Today's Veterinary Practice

SEP-OCT 2016

Today's Veterinary Practice provides comprehensive information to keep every small animal practitioner up to date on companion animal medicine and surgery as well as practice building and management.

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T O day' S Ve T erinary Prac T ice | September/October 2016 | tvpjournal.com P rac T ice BU i L din G Peer r eviewed 106 progressive loss at all frequencies and deafness. Onset is typically in the last third of a breed's typical lifespan. a lthough hearing loss is progressive, owners usually report acute onset because their pets have compensated for hearing loss until deafness is nearly complete. The most crucial tip to give owners is that vision and scent become more important as hearing loss progresses. The owner must make sure the pet learns, and then observes the owner use, visual cues, or simply sees or smells the food bowl. 3. Skin Changes Besides graying hair on the muzzle, there are often other skin and coat changes in aging pets. a geriatric animal's skin and hair may look dull and lusterless due to decreased production of natural oils by the sebaceous glands, which may also result in skin that appears dry and flaky. a dvise owners to: • Brush the coat to help stimulate the skin to produce more oily secretions • c onsider feeding a fatty-acid supplement, which is beneficial for excessively dry coats. a ging skin also loses elasticity and becomes more susceptible to infections. While chronic infections lead to decreased quality of life, the worst side effect is the smell—the pet is often separated from its human family, which affects the pet–parent bond more than an owner may realize. Medicated shampoos and systemic antibiotics can increase quality of life for both pets and their owners. 4. Mobility Changes Mobility issues are the most common of all problems reported to us by dog owners. a t least 50% of our patients struggle with some level of mobility difficulty. Mobility can be affected by arthritis, other musculoskeletal changes, and sarcopenia—an under diagnosed condition in which aging animals progressively lose lean body mass in the absence of disease. a s muscle tissue mass decreases, so does muscle strength, which is why older humans are less steady or have difficulty catching their balance. Pets may exhibit analogous signs, such as changes in their movements, reflected in difficulty in rising or reluctance to jump. Tile or wood floors can become an unmanageable "ice rink" to these pets. Mobility problems need to be addressed before the pet becomes immobile, when there is much less that can be done. e ncourage owners to: • Place bath or yoga mats around the house where the pet travels most; the stability they provide gives mental relief to pets. • Use ramps, which—even on the smallest number of steps—provide great relief to arthritic dogs. One step can trip a pet; therefore, owners should not overlook single steps out of a doggy door or off the porch. • Use harnesses (helpemup.com), especially for dogs over 40 pounds, to help pets rise from a sitting or lying position, navigate stairs, and during walks. • Use booties with a non-slip surface, which can be very helpful once the pet acclimates to them. r emind owners to remove them twice a day and at night and to avoid putting them on too tight. • Use wagons for walks, which allows dogs with limited mobility to enjoy walks. Once the pet has arrived at a safe spot, he can get out and enjoy "sniff " time; then the wagon is ready for the walk home. • Keep pets moving. Pet owners should continue to exercise their pets within set boundaries. Lack of movement only exacerbates the issues of decline. • a dminister medications—the most underutilized method of pain relief in the patients we see— recommended by the veterinary team. Proper client education and patient follow-up are important to ensure that these patients continue to receive the best protocols available to them. 5. Restlessness at Night Some older dogs may become restless at night and stay awake pacing and panting throughout the house, similar to sundowner's syndrome seen in human a lzheimer's and/or dementia patients. This restlessness may keep the entire family awake and lead to the pet's exile to a faraway part of the house. There are many reasons an older dog may have difficulty sleeping at night, including both medical and behavior-related reasons. Pain, cognition, and anxiety are the 3 most common causes we encounter. i t is important to uncover the cause of nighttime troubles and address those as best we can. a nti-anxiety medication and/or sedatives are often needed, particularly in pets with cognition issues. d osing and dose frequency may need to

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