List of Contributors ix About the Companion Website xi Part I They Just Don’t Live Long Enough 1 1 Introduction 3 Mary Gardner 2 Maintaining the Human–Animal Bond 7 Dani McVety 3 Geriatrics and Fragility 11 Mary Gardner Part II The Aging Body Systems 21 4 Vision Changes 23 Kayla Waler and Meredith Voyles 5 Hearing Loss 35 Brad Bates 6 Dentition and the Oral Cavity 43 Heidi B. Lobprise 7 The Nose and Smelling 51 Faith Banks 8 Cognitive Dysfunction and Related Sleep Disturbances 57 Dawnetta Woodruff 9 Smelly Old Dog: Addressing the Dermatological Concerns of Our Geriatric Patients 77 Melanie Hasson Cohen 10 Central and Peripheral Nervous System 87 Laura Devlin Bacon 11 The Aging Kidney 99 Shea Cox 12 The Hepatic System 115 Laura Devlin Bacon 13 The Respiratory System 127 Cheryl A. Braswell 14 Mobility Issues 145 Tammy Perkins Johnson 15 Age‐Related Gastrointestinal Conditions and Considerations for Nutrition 185 Shea Cox 16 Urinary and Fecal Incontinence 199 Faith Banks 17 Thermoregulation 209 Brad Bates 18 Managing Pain in Geriatric Patients 221 Michael Petty and Sheilah Robertson 19 Exotic Animal Geriatrics 245 Amanda Grant Part III What Matters Most in the End 257 20 Understanding the Behavior of Geriatric Patients to Enhance their Welfare 259 Carlo Siracusa 21 Environmental Enrichment and Senior Pets: The Next Best Thing to the Fountain of Youth 269 Steve Dale 22 Where Are all the Grey Muzzles?: Marketing and Caring for Geriatric Pets in your Practice 279 Mary Gardner 23 Veterinary Hospice in Your Practice 289 Mary Gardner and Dani McVety 24 Quality of Life Assessment and End of Life Decisions 297 Mary Gardner 25 Anticipatory Grief and Preparation for Pet Loss 311 Shea Cox 26 The Look 317 Faith Banks 27 Convenience and Aggressive Pet Euthanasia 321 Dani McVety 28 Letting Go – Handling Euthanasia in Your Practice 327 Mary Gardner and Dani McVety 29 The Final Chapter 337 Mary Gardner Index 343 

Treatment and Care of the Geriatric Veterinary Patient offers veterinarians a complete guide to treating and managing geriatric canine and feline patients. With practical medical advice for managing aging pets, the book supports veterinarians in all aspects of geriatric care. Quality of life is emphasized throughout, with concrete suggestions to assure pets remain happy and healthy throughout their lives – particularly in the last stage. The book begins with an introductory section which explores the classification and meaning of geriatrics, then covers body systems and specific conditions likely to be diagnosed in geriatric pets. The final section covers behavior, marketing, palliative care, quality of life, hospice, and euthanasia. Treatment and Care of the Geriatric Veterinary Patient is an essential reference for any veterinarian treating older pets. Key features Offers practical guidance on managing all aspects of veterinary care in geriatric petsTakes a holistic approach to managing the geriatric patient, from common diseases and quality of life to hospice, euthanasia, client communications, and business managementFocuses on dogs and cats, with a chapter covering common exotic animalsProvides clinically oriented advice for ensuring quality of life for older petsIncludes access to a companion website with videos, client education handouts, and images