How to nurse the geriatric patient

Veterinary nurses (RVNs) will come into contact with a vast range of patients during their daily working lives, ranging in size, species, and age. It is important, therefore, that they are aware of the best way to provide nursing care for their geriatric patients, and that they understand the difference in nursing care requirements of these patients and how ageing can affect the nursing process for older feline and canine companions. The age at which a patient is considered ‘geriatric’ varies from breed to breed in dogs, whereas all cats tend to follow a similar species life-ageing process. The larger the dog the shorter the life span, for example, a Great Dane or Bernese Mountain Dog would be classified as geriatric around the age of 7–8 years old; whereas smaller breeds, such as a Jack Russell Terrier or Border Terrier would be classed as geriatric at around the age of 9–10 years old (Mansourian, 2019). The average domestic feline patient is considered mature at around 7–10 years old, and then progresses into their senior years from 11 years onwards, finally entering the geriatric life stage at over 15 years old (ISFM, 2019).