Senior & Geriatric Cats
These days, fortunately many of our feline pets are living quite long and healthy lives, sometimes up to 20years! However this means many cats spend a high proportion of their life as a senior [age 8-13years] and geriatric [over 13 years old]. As with people, there are many ailments that come with age and thus it is very important to continue to have regular check ups at the Vets. Two very commonly seen conditions in geriatric cats are thyroid gland disease and kidney disease.
Hyperthyroidism
The thyroid gland is a small bi-lobed structure located at the base of the neck. It produces thyroid hormone, which is responsible for regulating your cat's metabolism. Hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone [usually due to over stimulation by microscopic benign tumours of the gland.] Too much thyroid hormone can have negative effects on the entire body. The most notable is an increase in metabolism, so that your cat is using energy faster than the body can keep up with, which results in weight loss in spite of a ravenous appetite. It also results in increase in the heart rate, which could lead to other problems such as abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, irregular heart rhythm and high blood pressure. Other common symptoms are hyperactivity or inability to settle and vomiting. The good news is the majority of cases of hyperthyroidism can be very successfully managed.
Chronic renal failure
Cats have 2 kidneys, which are made up of thousands of tiny units called nephrons. The nephrons filter the blood and excrete toxic waste products and regulate salt and water composition in the urine. Over time a proportion of the nephrons will shut down and not be replaced. Cats can go on fully functioning like this until two thirds of the nephrons are lost, which is when they will then start to show symptoms of kidney disease. Common symptoms are increased thirst [and increased urination which can be mistaken for or lead to incontinence], weight loss, muscle wastage, lake of appetite and vomiting. Though chronic renal failure cannot be cured or reversed, if caught early use of medications and special diets can improve the quality of life for your cat with this condition.
If you have a cat over 8years old showing any symptoms of hyperthyroidsim or kidney disease please give us a call to arrange a check up. Remember, regular checks in older pets are essential for early detection and intervention of diseases affecting our senior feline friends!
