By: By Dr. Adrianne Brode, CCRP Manvel Lakes Animal Hospital
Age is not a disease. We can certainly see changes as we age, but just because your pet is up there in years does not mean that she should not have good quality of life. In the past we might have accepted that an older dog sleeping all day and not wanting to go for walks or an older cat that no longer plays is just part of the aging process, but I would encourage you to reconsider that mindset.
We are taking better care of our pets, so they are living longer. We have so many options available to make sure that those extra years are meaningful. If your senior pet is slowing down, then schedule a checkup with your veterinarian. Routine lab work can evaluate for underlying hormonal or endocrine disease as well as basic organ function testing. If arthritis pain is suspected, then we have multiple options available for both cats and dogs.
There are many oral supplements that are beneficial for joint disease, including fish oils/fatty acids, collagen, green lipped mussel, glucosamine, eggshell membrane, etc. Adequan is an injectable glycosaminoglycan that improves joint health. We have a variety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories to address the pain and inflammation of arthritis. Monoclonal antibody therapies for pain control as also available for both dogs and cats. Intra-articular injections of stem cells, platelet-rich plasma, steroids, or other medications can directly treat specific painful joints.
Alternatively, there are other options that are not medications. Rehabilitation therapy includes targeted exercises to help improve joint pain and mobility, muscle mass, and lameness. Therapeutic laser and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) can both be used to treat painful joints, muscles, and tendons. Acupuncture is an eastern medicine whole body approach that differs from but can work complementarily with traditional western medicine.
If you have addressed pain control and ruled out underlying disease with your veterinarian and your geriatric pet is still not enjoying life like she used to, then we also need to consider cognitive/senility issues. Nighttime waking, restlessness, sleeping more during the day, less interaction with family members, disorientation, and changes in activity level and anxiety can all be symptoms of cognitive dysfunction. While no specific cure exists, there are a variety of supplements, medications, and environmental enrichment that can improve your pet’s life.
Aging is part of life, and our beloved pets do age more quickly than we would like, but please do not just assume that he or she is just getting old and there is nothing to be done. I have plenty of older patients that can still run and play. Talk to your veterinarian today if you have an older pet that is struggling. We have lots of options available and it brightens every veterinarian’s day to help a senior pet enjoy their golden years.
