The Geriatric Cat Flashcards

1
Q

What age is senior?

A

11-14

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2
Q

What symptoms would a cat with hyperthyroidism show?

A

increased thirst
increased uriantion
increased appetite
weight loss

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3
Q

What can you expect to see with a cat that has hypertension?

A

systolic blood pressure over 160mHg
vision issues e.g dilated pupils, blood in the eye, blindness

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4
Q
A
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5
Q

What symptoms can we see in cats with chronic kidney disease?

A

lethargy
unkempt look
weight loss
urine and blood build up of waste products

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6
Q

What percentage of cats are more often affected by feline cognitive dysfunction?

A

55% of cats over 11yrs and 80% of cats over 16yrs

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7
Q

What kind of dental disease is common in senior cats?

A

gingivitis
peridontal disease
tooth reabsorption

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8
Q

What kind of degenerative joint disease can cats get?

A

arthritis/osetoarthritis

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9
Q

What symptoms would you see in a cat with diabetes mellitus?

A

increased urination
increased appetite
weight loss

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10
Q

What percentage of cats get an intestinal lymphoma and what can this cause?

A

approx 30%
digestive issues

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11
Q

How do we detect disease in cats?

A

pre-assessment forms
Taking a history
parameters
clinical examination

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12
Q

What is included in pre-assessment forms and history taking?

A

pre-assessment forms - behavioural changes, other pets, household changes, current medication
History - parasite control, vaccination status, diet, confirm signalment

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13
Q

What could behavioural changes detect?

A

Feline cognitive dysfunction, pain

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14
Q

How would you structure a consult for a senior patient?

A

history taking - pre-assessment form and weighing
Blood pressure measurement - discuss findings
Clinical exam - discuss findings
Diagnostic tests if required - urinalysis, blood analysis
Recommendations
Summarise and arrange a revisit

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15
Q

What diet would you recommend for a senior cat?

A

Reduced fat
Reduced energy
Reduced calcium and phosphorus
Increased fibre

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16
Q

Would you recommend wet or dry diet?

A

wet as cats not as good at drinking water than other animals

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17
Q

What is water important for in cats?

A

maintains acid base balance and osmo-regualtion

18
Q

How many water bowls per cat should you have per household?

A

at least 2 in different locations

19
Q

What can you do to encourage water consumption?

A

provide water fountains, tap, broths (look at salt content), shallow dishes
Make sure always available

20
Q

How do you calculation a change in weight?

A

(difference in weight / original weight) X 100%

21
Q

What percentage weight loss is significant?

A

5-10%

22
Q

What percentage weight loss is not significant but should monitor?

A

less than <5%

23
Q

What percentage weight loss is serious?

A

over >10%

24
Q

What conditions is secondary hypertension seen in?

A

CKD, hyperthyroidism, other endocrine diseases

25
Q

WHat damage can hypertension cause?

A

Ocular - retinal oedema, retinal haemorrhage, retinal detachment
Heart - left ventricular hypertrophy
Renal damage - progressive renal failure

26
Q

What neurological signs can be caused by hypertension?

A

seizures
bleeding into central nervous system
ataxia
disorientation
coma/sudden death

27
Q

What equipment can you use to measure blood pressure?

A

doppler
oscillometric

28
Q

How can you make taking cats blood pressure less stressful?

A
  • using the tail and placing the probe on the ventral aspect
  • quiet area where people are less likely to walk through
29
Q

How do you select the correct sized blood pressure cuff?

A

measure the width against the circumference of the leg, approx 40% the circumference

30
Q

What is a Hokanson cuff?

A

blood pressure cuff that inflates along the whole length, allowing pressure to be equal around the cats leg

31
Q

What is classed as hypotension in cats?

A

systolic blood pressure of under <120mmHg

32
Q

What does hypotension cause?

A

Heart failure, shock, hypovolaemia

33
Q

What is normal blood pressure for a cat?

A

systolic blood pressure 120-160mmHg

34
Q

What is the “grey area” blood pressure and what causes this?

A

160-180mmHg, could be due to stress

35
Q

What is classed as hypertension?

A

systolic blood pressure over >180mmHg

36
Q

What causes hypertension in cats?

A

chronic renal failure, hyperthyroidism, other endocrine disorders

37
Q

How can you make clinical examiniations cat friendly?

A
  • allow the cat to come out of the carrier on their own
  • do not restrict to the exam table
  • use non-slip mats, blankets, bedding
  • examine from head to toe with regular breaks
38
Q

What should you examine during the exam?

A
  • ascultate systemically
  • observe respiratory pattern as well as rate
  • check for thyroid goitre
  • examine muscles and joint for asymmetry and range of motion
39
Q

What is the thyroid goitre?

A

an enlarged thyroid

40
Q

What tests can be done for senior cats?

A

blood and urinalysis

41
Q

What is normal specific gravity in cats?

A

> 1.035

42
Q

What needs to be taken into consideration when restraining cats?

A

temperament, disease or injury, preference (if the cat prefers to be held a specific way)