Dedham Veterinary Associates

DVA 326 Bridge Street * Dedham, MA 02026 * 781.326.2800

Feline Senior Citizens: How to Help your Feline Friend Live as Long and Comfortably as Possible

Candace is an 11 year old calico cat who is visiting the veterinarian today for her annual physical examination and vaccinations. Candace has been healthy for her entire life with the exception of a few hairballs now and then. Her veterinary visit goes well today as her comprehensive physical examination is completely normal. What Candace’s owners don’t know is that below the surface, her kidneys are changing. Fortunately, Candace has a very good veterinarian. Today’s office visit is a little different for Candace and her owners as today the doctor discusses feline senior health care. Some additional testing is done for Candace and she is found to be in early kidney failure. A special diet is prescribed to help Candace’s kidneys work more efficiently by keeping the overall protein and mineral content that she ingests low. This helps prevent the toxins that build up in the body of a kidney patient get too high which can make the patient feel badly enough to not want to eat or drink.

Senior health care is an extremely important aspect of your cat’s veterinary care. Most cat owners don’t realize that cats progress from late middle age to becoming feline senior citizens between seven and eight years of age. At this time, additional tests can be done to help assess the picture of your cat’s health. The purpose of senior care is early detection of age related diseases so that simple means of intervention can be done early to help the cat live longer and more comfortably. The following is a list of common diseases of older cats, how these diseases are detected, and the therapy or treatment for the disease.

Hyperthyroidism: The thyroid gland is responsible for making a hormone that regulates metabolic rate. Cats get a condition of the thyroid that causes the gland to become hyperactive. This can cause serious weight loss, liver damage, heart disease, kidney damage, and eventually death. The signs are typically an increased appetite (ravenous eating behavior), vomiting, diarrhea, more meowing than usual, and a dull, unkempt haircoat. Your veterinarian should check your cat’s thyroid gland by feeling for thyroid nodules on physical examination. A simple blood test to screen for this disease is all that is needed to confirm the disease if it is suspected. Hyperthyroidism is treated with oral medication, surgery, or a radioactive iodine injection. Radioactive iodine treatment is the recommended permanent cure.

Periodontal Disease:

Infection of the teeth and gums will not only decrease your cat’s lifespan by two to four years, but it is also painful! The bacteria from dental disease can spread to your cat’s kidneys, urinary bladder, liver, or heart causing him or her to become very ill. Dental disease can be diagnosed on physical examination and is easily treatable with regular dental cleanings by your veterinarian. Some cats need to have their teeth cleaned every year, while others may only need a cleaning once in a lifetime. At each visit, your cat will have a comprehensive oral examination to help determine the status of his or her dental health.

Obesity:

The average cat should weigh only eight to ten pounds. Carrying additional weight may increase your cat’s chances of diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis. Your veterinarian can calculate your cat’s ideal weight and formulate a nutritional and lifestyle plan to help your cat maintain ideal body condition. A specially formulated senior diet is appropriate for the older cat as these typically offer increased fiber, decreased fat, and easily digestible protein sources. A premium feline senior diet is suggested rather than a grocery store brand. Consider diets such as Science Diet Feline Senior, Wellness, Purina O.N.E. or Iams/ Eukanuba Feline as these companies do a great deal of nutritional research in formulating their products. Adding some canned food and adding water to this canned food can help your cat increase his or her overall water intake. It has not been proven, but some veterinarians think that this may have a protective effect on your cat’s kidneys. Feeding your cat one can of high quality senior diet with added water per day plus five Hill’s t/d dental treats is recommended. Avoid grocery store pop-top style brands, as these have been hypothesized to cause thyroid problems in cats. Never feed a neutered male cat grocery store brand cat food – Numerous problems can result including unhealthy obesity.

Kidney Disease:

Kidney failure is one of the leading causes of death in felines in the U.S. Kidney function can be assessed with a blood test and urinalysis. Annual serum chemistry profiles, urinalysis, and blood pressure screenings are recommended for any cat over eight years of age to assess their kidney function as well as other body parameters. If detected early, your cat can be placed on a prescription kidney diet that is significantly protein and mineral reduced. Administering fluids under the skin at home can also help your cat in addition to other special therapies for kidney disease. Most owners hesitate at first, however, most cats and owners adapt well to this if they can be taught how to give the fluids at home.

