Elderly animals sometimes experience changes in behavior for many reasons.  There can be diseases that will affect behavior, like arthritis pain, bladder infection, intestinal cancer, diabetes, thyroid conditions and others.  Senility can also manifest as behavioral changes.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
1.  Change in appetite
        Cats:  Increase can mean diabetes or thyroid condition, especially  if weight loss occurs
                  Decrease can be kidney disease, liver condition, end stage thyroid, end stage diabetes,dental, cancer
        Dogs:  Increase can mean Cushings Syndrome (too much cortisone being produced by the adrenal glands),
                   or  diabetes
                  Decrease can be kidney, liver, dental, intestinal disease, cancer
Prevention/Help: Don't change diet abruptly or without reason.  For those animals with poor appetites and under doctor's care, special diets may be required.  Warming food increases palatibility, as does adding broth or fresh cooked meats (if allowed).

2.  Change in urination or house training
        Cats:  Urinary incontinence will occur with uncontrolled diabetes, kidney disease, bladder infections, senility
                  Fecal incontinence can occur with intestinal cancers, senility, Manx cat disorders
                  Diarrhea can occur with inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal cancers
        Dogs:  Urinary incontinence can occur with Cushings, diabetes, kidney disease, bladder infections, estrogen in-
                    sufficiency, senility
                  Fecal incontinence can occur with rectal tumors, neurological diseases, senility
                  Diarrhea can result from diet change, intestinal cancers, rectal tumors or other cancers.
Prevention/Help:  Fresh water and plenty is important.  Clean bedding prevents skin sores.  Clean litter boxes frequently.  Easy access to the outdoors for arthritic dogs is important and cats may require low edged litterboxes.

3.  Irritability
        Cats:  kidney disease can make muscles sore, joints ache and an animal will have less tolerance for handling,
                   arthritis
        Dogs:  Arthritis, senility, any painful condition
Prevention/Help:  Exercise regularly to keep joints and muscles healthy.  Seek veterinary advice about pain medications.  Monitor children and older pets to protect pet from rough handling.

TESTS TO CONSIDER
Elderly pets should have routine blood analysis and urinalysis to detect metabolic diseases.  Dogs exhibiting senility should have these basic tests done prior to using new senility medications.

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