How to nurse the ageing small animal inpatient part 2 — ageing effects on body systems

Ageing animals seldom have a single disease, but instead have a unique combination of multiple organ disease with varying levels of dysfunction (Fortney, 2004). Such changes in organ system function, however, may be covert until the ageing animal is stressed by illness, hospital stay, or general anaesthetic procedure (Carpenter et al, 2005).

It is however important to note that poor health and old age are not synonymous. Veterinary personnel now regularly practise screening for age-related disease and educate owners on how to care for their ageing companions. Owners therefore are more aware of the health needs of their senior pets and expect a high standard of individualised patient care when they entrust them into the protection of the veterinary surgery (Hoskins, 2004).

The effects of age on the individual body systems are outlined below.

Elderly patients are less able to tolerate periods of inappetence (Urquhart, 2001). Although lower exercise levels and a reduced metabolism will result in some degree of obesity, inappetence in any elderly patient is a cause for concern and needs to be addressed — even in apparently obese patients (Urquhart, 2001). Details of type of food, amounts offered and consumed along with a body condition score and weight should be recorded daily on all patients' hospitalisation sheets.