Senior Pet Ailments

 

          It’s pretty unfair that our pets have such short lives. It’s often difficult to digest that they age and achieve seniority status at as young as 6 yrs of age in some breeds. 

Dogs are categorised as senior depending on the size of the breed. Larger breeds tend to age faster than their smaller counterparts. So a 6 yr old Dane is an old guy but a 6 yr old Chihuahua is still a middle aged fellow!

With ageing come certain illnesses. (Though even in the animal world, for a lot of them, age is just a number!) Here are some of the most common age related illnesses that we encounter when dogs and cats crossover to their golden years.

1. Degenerative joint disease/ Arthritis

Wear and tear over the ages cause the joints to become painful. Erosion of shock absorbing padding and reduction in production of joint fluid eventually leads to friction between bones. If you have a senior pet and can hear their bones creaking, they can be suffering from arthritis. 

Tell tale signs: 

• Inability to climb up or go down stairs
• Reluctance to climb on to furniture
• Grooming a particular area, chewing or nibbling at a joint. 
• Limping (the most obvious sign)
• Difficulty getting up, especially after sleeping
• Change in temperament - unpredictable bouts of aggression
• Slower gait
• Loss of muscle mass, especially on hind limbs

2. Heart conditions

The poor organ that’s on duty 24X7 does tend to wear out a bit too! 

As age advances, pets can suffer from cardiac diseases like an enlarged heart (also called DCM - dilated cardiomyopathy) in dogs and more commonly HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) in cats. The valves within the heart may also not function as well causing them to leak. A weaker heart is going to make daily activities a bit more difficult. A little medical support is required at the time to slow the progression of these diseases and help the heart pump effectively enough. 

Tell tale Signs: 

• Exercise intolerance —> Inability to run and walk, getting tired easily. Panting even after moderate exercise.
• Bluish/purplish tongue colour (this one needs URGENT attention)
• Distension of abdomen
• Loss of weight
• Chronic cough
• Difficulty in sleeping
• Lack of appetite

3. Dental disease

Those pearly whites often get ignored unless there’s a severe problem. If dental hygiene is regularly attended to, this problem may not become as bad during their senior years. Routine dental checks are therefore recommended every year for each pet, even cats. If ignored the infection and bacteria in the mouth can actually also cause kidney failure and progress to multi organ failure! So open your old buddy’s mouth often.

Tell tale Signs:

• Going to food but not eating
• Hyper salivation
• Blood tinged saliva
• Smelly mouth
• Brownish discolouration on teeth
• Red, inflamed gums

4. Cancer

Though not seen in all oldies, cancers do make their rounds more often in older dogs and cats. Check your dogs and cats for any lumps, bumps and make sure they all get tested to ensure they are not cancerous. Any unexplained weight loss must also be addressed. 

5. Kidney failure

1/3 cats in their senior years will suffer from chronic kidney disease. Keeping them well hydrated through their lifetime may keep this illness at bay. However, since nobody can be immortal, it is possible that at some point in their senior years, cats will show signs of this illness. Chronic kidney failure can be managed and even if diagnosed with the disease it does not mean it is death sentence. With proper care, a lot of cats will live comfortably for a few years despite having this disease.  

Tell tale Signs:

• Lack of appetite
• Vomiting
• Bad breath (a distinct urine like odour)
• Loss of weight
• Increased water intake + urination or reduction in urination
• Hiding
• Not wanting to play 

6. Vision loss

Vision can diminish with age. (Unfortunately, our pets do not yet have the luxury of spectacles). Cataracts are common with age. A cataract means the lens that allows light to filter into the retina of your pet has become opaque, coming in the way of clear vision. This makes it difficult to see. That white opacity in the eye is often very obvious. Cataracts may also be associated with Diabetes and hence if you do spot any opacity or white substance in the black portion of your pet’s eye, it would be wise to get them tested for diabetes as well.

Tell tale Signs:

• Walking into objects
• Inability to navigate especially at night
• White opacity in the eye
• If there is diabetes there could also be increased thirst and urination along with increased hunger.

7. Hearing loss

Dogs and cats rely so strongly on their other senses that being hard of hearing may go unnoticed. Though there are very few solutions to presbycusis (age related hearing loss — there, you learnt a new word!), it’s not really that hard for them to go on with their usual routine and maintain their quality of life even if this sense diminishes.

Tell tale Signs: 

• Lack of response to familiar sounds

8. Cognitive dysfunction Syndrome

This is a group of behavioural disturbances in older dogs similar to dementia in humans. Cats can also show signs of this syndrome but like with everything else, they do not make it all that obvious. It is believed that this occurs due to age related pathological changes in their retinal nerve, olfactory tract, affecting a whole host of their senses and therefore their perception.

Tell tale Signs:

• Change in activity
• Altered behaviour
• Disorientation
• Staring at walls
• Incessant barking/ vocalisation
• Aimless wandering
• Change in sleep cycle

          Despite these hiccups along the road, anybody who has a senior pet knows the joy they bring. Sometimes it can be heart breaking to see them go through old age but there are ways and means to even make their golden years comfortable for them. We will follow this with a blog on how to ensure that there is never any compromise in their quality of life. 

          As a pet parent it is our duty to do routine checks. Any sign should be informed to a vet. Be armed with information to help identify ailments sooner. Unfortunately, all of us with pets have to some day experience their senior years. A true best friend will make sure those are the best days of their life. 

Old is Beautiful,

Dr. N