Top 10 Common Diseases for Aging Cats/Dogs
In no particular order, the most common diseases for aging cats/dogs are:
- Arthritis
- Kidney disease
- Cancer
- Gum disease
- Heart disease and stroke
- Dementia
- Gastrointestinal Issues and Incontinence
- Overactive thyroid
- Pancreatitis
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
These problems are particularly common in large dogs. Although significantly less common, occasionally some cats also develop osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative joint disease. This causes inflammation and pain in your cat’s joints — the elbow joint in particular.
What Causes Arthritis in Dogs and Cats?
There are two types of joint pain in dogs: developmental and degenerative. Developmental joint pain, such as hip dysplasia, occurs when the joint doesn’t develop correctly. Degenerative joint problems happen when there is a breakdown in the joint over time.
Arthritis in cats is usually degenerative. As your cat ages, the cartilage becomes less flexible and breaks down. This can be caused by injury, infection or even weight gain.
- Kidney disease
Sometimes, the signs of kidney failure in cats are not caught early enough and the disease progresses to its end stage. Symptoms of end stage kidney failure in cats include general symptoms listed above, as well as dull, sunken eyes, inability to walk, body odor, incontinence in bladder or bowels seizures, confusion, refusal to eat or drink, twitching, blindness, pacing and restlessness, withdrawing, hiding and running away.
