TREATMENT AND CARE OF THE GERIATRIC VETERINARY PATIENT

• Part I They Just Don’t Live Long Enough 1
1 Introduction 3
2 Maintaining the Human–Animal Bond 7
3 Geriatrics and Fragility 11
• Part II The Aging Body Systems 21
4 Vision Changes 23
5 Hearing Loss 35
6 Dentition and the Oral Cavity 43
7 The Nose and Smelling 51
8 Cognitive Dysfunction and Related Sleep Disturbances 57
9 Smelly Old Dog: Addressing the Dermatological Concerns of Our Geriatric Patients 77
10 Central and Peripheral Nervous System 87
11 The Aging Kidney 99
12 The Hepatic System 115
13 The Respiratory System 127
14 Mobility Issues 145
15 Age ]Related Gastrointestinal Conditions and Considerations for Nutrition 185
16 Urinary and Fecal Incontinence 199
17 Thermoregulation 209
18 Managing Pain in Geriatric Patients 221
19 Exotic Animal Geriatrics 245
• Part III What Matters Most in the End 257
20 Understanding the Behavior of Geriatric Patients to Enhance their Welfare 259
21 Environmental Enrichment and Senior Pets: The Next Best Thing to the Fountain of Youth 269
22 Where Are all the Grey Muzzles?: Marketing and Caring for Geriatric Pets in your Practice 279
23 Veterinary Hospice in Your Practice 289
24 Quality of Life Assessment and End of Life Decisions 297
25 Anticipatory Grief and Preparation for Pet Loss 311
26 The Look 317
27 Convenience and Aggressive Pet Euthanasia 321
28 Letting Go – Handling Euthanasia in Your Practice 327
29 The Final Chapter 337

Treatment and Care of the Geriatric Veterinary Patient offers veterinarians a complete guide to treating and managing geriatric canine and feline patients.
• Offers practical guidance on managing all aspects of veterinary care in geriatric pets
• Takes a holistic approach to managing the geriatric patient, from common diseases and quality of life to hospice, euthanasia, client communications, and business management
• Focuses on dogs and cats, with a chapter covering common exotic animals
• Provides clinically oriented advice for ensuring quality of life for older pets
• Includes access to a companion website with videos, client education handouts, and images

Authors
• Mary Gardner, DVM, is Hospice Veterinarian, Co-Founder, and Chief Technology Officer at Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice in Orange County, California, USA and Courtesy Lecturer at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Florida, USA.
• Dani McVety, DVM, is Hospice Veterinarian, Co-Founder, and Chief Executive Officer at Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice in Tampa, Florida, USA and Courtesy Lecturer at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Florida, USA.