Park Hill Vet: Aging Gracefully
Plus, A Word About Prop. 129, On The Statewide Ballot
By Margot Vahrenwald, DVM, CVJ
For the GPHN
First a word about Proposition 129, which is on the November Colorado ballot.
Prop. 129 would establish a new certification for mid-level veterinary practitioners. I wanted to provide a very brief reason why this initiative is not good for Colorado pets. While on paper the thought of a veterinary equivalent to a physician’s assistant may sound good, this proposal is not appropriate for veterinary medicine at this time. The proposed plan is for a two-year master’s level program. Three of four semesters would be completed online and the fourth would be in-person clinicals, with no credentialing test.
Compared to the three-year, in-person, hands-on learning required for credentialed veterinary technicians, or the four years completed by veterinarians, this is too little time for a person who would be expected to evaluate patients, prescribe medications, and potentially do surgical procedures such as spays, neuters or dental procedures.
None of the national or local veterinary medical associations (AVMA, AAHA, FVMA and Colorado VMA) support this initiative, nor does the national association for veterinary state boards (AASVB). Learn more here: keepourpetssafe.com.
And now for our regular monthly Park Hill Vet column …
Aging is as inevitable as taxes. We can’t avoid it, nor can our pets. We’ve previously covered the expected changes like decreased hearing/vision and arthritis, but as our pets live longer due to better veterinary care and nutrition, owners and veterinarians see more cognitive changes.
Cognitive dysfunction, aka dementia or senility, is the result of degeneration of the brain through normal aging, or more pronounced as Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS), which is analogous to the changes seen in Alzheimer’s.
For canine and feline patients, what we observe is much like what many of us Generation X and older humans see or have seen in our parents. As detailed on the website managed by the group Veterinary Partners, symptoms can be described by the acronym DISHALL: Disorientation; Abnormal Interactions, Sleep/wake cycle disturbances, House soiling, Activity changes, Anxiety, and Learning/memory changes.
Signs of pet dementia include:
• Wandering, signs of disorientation like getting stuck in familiar places or staring at the walls
• Confusion and anxiety
• Loss of house-training or litter box use changes from spatial or temporal decline
• Restlessness, pacing and repetitive behaviors like grooming or chewing – especially at night (aka Sundowner’s syndrome). With cats we notice more middle-of-the-night vocalization counterbalanced with increased sleeping during the day
• Loss of recognition of family members, places or commands
• Altered interactions with family members such as being clingier/attention-seeking or reactive, new irrational fears of previously normal sights and sounds
A diagnosis of cognitive dysfunction — or CDS — is typically based on changes in behavior from previous normal activities and moods. For all senior pets, it’s recommended they be seen every six months due to their faster physiologic aging (six months of human time is roughly equivalent to three- to three-and-a-half years of aging for a senior dog or cat).
We cannot reverse cognitive changes, but we can do much to engage and support our aging pets with more one-on-one interactions and more play and entertainment. A regular schedule during the day can also help keep them more awake during the day so that they may sleep better through the night.
Your veterinarian can advise you on diets and supplements that may benefit your dog or cat – there’s less available for cats, but both can benefit from Omega3 supplementation. Calming medications can reduce anxiety or provide mild sedative effects to allow the pet to sleep through the night.
The month of November celebrates senior pets – celebrate yours with a visit to your veterinarian to get everything checked out from nose to tail.
Dr. Margot Vahrenwald is the owner of Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center at 2255 Oneida St. For more information, visit www.parkhillvet.com.