Eerste lezing: The Geriatric Cat: why our approach should differ!
Senior cats are 10 years or greater, those considered geriatric are within the teenage years, typically 15 years or more. These age cut offs are arbitrary, but do prompt us to think about the differences that exist between our senior/geriatric feline population compared to their youthful counterparts.
Through advanced veterinary care, greater awareness of illness and increased client expectations, it is now commonplace for first opinion and referral practices to meet and treat geriatric patients.
When faced with these cats we need alter our physical examination, we need to consider diseases more typical of aged cats, organ malfunction or failure and the effects and interactions of multi-pathology. When investigating or screening such animals we must realize how the blood picture may differ and how and why treatment types and frequencies may need to be altered.
These cases can be challenging but rewarding, but it is through increase awareness that we can maximize the service offered to these wise feline friends.
Tweede lezing: Common Pathology Interactions of the Geriatric Cat
Geriatric cats can have a variety of exciting and perplexing concurrent or physically similar diseases. Among them is the challenge of treating the hyperthyroid cat with pre or post treatment chronic kidney disease and the difficulties associated with differentiating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from intestinal neoplasia.
This lecture will review the current literature and experts’ option on cats with hyperthyroidism and why post treatment azotemia is not as catastrophic as previously considered. It will also highlight the options that should be considered in animal with pre-existing renal disease or in those that develop azotemia only while total T4 is at a subnormal concentration post-treatment.
We will also focus on the limitations of ultrasound when assessing for gastrointestinal (GI) disease and the diagnostic tests and methods available to help differentiate IBD and small cell lymphoma, in particular the newer molecular techniques.