Pet retirement strategy: Let your pet live a happy old age
When pets enter their old age and need more care and attention from us, how to let them live a happy and healthy old age life is a high-profile issue. Pet care is not only the responsibility of a family, but also our treatment of pets. of responsibility and respect.
01Characteristics of aging dogs and cats
When dogs and cats enter old age, they will show obvious physiological characteristics of aging, such as dry, loose skin, loss of elasticity, dull hair and severe hair loss, and the hair color in some parts of the body will also turn white. The physical functions of dogs and cats will also gradually decline with age, and their movements will become sluggish, listless, lethargic, and their hearing and vision will also decline to a certain extent.
In addition, as age increases, various geriatric diseases will follow, often manifesting in dogs and cats as: tumors, reproductive system problems, decreased gastrointestinal function, oral problems, urinary system problems, etc.
02 Common diseases in elderly dogs and cats
Just like humans, aging pets may suffer from a variety of health problems. The main diseases in elderly pets include cancer, periodontal disease, heart disease, kidney disease, skin diseases, nutritional problems, genetic diseases, liver disease and epilepsy. The most common causes for older dogs are cancer and heart disease, while for older cats the most common causes are cancer and kidney disease.
heart disease:
Acquired heart disease is most common in elderly dogs and cats. It is common for small dogs such as Poodles, Pomeranians and Pekingese to suffer from heart failure due to heart valve defects or degeneration, while for large dogs, heart failure is often caused by dilated cardiomyopathy.
Elderly dogs: Initially suffering from heart disease, they will cough at night, wheeze, cough and have a purple tongue during exercise. In the later stages of heart failure, sick dogs will have obvious clinical symptoms such as collapse, accelerated heart rate, weight loss and poor spirits.
Elderly cats: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is common in cats with heart disease, and may result in aortic embolism. Dilated cardiomyopathy in cats is clinically rare but can also lead to secondary heart failure. Cats with heart disease have difficulty breathing and develop pleural effusion and ascites.
Chronic kidney failure:
Renal failure is also a common disease in elderly dogs and cats. It develops slowly, has a certain degree of gradualness, and is irreversible. The kidney is a very important internal organ of the body, helping to remove toxins from the body. Kidney failure can lead to severe damage to the glomeruli and renal tubules, seriously threatening life and health.
The main symptoms of chronic renal failure in dogs and cats are weight loss, polydipsia and polyuria, lack of energy, loss of appetite, anemia, etc. In some cases, oral and gastrointestinal ulcers, secondary hyperparathyroidism, metabolic acidosis, hypertension, electrolyte imbalance, constipation (cat dehydration), microcystitis, etc. may also occur.
cataract:
In veterinary clinical practice, cataract is a common eye disease that has a serious impact on the vision of dogs and cats, especially elderly dogs and cats.
Cataracts may develop in the eyes of pet dogs and cats as they age. When pet owners find that their eyes are no longer clear under light and appear white and foggy, they need to pay attention to whether their pets have difficulty moving.
If gray or blue spots are observed in the eyes of dogs and cats, it means that the degree of cataract has reached 60%. Advanced cataracts are often accompanied by glaucoma. Dogs and cats with glaucoma will experience severe eye pain because they cannot drain the fluid in their eyes in time, causing increased intraocular pressure. If not treated in time, there is a possibility of blindness.
03Daily care for elderly dogs and cats
Healthy diet: For elderly pets who are already sick, the general principle of nutritional management is: not to have excess energy, but to meet special individual nutritional needs such as heart disease, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disease, liver disease, urinary tract disease and Nutritional needs in disease states such as tumors. For healthy older pets, proper dietary management can reduce health risks.
In general, the food that elderly dogs and cats need should be high-quality protein, reduce the intake of sodium and phosphorus, and increase fatty acids and fiber.
Regular physical examination: It is recommended that elderly dogs and cats have a physical examination every 6 months.
Palpate the whole body: detect tumors and abnormalities such as parathyroid glands early; check the mouth.
Check your teeth: Carefully observe the condition of your teeth, check the severity of tartar and the condition of your gums. X-ray examination: B-ultrasound is performed to determine abnormalities such as tumors, stones, and hyperplasia.
Routine urine examination and urine protein to creatinine ratio: detect potential urinary system diseases.
As well as blood tests such as routine blood tests, biochemistry and endocrine tests. Comprehensively check your physical health and conduct timely physical examinations to eliminate the possibility of disease development.
Add companionship:
Pet care for the elderly is a topic that deserves the attention of thousands of pet owners, not only because elderly pets need our care and attention, but also because the companionship and happiness that pets give us are irreplaceable. When they are old, we should give them more companionship and care so that they can spend their old age better.
