It is not only humans who are living longer and longer these days – cats and dogs also live to old age. Old, greying patients are commonplace in veterinary practices, bringing age-related changes and needs that require special attention.
Im fortgeschrittenen Alter verändern sich auch die Bedürfnisse unserer Haustiere.
With the increased life expectancy of our pets, the number of geriatric patients in the veterinary practice is also increasing. Age is not a disease, but a natural process – but as the years go by, the likelihood of certain diseases increases and performance decreases.
Geriatric patients are often multimorbid, meaning that they might experience many different problems at the same time. In human medicine, the treatment of elderly patients and age-related conditions even has its own speciality branch: geriatrics.
One reason for many complaints of older patients is signs of wear and tear: The elasticity of tissues decreases, which can be seen, for example, in the reduced elasticity of the lungs and blood vessels, cartilage wear leads to arthrotic changes and bones become brittle.
An elderly patient who comes to the practice because of a kidney problem may also suffer from osteoarthritis, be blind in one eye and no longer have a complete set of teeth. These "additional ailments" should of course not be ignored, but can be tolerated from a certain age as long as they do not excessively restrict the animal's quality of life.
Old animals are not easy patients. For example, anesthesia is much more risky and it must be carefully considered if it is actually necessary. Anesthesia is not risk-free at any age, of course, but it can lead to complications more frequently in geriatric animals. This makes even a simple dental restoration in geriatric cats and dogs a very risky procedure.
Early detection is also particularly important in geriatric animals. For example, incipient renal insufficiency can be counteracted with the right diet, while the possibilities dwindle in the advanced stages. Regular preventive health care in the practice with an all-round check is therefore even more important when it comes to older animals.
At what age cats and dogs reach "old age" depends on both the breed and the individual constitution. Just like us humans, there are animals that stay fit longer than others while others start to age noticeably earlier. Cats have a life expectancy of around 15-18 years, although some individuals can live to be 20 years or older. We speak of a geriatric cat from around 10 to 12 years of age.
It is a little more complicated with dogs, as different breeds also have different life expectancies. While poodles and other small breeds can live for 15 to 16 years, very large dogs such as Great Danes often only reach an age of 8 to a maximum of 10 years. Accordingly, they can already be described as "old" at 6 or 7 years of age, while small breeds only reach a much older age. Many breeds also have specific diseases caused by breeding that can reduce life expectancy.
The pet owner's assessment is particularly important here. Anyone who knows their cat or dog well will notice when the animal is getting old - and should then start visiting the veterinary practice regularly for check-ups.
There are many age-related changes - from arthrosis and clouding of the eye lenses to organ changes with declining metabolic performance. Many changes are due to wear and tear, declining blood circulation and resource consumption.
The reduced performance of the entire cardiovascular system with a decrease in vascular elasticity is a completely normal sign of ageing. The heart's pumping capacity decreases, deposits in the vessels make blood flow more difficult and the reduced elasticity of the vessel walls makes it harder to adapt to different stress conditions. These factors result in reduced blood flow, which can manifest itself in many different ways. Physical performance decreases overall and organs are less able to be supplied with blood and therefore oxygen and nutrients.
Animals can also suffer from dementia. Dementia is initially a generic term for declining brain performance, which can also be caused by age-related reduced blood flow. The term Alzheimer's is used when protein deposits in the brain tissue cause the symptoms. The symptoms of dementia are generally referred to as cognitive dysfunction.
The symptoms of dementia in cats and dogs are non-specific and therefore often dismissed as "normal" signs of ageing - but the cause lies in the brain. Common symptoms are:
Age-related dementia is incurable and progressive. However, just as with affected humans, the symptoms in animals can also be reduced and delayed with medication and cognitive training. For example, the brain's performance can be increased by substances that promote blood circulation.
Long walks with lots of new impressions, playing with younger animals and setting small challenges in everyday life, such as learning simple new tricks or hiding treats that the animal has to search for, are suitable for cognitive training. This is a fun way to stimulate the brain.
Vestibular syndrome is a disorder of the sense of balance with a corresponding clinical picture. The cause can be central or peripheral, i.e. in the brain or inner ear. There is also idiopathic vestibular syndrome, where the cause is unknown. This idiopathic form, which often occurs in dogs and cats in old age, is also known as geriatric vestibular syndrome.
Geriatric vestibular syndrome usually occurs peracutely and in many cases disappears within a few days. The symptoms are a disturbance of the sense of balance and coordination, even though the patient is standing on level ground. The severity of the symptoms varies greatly and ranges from mild to severe and seizure-like.
This is how the syndrome manifests itself:
Due to the peracute onset of severe symptoms, geriatric vestibular syndrome can easily be mistaken for a stroke or seizure. A complete neurological examination is therefore always advisable. The causes of the syndrome are unknown, but the origin is probably in the inner ear, or more precisely in a disorder of the endolymph. Age-related circulatory disorders could play a role here.
The prognosis for patients with geriatric vestibular syndrome depends on the severity of the symptoms and the treatment. Treatment is most likely to be symptomatic with relief of nausea and sedation. In addition, the use of circulatory stimulants has shown success and is often used. In most cases, the symptoms disappear within days, but in some cases permanent damage – such as a permanent tilted head – remains.
