Bonn. Many pet owners know these signs: the dog becomes more comfortable, the cat often withdraws. Visits to the vet become routine. When pets get older, a new section in living with the animal begins for many people – the right care should not be missing.
Nowadays, pets are getting older – including their individual needs. Just like with us humans, health challenges increase with increasing age. Chronic diseases often remain undetected for a long time and often only become noticeable late or by subtle symptoms. Mobility decreases and the appetite can also change. It is all the more important to take care of and observe the estimated family members in old age. Thanks to modern diagnostics and medicine, dogs and cats can live a good life despite chronic diseases or signs of aging. Regular veterinary care is a prerequisite for this, ideally through an annual health check.
When the dog gets older
As family members, dogs are on the side of their owners every day. Nevertheless, it can happen that diseases in old age are initially interpreted as “normal” signs of aging. Fatigue, loss of appetite, breathing difficulties or coughing after walks can also be signs of heart failure – a frequent age in dogs. The veterinarian can further clarify striking heart meals during a routine examination by X -rays, heart ultrasound and blood test. Medicinal treatment can enable the dog to live longer and, above all, carefree life. Treated with pain therapies can be treated with joint diseases such as osteoarthritis, typical of older dogs: they become stiffer or less active. Often overlooked or misinterpreted by the holder are disorders of the thyroid gland.
An underfunction can be noticeable, for example, by increased scale formation and the tendency towards skin infections. The diseased thyroid gland messes up the hormonal balance of the animals, which can be expressed by weight gain or a high need for sleep. Here, too, the vet is the right contact for a well -founded diagnosis and therapy.
Cats: Recognize quiet signals
From the age of eleventh, according to the investigations of cats, the number of diseases increases – however, the house tigers know how to hide this. Changes such as loss of appetite, withdrawal or reduced play and jumping joy indicate problems. Chronic renal failure occurs particularly often in old age (CNI) On, according to estimates, up to 20 percent of all cats that are older than seven years. The tricky: symptoms only occur when 65 to 70 percent of the so -called nephrone (Filter cells) are destroyed, treatment is then only possible to a limited extent. Regular, annual preventive examinations are all the more important.
A thyroid overactive also occurs in senior cats and can be treated well in the event of a diagnosis earlier. Her symptoms include cravings and a shaped fur. The osteoarthritis is less obvious, but just as uncomfortable. If the cat moves less or avoids higher favorite places, then keepers should become active and have the vet clarified whether their animal is in pain.
Use health care
The best basis for a good accompaniment of dogs and cats in old age are regular routine examinations. With the increasing life expectancy, the right to veterinary care changes. Age medicine, new therapy approaches and nutrition programs adapted to the changed needs are necessary. It is not for nothing that new treatment options, especially skin diseases, heart disease and pain, ensure movement in the German veterinary medicine market: the industry is preparing to change the needs of pet owners.