• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Updated guidelines for the optimal care of senior cats

June 29, 2009

As preventive medicine catches on and medical therapies improve, cats are living longer and longer.

Untitled Document

As preventive medicine catches on and medical therapies improve, cats are living longer and longer. No doubt, you have a large number of senior feline patients. In December 2008, a panel of feline medicine experts revised the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Senior Care Guidelines to help ensure that all older cats are receiving the best care possible. The guidelines cover common issues and diseases in aging cats, including nutrition and weight management, dental care, anesthesia, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and osteoarthritis. Also included is a client questionnaire to help you identify cognitive dysfunction in your aging feline patients. See the link to the full text below to read all of the panel's recommendations, but here are some general pointers:

Advertisement

  • Examine healthy senior cats every six months to potentially uncover hidden health problems.

  • Emphasize wellness care to clients that mirrors that for younger cats and includes an examination, parasite preventives, oral health care, weight management, vaccination, and assessment of retroviral status.

  • Consider obtaining a minimum database at least once a year, which consists of a complete blood count, a serum chemistry profile, a urinalysis (paying particular attention to the urine specific gravity and protein content), a T4 concentration, and blood pressure measurement.

  • Make sure cats have a predictable routine, and make environmental changes as needed to ensure ready access to water, food, and litter boxes; opportunities for social interactions such as attention and grooming; and a safe and serene resting, sleeping, or hiding space.

  • Take precautions to address older cats' fluid, oxygen, thermal, and analgesic needs associated with anesthesia, and account for the potential for changes in drug metabolism in cats with certain illnesses or weight issues.

  • Be aware that senior cats can have multiple diseases and that one disease may hide another (e.g. chronic pancreatitis or hyperthyroidism is easily missed in diabetic patients, hyperthyroidism may go undetected in cats with kidney disease, liver disease, or cancer).

 

Link to the full text from the AAFP Web site: http://www.catvets.com/professionals/guidelines/publications/?Id=398

Related Content:

ClinicalFeline MedicineFeline MedicineFeline Medicine
Evaluating liver enzyme elevation
Evaluating liver enzyme elevation
Chronic feline pain from all perspectives
Chronic feline pain from all perspectives
Traditional and holistic treatments for giardia
Traditional and holistic treatments for giardia

Advertisement

Latest News

Viticus group seeks applications for veterinary boot camp scholarship

Unusual parasite strain kills 4 California sea otters

Q&A with a keynote: Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP, FAVD

Evaluating liver enzyme elevation

View More Latest News
Advertisement