There are two common causes of pain in older cats. The first is dental disease. Many older cats need their teeth cleaned.
If your cat has especially bad breath or has difficulty eating hard food she may have dental disease.
The second cause of pain in older cats, equally as common and equally as important as dental disease, is arthritis. It's estimated that older cats get arthritis as often as older dogs.
However, most older cats tend to be more sedentary than their canine companions and arthritis symptoms are easliy missed. Watch your older cat to see if she seems stiff, has a decrease in appetite or if she seems reluctant to jump.
While there are very few conventional medications approved for cats with arthritis, they can benefit from the same types of joint supplements useful for older, arthritic dogs such as glucoasamine and fish oil.
ACUPUNCTURE can also help relieve discomfort and stiffness associated with arthritis. Cats respond extremely well to the pain relieving benefits that acupuncture can provide. Results can be seen almost immediatley.
If your older cat seems to be slowing down a bit, it's time to have her checked by the health care team at Alta Vista Veterinary Hospital.