High Blood Pressure:

High blood pressure is common in older cats and can actually contribute to kidney failure. This condition is treatable with medication or other means if it is secondary to other diseases. Blood pressure is easily measured with a doppler unit at our office and should be a regular part of your cat’s annual health care once past the age of seven years. If your cat has high blood pressure and the lab values are normal, we also recommend a cardiac ultrasound to screen for hidden cardiac disease. Some cats can have serious heart disease even if your veterinarian does not hear a heart murmur.

Diabetes Mellitus:

Weight loss, voracious appetite, drinking copious amounts of water, and a soaking wet litterbox are all signs of this disease. Regular bloodwork and urinalysis are screening tests used to detect diabetes. Diabetes is treatable with either an oral medication for some cats or insulin injections for others. This is a common disease seen in veterinary medicine which is easily detected with regular senior care. Keeping your cat at a healthy weight is the best preventative measure for this disease.

Heart Disease:

Cats are prone to several different types of heart problems. A cat with heart problems may have difficulty breathing, cough, vomit, or lose weight. Your veterinarian may detect an abnormal heart sound on physical exam and make recommendations for further diagnostics. X-rays can be taken to determine the size of your cat’s heart and assess the health of his or her lungs. Additionally a cardiac ultrasound will allow your veterinarian to identify the specific type of cardiac disease and treat it properly. For many types of heart disease medication can be very beneficial. At our practice, we have a veterinarian with a special interest and vast experience in feline cardiology who performs cardiac ultrasounds.

Cancer:

Cats get many of the same types of cancer as people. Cancer treatment has come a very long way in cats! There are very few side effects to today’s cancer treatments. The object of cancer treatment is to give the feline patent very good quality of life for as long as possible. Unlike humans, the goal is not life at all costs, but to provide more time for cats and their owners. The chemotherapy doses used are lower than in humans and the side effects as a result are minimal. Your cat would be very unlikely to lose his or her hair or have the prolonged nausea that people experience when undergoing cancer treatment. The key to success in cancer treatment is early detection of disease via frequent veterinary visits and diagnostic testing.

Behavior changes:

Older cats can sometimes lose litter box training or develop phobias. Older cats typically need more attention and affection than adult cats. If your cat experiences these problems there are both behavioral modification techniques and medications that can help. As your cat ages, pay careful attention to any changes in his or her behavior.

Being familiar with the above diseases is important as you can watch for the signs of their development in your older cat. Careful attention to your cat’s health also includes regular senior care for your cat after age seven. A good senior health program includes the following:

Semi-Annual Physical Examinations:

Visit your veterinarian twice per year for a physical examination. The first visit would be your regular annual visit where any vaccinations due for your cat are given and a fecal analysis or routine deworming is performed. The second visit is an additional checkup that allows your veterinarian to determine if anything has changed for your cat in the previous six months. The physical examination is a very valuable test as heart murmurs, thyroid nodules, abdominal masses, skin lumps, cancerous tumors may be picked up by your doctor early in their development. Did you know that when your veterinarian looks into your cat’s eyes that he or she can see signs of infectious disease or high blood pressure if they are present? Clearly, the physical exam is more than meets the eye!

Diagnostic Lab Work:

Annual blood work including a CBC, Chemistry Panel, Urinalysis and a two part thyroid test should be run on any cat over seven years of age. A complete blood count (CBC) is a test for infection, cancer, or shut down of the bone marrow. A Chemistry Panel is a test of total organ function including kidneys, liver, pancreas, and more. A Urinalysis is required to asses kidney function and screen for urinary tract problems such as infection. The two part thyroid test is included with the senior panel that we submit to the lab and will help screen your cat for an over active thyroid gland. Cats who spend time outdoors should also be periodically tested for the feline AIDS virus and Feline Leukemia virus as this can inhibit their ability to fight off an infection.

Blood Pressure:

Your cat’s blood pressure should be measured each year after seven years of age. This can be done using a blood pressure unit called a doppler during your office visit. The blood pressure is usually measured on the tail or leg.

Senior care is additional preventative veterinary care for your cat. You may need to plan ahead for the cost as these additional tests usually cost $150 to $200 per year. The value of early disease detection is priceless, however; as this could lead to the intervention that could make the difference in additional years spent with your cat!

At Dedham Veterinary Associates we offer and recommend comprehensive regular senior care as part of their routine veterinary care. Veterinary medicine is advancing very rapidly as is our knowledge of feline disease. Cats are living longer, healthier lives thanks to these advances and good senior care.

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