Hypertension and CRF: It is known that high blood pressure is associated with renal disease in many species including cats and dogs. That this is important is known from many studies including ones involving dogs.

In geriatric dogs, heart and lung diseases are not uncommon with cough being the most common clinical sign. Differentiating between lung and heart as the cause of the cough is often not difficult, though in some cases both diseases are present.

Are we paying enough attention to cats—both young and old?

Definite personality changes and behavioral problems can be extremely challenging to the practitioner and extremely frustrating to the client. Some problems are mild and acceptable, while others are major concerns initiating euthanasia discussions. General behavioral changes are elderly patient's desire more attention, are more jealous, are more irritable, are less mentally alert, and have altered sleep cycles.

In the last AVMA pet owner survey, more than 39 % of the owned dog population were 7 years of age or older and these percentages continue to grow. This change in pet population demographics is due to in part due to several inter-connected causes.

To the owner, integument changes are the most obvious sign of aging. Aging of the skin and adenexa is a complex subject influenced by a combination of interrelated causative factors including wear and tear, cumulative cell damage from ionizing irradiation, and genetically preprogrammed cell changes.

West Lafayette, Ind. — Old dogs may be able to teach veterinary researchers new tricks about cancer and aging.