01Characteristics of aging dogs and cats
When dogs and cats enter old age, they will show obvious physiological characteristics of aging, such as dry, loose skin, loss of elasticity, dull hair and severe hair loss, and the hair color in some parts of the body will also turn white. The physical functions of dogs and cats will also gradually decline with age, and their movements will become sluggish, listless, lethargic, and their hearing and vision will also decline to a certain extent.
In addition, as age increases, various geriatric diseases will follow, often manifesting in dogs and cats as: tumors, reproductive system problems, decreased gastrointestinal function, oral problems, urinary system problems, etc.
02 Common diseases in elderly dogs and cats
Just like humans, aging pets may suffer from a variety of health problems. The main diseases in elderly pets include cancer, periodontal disease, heart disease, kidney disease, skin diseases, nutritional problems, genetic diseases, liver disease and epilepsy. The most common causes for older dogs are cancer and heart disease, while for older cats the most common causes are cancer and kidney disease.
heart disease:
Acquired heart disease is most common in elderly dogs and cats. It is common for small dogs such as Poodles, Pomeranians and Pekingese to suffer from heart failure due to heart valve defects or degeneration, while for large dogs, heart failure is often caused by dilated cardiomyopathy.
Elderly dogs: Initially suffering from heart disease, they will cough at night, wheeze, cough and have a purple tongue during exercise. In the later stages of heart failure, sick dogs will have obvious clinical symptoms such as collapse, accelerated heart rate, weight loss and poor spirits.
Elderly cats: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is common in cats with heart disease, and may result in aortic embolism. Dilated cardiomyopathy in cats is clinically rare but can also lead to secondary heart failure. Cats with heart disease have difficulty breathing and develop pleural effusion and ascites.
Chronic kidney failure:
Renal failure is also a common disease in elderly dogs and cats. It develops slowly, has a certain degree of gradualness, and is irreversible. The kidney is a very important internal organ of the body, helping to remove toxins from the body. Kidney failure can lead to severe damage to the glomeruli and renal tubules, seriously threatening life and health.
The main symptoms of chronic renal failure in dogs and cats are weight loss, polydipsia and polyuria, lack of energy, loss of appetite, anemia, etc. In some cases, oral and gastrointestinal ulcers, secondary hyperparathyroidism, metabolic acidosis, hypertension, electrolyte imbalance, constipation (cat dehydration), microcystitis, etc. may also occur.
cataract:
In veterinary clinical practice, cataract is a common eye disease that has a serious impact on the vision of dogs and cats, especially elderly dogs and cats.
Cataracts may develop in the eyes of pet dogs and cats as they age. When pet owners find that their eyes are no longer clear under light and appear white and foggy, they need to pay attention to whether their pets have difficulty moving.
If gray or blue spots are observed in the eyes of dogs and cats, it means that the degree of cataract has reached 60%. Advanced cataracts are often accompanied by glaucoma. Dogs and cats with glaucoma will experience severe eye pain because they cannot drain the fluid in their eyes in time, causing increased intraocular pressure. If not treated in time, there is a possibility of blindness.
03Daily care for elderly dogs and cats
Healthy diet: For elderly pets who are already sick, the general principle of nutritional management is: not to have excess energy, but to meet special individual nutritional needs such as heart disease, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disease, liver disease, urinary tract disease and Nutritional needs in disease states such as tumors. For healthy older pets, proper dietary management can reduce health risks.
In general, the food that elderly dogs and cats need should be high-quality protein, reduce the intake of sodium and phosphorus, and increase fatty acids and fiber.
Regular physical examination: It is recommended that elderly dogs and cats have a physical examination every 6 months.
Palpate the whole body: detect tumors and abnormalities such as parathyroid glands early; check the mouth.
Check your teeth: Carefully observe the condition of your teeth, check the severity of tartar and the condition of your gums. X-ray examination: B-ultrasound is performed to determine abnormalities such as tumors, stones, and hyperplasia.
Routine urine examination and urine protein to creatinine ratio: detect potential urinary system diseases.
As well as blood tests such as routine blood tests, biochemistry and endocrine tests. Comprehensively check your physical health and conduct timely physical examinations to eliminate the possibility of disease development.
Add companionship:
Pet care for the elderly is a topic that deserves the attention of thousands of pet owners, not only because elderly pets need our care and attention, but also because the companionship and happiness that pets give us are irreplaceable. When they are old, we should give them more companionship and care so that they can spend their old age better.