The advancements in veterinary medicine have created a rise in geriatric patients. As a profession, veterinarians have the opportunity to adapt their practice to suit the aging pet population. By offering a holistic approach to geriatric care, veterinary teams can partner with pet owners to navigate the aging process and give their pets the best chance of a long and healthy life.
The geriatric life stage represents the last 10% of the expected life expectancy. The rate of aging is dependant on the pet's genes, lifestyle, nutrition, environment, disease, and previous traumas. The most obvious signs of deterioration for the pet owner are those related to the pet's behavior.
Unfortunately, many pet owners think that the problems associated with geriatric pets are a normal part of aging. In fact, a study done in the USA by VetSuccess looked into vet visits prior to euthanasia and found that only 23% of cats and 31% of dogs were seen by a vet within 18 months of being euthanized. This demonstrates the unnecessary suffering and missed opportunities for many of these pets to have a comfortable end-of-life experience. Promoting geriatric care and the options available to pet owners will help change this trend. The key to caring for a geriatric pet is maximizing their care and abilities during its reduced awake times and keeping up regular veterinary checks so any problems can be detected early.
To enhance the quality of life for pets
To empower pet owners to attend to the changing needs of their geriatric pets
For early detection of disease to give the best chance of successful management
Bi-annual geriatric veterinary visits can be individualized to meet these goals of a geriatric pet visit. A senior pet health questionnaire is a useful tool to share with pet owners prior to visits. This way the veterinarian can obtain a thorough history and a focus to be able to meet the client's expectations of the visit.
Full physical examination
Orthopedic and mobility work up
Vaccinations
Diagnostic testing - blood tests (including thyroid levels), antibody titers, and urine/fecal tests)
Blood pressure assessment
Review of any lumps and bumps
Assessment of pet's weight
Behavioral history
Vision assessment
Creating a calm and welcoming environment for geriatrics is good practice. Geriatric pets are prone to stress, they are often hard of hearing and sight, and are less mobile.
Here are some tips for welcoming geriatrics:
Dedicated parking closer to the practice entrance
Placing non-slip mats on the practice floors
Seeing these pets as a priority and reducing waiting times
Using digital health questionnaires to obtain detailed histories to reduce history-taking time in the consultation
Related article: How to use pre-consultation tools
Sharing handouts of geriatric home care and the options available for geriatrics will help pet owners understand the changes that their pet is experiencing and help them to adapt to these. When the time arrives, sharing information on end-of-life and interactive quality of life tools will ensure that pets do not endure unnecessary suffering.
Key education opportunities include:
Here are some ideas to implement in the practice:
Related article: How to run nurse clinics
Quality of life scales - Interactive tool
Arthritis - Home care program
Senior care program
Geriatric care - behavioral problems
End-of-life care
Palliative care
When it's time to say goodbye
There are over 2000 VetCheck templates that also help veterinary teams save time in explaining treatment options, duration of treatment, potential outcomes and prognoses.