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September 2015 Newsletter 
SEPTEMBER IS SENIOR WELLNESS AWARENESS MONTH
September is Senior Wellness Awareness Month and we are celebrating your senior pets! As pets 
age, recommendations for veterinary care, exercise, and nutrition should be tailored to meet their individual needs.Thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, research, technology and dietary habits, our pets are living longer and healthier lives then ever before.  Largo Veterinary Hospital is an accredited member of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). To help guide veterinary hospitals like ours, AAHA has issued a set of guidelines for Senior Pet Care. The guidelines help us to provide optimum health care for our "Senior" pets!
When does a pet become a "senior"?
It varies, but cats and small dogs are generally considered geriatric at the age of 7. Larger breed dogs tend to have shorter life spans and are considered geriatric when they are approximately 6 years of age. Owners tend to want to think of their pet's age in human terms. While it is not as simple as "1 human year = X cat/dog years", there are calculations that can help put a pet's age in human terms:
 
Cat Years Human Years
7 45
10 58
15 75
20 98
 
Dog years
Human years (*dog size lbs)
7
Small – Medium: 44-47
Large – Very large: 50-56
10
Small – Medium: 56-60
Large – Very large: 66-78
15
Small – Medium: 76-83
Large – Very large: 93-115
20
Small – Medium: 96-105
Large: 120
*Small: 0-20 lbs; Medium: 21-50 lbs; Large: 51-90 lbs; Very large: >90 lbs 
The oldest recorded age of a cat is 34 years. The oldest recorded age of a dog is 29 years.

 
 
 How do I help my "senior" pet stay happy and healthy for as long as possible?
Scheduling twice yearly pet wellness visits is one of the most important steps for an owner of a mature pet. Senior care is necessary to detect and delay the onset or progress of disease, and for the early detection of underlying problems such as kidney or heart failure and osteoarthritis. Because pets age faster than humans (one year is equal to five to seven pet years), Dr. Daniels recommends that your senior pets visit us every six months for a complete exam and evaluation.Senior wellness exams should include preventative screening such as blood work, urinalysis, x-rays, blood pressure, and parasite screening. Other tests may be required if your pet is showing signs of illness or discomfort. Our diagnostic skills and equipment, combined with your observations and reporting, result in successful diagnosis and treatment for many age-related concerns.
 
My older pet is exhibiting changes in behavior. What's going on?
Before any medical signs become apparent, behavioral changes can serve as important indicators that something is changing in an older pet, which may be due to medical problems or just age. As your pet's owner, you serve a critical role in detecting early signs of disease because you interact and care for your pet on a daily basis and are familiar with your pet's behavior and routines.
Possible behavior changes in older pets:
Decreased interaction w/humans House soiling
Disorientation Decreased self-hygiene/grooming
Increased irritability Repetitive activity
Decreased response to commands                                      Increased wandering
Increased vocalization
Change in sleep cycles
Confusion Increased anxiety
Increased aggressive/protective behavior Increased reaction to sounds
   
 
What are the common signs of disease in an older pet?
The signs you might see will vary with the disease or problem affecting your pet, and some signs can be seen with more than one problem. As the pet's owner, you can provide your veterinarian with valuable information that can help them determine what is going on with your pet.
Common Warning Signs of Disease in Older Pets
Kidney disease
Urinary tract disease
Heart disease
Decreased appetite
Increased urination/spotting or "accidents" in the house
Coughing
Increased thirst
Straining to urinate
Difficulty breathing
Increased urination
Blood in urine
Decreased tolerance of exercise
Decreased or no urination
Weakness
 
Poor hair coat
 
Decreased appetite
Vomiting
 
Vomiting
Sore mouth
 
 
 
Why do I need to be more observant of my senior pet?
Many times we can discover health issues just beginning with these senior pets, that might possibly turn into more serious problems if left undetected for more than six months. Early diagnosis can lead to medications that will delay the progression of certain life threatening diseases or can make the arthritic pet more comfortable through their remaining years.
Our senior pets have given us many years of love and companionship. It is our responsibility as pet parents to make sure we keep them as happy and healthy for as long as possible. Let us work with you to give your senior pet the best quality of life!
 
 
IS MY PET BECOMING SENILE?
 Possibly. Once any underlying or other disease causes have been ruled out, there is a chance your pet may be experiencing cognitive dysfunction. Studies conducted in the early 1990s were the first to identify brain changes in older dogs that were similar to brain changes seen in humans with Alzheimer's disease.
 
While researchers are still not able to identify any genetic cause of why certain animals develop cognitive dysfunction, there are drugs and specific diets available that can help manage cognitive dysfunction in dogs. If you think your pet is becoming senile, discuss it with Dr. Daniels.
Is your cat a water bowl snob? Here are some best practices to keep your kitty happily drinking from her water bowl:
Keep it Fresh- have you ever seen your cat paw at her water?  To some cats, moving water is preferable to the sort that sits still in a dish for hours. So it is that some cats prefer to drink aerated water directly from the tap, a fountain or even the toilet. Refill the bowl with fresh water on a daily basis. Cats are very sensitive to taste and if the water stands too long it will start to taste stale.
 
