Ageing cats and dogs: telling age apart from illness

Animals hide discomfort; it is a reflex built on not looking weak. In old age that reflex creates a separate problem for us: the signs appear gradually, so the owner adapts and does not notice.

The distinction most often missed is exactly this: what is ageing itself, and what is the sign of a disease.

Not a normal part of ageing

These should not be waved away as "getting old":

• A marked increase in drinking and the frequent urination that follows
• Weight loss — even with a normal appetite
• Bad smell from the mouth
• Breathlessness, tiring quickly even on a short walk
• Restlessness at night, aimless pacing, difficulty recognising the owner
• Struggling to climb stairs or get onto the sofa, stiffness
• New firm lumps in the skin, swellings that grow quickly

Some of these are the first signs of conditions that become more common with age. Some are manageable when caught early — and not, when caught late.

Check-ups change

Where once a year is considered enough for a young animal, the interval shortens in old age and the content changes too: not just an examination, but monitoring of blood and urine values. What interval suits your animal is for the vet who sees it to decide.

The real benefit is comparison: if you have values from a healthy period, what the later measurements mean becomes far clearer.

Teeth are usually overlooked

Oral health is the most skipped heading in older animals. Bad breath gets taken for "dog smell" but is usually a sign of tartar and gum inflammation. A painful mouth reduces appetite, poor appetite leads to weight loss, and weight loss compounds everything else.

Adapting the home

• Rugs or non-slip mats on slippery floors — the cheapest improvement for an animal with joint problems.
• A litter tray with a lower side; an older cat struggles to climb over a high edge.
• A step or ramp up to favourite places.
• Water and food within easier reach, raised if needed.
• Move the bed to a warm corner out of draughts.

Two notes specific to Alanya

Heat is far harder on an older animal than on a young one; for those with heart or breathing problems the threshold should be kept low in summer. Shifting walks to early morning and late evening stops being a preference in old age and becomes a requirement.

Second: a long flight with an older animal is a decision of its own. If you are planning to return abroad, discuss it with your vet in advance; in some cases the journey itself is the risk.

This page is general information. The signs above are not a diagnostic list; if you see one in your animal, the assessment belongs to a vet.