Don DeForge, VMD-Silver Sands Veterinary Center-Making the Golden Years Golden!

Donald H. DeForge, VMD- Silver Sands Veterinary Center- 19October2015

Making the Golden Years 

GOLDEN!

At Mrs. Jones party her aged companion, "Dukey" got up with difficulty and walked into the family room.  One of her guests said, "what is wrong with Dukey?"  Mrs. Jones answered, "guess he is just getting old."

If we want to make our pets "Golden years GOLDEN", we must do more than excuse abnormal behavior as "just getting old!"

Visit your veterinarian and find out why your pet is slowing down.  Many times a physical exam with a few basic lab tests or an x-ray can pinpoint the reason for your pet's poor quality of life.  

As we age, we seek a quality of life by consulting with many physicians. Doctors can limit discomfort and make us less painful in our many aging disorders.  The one point I wish to convey in this blog is quite simple....our pets have provided unconditional love; they have been there to support us through physical and emotional times of discomfort in our own lives; they ask for little and return so much more because of the unconditional love that they bring to us each day.  

We must be sure that every one of their geriatric days is a "happy day".  There are problems that cannot be fixed but there are many more that can be helped if we seek the advice of our local doctor of veterinary medicine.  Listed below are common "fixable" problems in the geriatric dog and cat.  Take a moment to browse through them,  Is your pet urinating more frequently; drinking excessive water; vomiting; having difficulty getting up after lying down; having difficulty eating; avoiding hard foods; not playing with toys; cannot go up and downstairs easily; or having difficulty breathing?  These are all signs of what can be "fixable" problems if treated in the early stages of development. 

Problems in the aged dog and cat that can be helped with veterinary intervention in the early stages:

Obesity Related Problems

Heart Disease

Kidney Disease

Arthritis

Hypertension-High Blood Pressure

Liver Problems

Gall Bladder Problems

Diabetes

Ear-Eye Problems

Skin Problems-External Parasites

Internal Parasites

Thyroid and Adrenal Problems

Lyme and other Tick Born Diseases

Bartonella Disease in the Dog and Cat

Heartworm Heart Disease

Prostate Problems

Cancer

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction-From PetMD

Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome  in Dogs

Cognitive dysfunction syndrome is a condition related to the aging of a dog's brain, which ultimately leads to changes in awareness, deficits in learning and memory, and decreased responsiveness to stimuli. Although the initial symptoms of the disorder are mild, they gradually worsen over time, also known as “cognitive decline.” In fact, clinical signs of cognitive dysfunction syndrome are found in 50 percent of dogs over the age of 11, and by the age of 15, 68 percent of dogs display at least one sign.

Symptoms and Types

• Disorientation/confusion
• Anxiety/restlessness
• Extreme irritability
• Decreased desire to play
• Excessive licking
• Seeming disregard for previously learned training or house rules
• Slow to learn new tasks
• Inability to follow familiar routes
• Lack of self-grooming
• Fecal and urinary incontinence
• Loss of appetite (anorexia)
• Changes in sleep cycle (i.e, night waking, sleeping during the day)

Causes

Although the exact cause of cognitive dysfunction syndrome is currently unknown, genetic factors may predispose an animal to develop the condition.

There are methods of treatment of this very complex problem.  Call your veterinarian today!

Make the Gold Years GOLDEN for your pet.  Call your veterinarian today for an examination.  Return your pet's unconditional love with a visit to the veterinarian for a geriatric check-up.

Dr. DeForge welcomes comments to his blogs:

Silver Sands Veterinary Center

17 Seemans Lane

Milford, CT 06460

E-Mail DonDeForge100@gmail.com

19October2015