Debris Free- Don’t just refill the water each day without washing the bowl itself. Hair, dirt, saliva and food can stick to the sides. Wash the bowl with mild dish soap and then thoroughly rinse all traces of soap from the bowl before refilling it with fresh water. Traces of dish soap can burn the cat’s tongue and will also give the water an unpleasant taste.
 
Size and Shape Matter- The bowl you’ve chosen as kitty’s water bowl may actually be working against you. Your cat has long whiskers on each side of her muzzle and those whiskers are very sensitive. She doesn’t want to have to squish them in order to reach the water in the bowl. If you’ve noticed that your cat tends to dunk her paw in the water and then lick it, the reason may be that she doesn’t want to have squished whiskers. Choose a bowl that is not narrow and deep. Cats tend to prefer more shallow bowls. 
 
Water Level- Keep a consistent water level. Don’t let it go down to the last few drops and also, don’t fill it one day to the brim and then only mid-way the next day. Stay consistent. Some cats begin paw dipping because they aren’t sure where the top of the water is on any given day. 
 
Make it Fun- If your cat likes to drink from the faucet or play with the water in his bowl, consider getting a pet water fountain. It’s a great way to encourage your cat to drink more water, it creates some extra playtime and the constant movement of the water keeps is more oxygenated. Even if you don’t get a fountain you can create a little water fun by periodically dropping an ice cube in the water bowl, especially on very hot summer days.
 
Water is important to the health of your cat and how you present and serve it can have a big influence on whether kitty drinks it or rejects it.
Help Us Help "Boo"
"Boo" is a victim of being homeless and left outside in the elements to survive on his own ...He drank from ditch water that had toxic run off from the storms we have had ...Two solid weeks of rain he lived outdoors ...Then suffered a heat stroke. He arrived at the Largo Veterinary Hospital unable to move on his own...more
8 Reasons to Open Your
Home to a Senior Pet
  1. Older dogs have manners. Unlike puppies, many grown-up dogs have spent years living with a family and being socialized to life with humans. They may have received obedience training and respond to commands like Sit, Stay, and Down.
  2. Senior pets are less destructive. Most older adoptive pets are well past the search-and-destroy phase. You don't need to worry so much about finding your favorite pair of shoes or a table leg chewed beyond recognition. Chances are your senior kitty has no urge to overturn your potted plant or shred the handmade quilt your grandma gave you.
  3. What you see is what you get. A senior pet holds no surprises as to how big he might get, what color his adult coat will be, or whether his hips will be healthy.
  4. You can teach an old dog new tricks. If your adopted older pet needs to learn a few things in her new life with you, not to worry. Older dogs are more attentive than puppies, and more eager to please their humans.
  5. You can custom order your senior pet. If you're looking for a short-haired cat, for example, or a kitty with no history of dental disease, you can search until you find an older pet with exactly those attributes. If you already have a cat and need your adoptive dog to get along with cats, again, you'll have a much better chance of finding an older adoptive dog who is a perfect companion for your family.
  6. You can adopt a purebred pet if you want. If you really love a certain breed of dog or cat, there's most likely a breed rescue to help you find what you're looking for.
  7. Senior pets are great company for senior citizens. Many senior humans find the calm presence of an older pet very comforting and appreciate a pet that is content to move through life at a slower speed.
  8. Somehow, older pets seem to know you gave them a home when no one else would. Many new owners form a close bond very quickly with their senior dog or cat, because the pet shows them a level of attention and devotion that is unique to older adopted animals.
Meet "Buddy" Boyd
September 2015 Pet of the Month
 
Hi, my name is “Buddy”, and I am an 8 year old Beagle. My owners think I am special as I have a great people sense. I can tell when someone in my family doesn’t feel well and I try to comfort them. Shhh…don’t tell Dr. Daniels that my favorite treat is cheese. Something funny that happened to me was the time my parents had to rearrange the cabinets because I know how to open them and had eaten a whole bag of Doritos. After dinner one night my family came home to find all the cabinets in the kitchen open and all the Pyrex dishes and the blender in the living room. I can track squirrels and rabbits even after they are long gone with my ultra sensitive nose and will alert my family and neighbors with my awesome vocal range. I am so spoiled that I get to sleep on the couch.
 
Read More...
Tried and True Ways to Get Pet Stains Out of Your Carpet.
 
3 Dumb Things Dogs Owners Do (That Make Us All Look Bad)
 
Two Common Diseases of Geriatric Cats
 
 
Largo Veterinary Hospital  •  1120 Starkey Road  •  Largo  •  FL  •  33771

http://www.largovet.com

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