process is identified the more help we can offer. For very old pets health management can have a focus on trying to maintain a high quality of life rather than just extending their life span.
There is some debate as to whether older pets require annual vaccination. Our general recommendation for dogs and indoor cats over 8-10 years of age is that their vaccination interval can be safely increased to once every three years. However they will still need an annual vaccination if you plan to place them in boarding kennels. Outdoor cats should still have an FIV vaccination annually. An annual health check up is highly recommended for all older pets. Intestinal worming and heartworm prevention (for dogs) should be continued in older pets.
Older pets commonly need procedures that require an anaesthetic such as dental work or lump removals. Although anaesthetic risk is greater in an older pet it is rare to have an anaesthetic problem as long as the pet is thoroughly assessed prior to the anaesthetic. All patients of Hall Vet Surgery receive a thorough check up prior to an anaesthetic. We recommend pre-anaesthetic blood testing for animals older than 8 years of age.
Many older pets can be fed in the same way as an adult pet. Some older dogs will benefit from prescription diets available for age related diseases such as cardiac, kidney and liver disease and obesity, arthritis and dementia. All older pets should not be allowed to gain too much weight as this can exacerbate arthritis and other diseases.
Arthritic dogs may be lame, slow to rise from a resting position, lick the skin overlying joints or have general difficulties exercising. If you suspect your older pet has arthritis, a check up is advised, as there are many successful treatment options to reduce arthritic pain.
For older pets with serious health problems, a decision for euthanasia can be appropriate if you feel that they no longer have an adequate quality of life. Please feel free to discuss this and any other aspects of geriatric care with our staff.
Also refer to our client handout A Guide to the Older Dog and Cat.
Next: Nutritional advice for your pet dog or cat
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