Many people that notice gradual changes in their pet see these symptoms as ‘normal aging’ or ‘slowing down’. Most of these symptoms occur so slowly that they’re not immediately noticeable, but these signs can be alleviated if you see your vet.
Some of the things that you need to look out for when establishing whether your senior pet has a condition which can be helped by our clinic:
- Behavioural changes
- Less responsiveness to family members, meal times, time of day
- Staring into space or at walls
- No longer asks for attention or play
- Disturbed sleep, wandering around aimlessly or pointless barking
- Changes in walking/exercise
- Gets tired or puffed quickly, isn’t as active as once were
- Coughing, especially at night
- Inability to jump up/down or in/out of car, or pausing before jumping
- Circling for a long period before settling to sleep
- Difficulty or stiffness when rising from rest
- Change in feed preferences
- Inappropriate toileting
- Doesn’t ask to go outside anymore, inappropriately toileting indoors, loss of bladder or bowel control when sleeping or playing
- Sudden weight loss or weight gain
- Thinning or loss of hair
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Bad breath
- Not chewing or eating normally
- Lethargy
Any of these signs can indicate age-related medical conditions – these can be easily treated or managed with medication from your vet.