Its November…
Written by Mairead Kilbride MVB MRCVS
Senior Pet Month
It’s worth sparing a thought for our elderly pets who may be suffering in the frosty weather. Aching joints make it
difficult to get out in cold night air and often the ground is slippery. There are several medical conditions that
frequently affect our older pets including arthritis, diabetes mellitus, kidney failure and dental disease among others
which can all be exacerbated by the harsh weather and cause your loyal companion suffering.
The most common disease affecting older pets is arthritis. Contrary to what many people believe, this is a treatable
condition but unfortunately not curable. As many of us who suffer from arthritis know, the condition can be much
more painful in cold weather. Isn’t it wonderful for us to pop an ibuprofen on bad days? Unfortunately, we cannot
do the same for our pets, and frequently they do not tell us when they are feeling achy. When your pet is feeling
pain, they will limp, find it difficult to get up out of their bed, be unable to jump into the car or get up steps as
normal. This is not “just arthritis” as people will so commonly tell you, it’s not “just a bit stiff”, or “just getting on a
bit”, as are the commonly heard statements. These are signs of clinical arthritis, and more than that, these are the
signs of the PAIN caused by arthritis. Into the bargain, dogs, and to a greater extent cats will hide their pain and
refuse to limp until the pain becomes quite severe. We can therefore safely assume that there is significant & often
chronic pain involved with any limp or stiffness seen. Two traps that many of us fall into are either A) to do nothing
at all and put it down to the general ageing process or B) give human formulations of ibuprofen/paracetamol.
Neither of these courses of action are correct or effective, and the second one is very, very dangerous. ( N.B. Anyone
tempted to give their animals human pain relief, must be made aware that dogs & cats are not little humans, and do
not process the drug in the same way once it is absorbed from the stomach. This can lead to massive overdosing,
stomach ulceration and irreversible kidney failure. Unless otherwise advised by your vet, DON'T DO IT!) There are
many wonderful drugs licensed for safe and effective treatment of arthritis, which break the chronic pain cycle, and
also slow down the rate of joint degeneration by decreasing inflammation within the joint and increasing the
comfort, quality of life, and lifespan of your faithful friend.
So what exactly is Diabetes Mellitus then? It can be described as a failure of the body to regulate glucose (sugar)
levels within the blood. This is normally regulated by the pancreas, and for a variety of reasons the cells that do this
job within the pancreas become exhausted and are no longer effective. Because the sugar is not kept within a safe
level in the bloodstream, this leads to massive metabolic imbalances and changes, resulting in sudden & dramatic
weight loss, increased thirst and urination with a normal or increased appetite. If left untreated, animals will
eventually develop a metabolic condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, which looks like a sudden collapse and
weakness, sometimes with vomiting and is always fatal without treatment. Similarly to arthritis, diabetes is not
curable, but is nearly always quite manageable with supplementation of insulin, under veterinary advice and
supervision.
Dental disease occurs just as frequently in our pets as it does in humans. As a person, we are advised to have 6
monthly check ups, just for our teeth! Yet although dogs & cats teeth have extremely similar anatomy to ours (just a
different shape, one would hope!) we frequently only see them once a year for their annual booster which includes a
dental check, at the discretion of the pet, who sometimes remain uncooperative allowing only a quick peek in the
mouth. Tartar build up is the most common thing to see while checking for dental disease. Tartar is the brown
cement like material stuck on top of teeth, which forms from a mixture of the sugars in food and saliva. It causes
multiple problems such as creating caries (holes in teeth) and also has lots of little cracks and crevices in its surface,
which bacteria thrive in. Basically it makes the mouth very dirty and causes inflamed gums and diseased teeth. The
bacteria growing in affected pets' mouths often give a pungent smell, and your pet has to fight the bacteria using
their immune system on a constant basis in effort to keep the bacterial levels low. With advanced untreated dental
diseases there are further complications such as resorption (eating away) of the jaw bone itself, leading to jaw
Colne 01282 863892, Barnoldswick 01282 852390,
Burnley 01282 421215, Nelson 01282 616650 Email: liz@stanleyhousevets.co.uk
fracture. The bacteria can also cause secondary complications in other internal organs such as the liver, kidneys and
heart. It is also worth noting that it is not good to have these bacteria breathed all over you while you are cuddling
or being with your pet. Early recognition of dental disease avoids all of the above complications, and means that a
much more straightforward, quicker and less painful dental procedure can be all that is required to maintain oral
health.
What can be done to make sure your elderly companion is healthy and comfortable this winter? If your cat or dog is
7 – 8 years old or over we would be delighted to offer you a FREE appointment through our new Senior Nurse
Clinics; do not hesitate, even if you’re content that all is well. Early detection of many conditions makes them a lot
more treatable and can improve the quality of life of your pet dramatically. We wish you and your pets action
packed frosty days and comfy cosy nights together this winter, with many more to come.
Breed Corner: The Bulldog
Bulldogs are very strong and energetic dogs, and usually very enthusiastic about everything. There are some
common conditions that the bulldog suffers from including respiratory (breathing) issues, skin & eye problems.
Breathing issues occur as a result of the unusually short snout and flat face, known as a “brachycephalic” type face,
which is shared by many breeds. When it causes respiratory issues, it is called brachycephalic airway syndrome,
which means that the nostrils are narrowed, the soft palate is elongated and flaps about in the way of the airway and
the trachea or “windpipe” is narrowed, meaning it is difficult for air to pass through and there is noise or “snoring”
while breathing in and out. This causes distress to animal, limits their ability to exercise, and can shorten their
lifespan. If you already own a bulldog who suffers in this way, please be aware that there are surgical options
available that can help a lot. Your vet can refer you to a specialist for a surgical opinion and possible procedure. We
also see many bulldogs with skin conditions like allergic dermatitis or “atopy”, and chronic yeast infections, much
like some other conditions already mentioned this month, plenty can be done to improve skin conditions
dramatically, even though a full cure is unattainable, the same can be said for many bulldogs suffering repeat eye
infections which commonly occurs. If considering buying a puppy, please be prepared to encounter some of the
above issues and the same rules apply for all puppy shopping; please see both parents, and with pedigree dogs,
kennel club registered is best. It means that certain standards have been met regarding the welfare of the parents, as
well as any disease proofing breeding schemes being very obvious and easy to access through paperwork. As with
all pets we strongly recommend starting insurance from a young age.
www.bulldogbreedcouncil.co.uk is an excellent website, with information on common diseases and the kennel club
assured breeder scheme. There is another fantastic website www.bulldogrescue.org.uk, if you really love bulldogs,
there are plenty of ideas here of how to help out with bulldog rescue, taking care of bulldogs who have needed
rehoming for a variety of reasons. As always we would encourage a visit to www.thekennelclub.org.uk before
considering any purebred pup.
If you already own a bulldog who is aged 7 years or over,
why not take advantage of our ‘Senior Nurse Clinics’
with a free health check for your elderly loved one.
This applies to all breeds of dogs and cats too! Ask at reception for more information.
Colne 01282 863892, Barnoldswick 01282 852390,
Burnley 01282 421215, Nelson 01282 616650 Email: liz@stanleyhousevets.co.uk