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Animals
Special Issues
Behavior, Welfare, Health and Care of Aging Pets
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Behavior, Welfare, Health and Care of Aging Pets

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Companion Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 7003

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ángela González-Martínez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Servicio de Etología y Medicina de Comportamiento Animal, Hospital Veterinario Universitario Rof Codina, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain
Interests: dogs; cats; exotic animals; behavior; cognition; welfare

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thanks to advances in nutrition, care, and veterinary medicine, the life expectancy of dogs, cats, and other pets has significantly increased. Often geriatric pets are complicated patients that could suffer age-related physical and cognitive deterioration, as well as chronic conditions that may have developed from earlier age.

The aim of the present special issue is to increase the knowledge in geriatric pets heath, behavior, cognition and nutrition.

I am pleased to invite you to submit an original work to this special issue.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: geriatric pets heath, behavior, cognition and nutrition.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Ángela González-Martínez
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • geriatric pets
  • behavior
  • health
  • nutrition
  • cognition
  • dogs
  • cats
  • exotic animals

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 662 KiB  
Article
Frailty and Mortality Risk Among Dogs with Extreme Longevity: Development and Predictive Validity of a Clinical Frailty Index in the Exceptional Aging in Rottweilers Study
by David J. Waters, Aimee H. Maras, Rong Fu, Andres E. Carrillo, Emily C. Chiang and Cheri L. Suckow
Animals 2024, 14(24), 3651; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14243651 - 18 Dec 2024
Viewed by 391
Abstract
Frailty refers to a state of increased vulnerability to mortality and other adverse outcomes as a consequence of age-related decline in physiologic reserve and function. Comparative biomedical scientists are relied upon to innovate approaches to enhance understanding of the similarities and differences between [...] Read more.
Frailty refers to a state of increased vulnerability to mortality and other adverse outcomes as a consequence of age-related decline in physiologic reserve and function. Comparative biomedical scientists are relied upon to innovate approaches to enhance understanding of the similarities and differences between humans and other animal species that can impact healthy aging. The research aim of this study was to develop a clinical frailty index (FI) in the Exceptional Aging in Rottweilers Study (EARS) and test its ability to predict all-cause mortality in elderly dogs. EARS is an ongoing lifetime cohort study of pet dogs with extreme longevity living in North America. Living 30% longer than the breed average, these dogs represent the canine counterpart to human centenarians. A 34-item FI (EARS-FI) was constructed to assess deficit accumulation using clinical data collected by telephone interviews with owners of 93 dogs with extreme longevity. Health deficits across multiple domains, including cognitive and sensory, cardiovascular and endocrine, and mobility, were included. The association between EARS-FI and subsequent mortality was tested in Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and in age-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models. Median (interquartile range) EARS-FI was 0.43 (0.38–0.50), and the estimated frailty limit was 0.68, consistent with data reported in humans with extreme longevity. Frailty index increased with increasing chronological age (p < 0.001). Deficit accumulation was significantly associated with increased mortality risk. Age-adjusted hazard ratio for mortality per 0.01 unit increase in FI was 1.05 (95%CI, 1.02–1.08; p = 0.001). This work provides the first demonstration of a strong association between frailty and mortality risk in pet dogs with extreme longevity. Notably, EARS-FI showed key features observed in the evaluation of frailty in aging human populations: heterogeneity, increase with chronological age, and estimated limit of <0.7. Validated here as a predictor of mortality in aged pet dogs, EARS-FI offers a useful tool for further comparative analyses of the linkages between deficit accumulation, mortality, and other adverse health outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavior, Welfare, Health and Care of Aging Pets)
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14 pages, 2086 KiB  
Article
Pet Owners’ Preferences for Quality of Life Improvements and Costs Related to Innovative Therapies in Feline Pain Associated with Osteoarthritis—A Quantitative Survey
by Andrea Wright, Edwina Gildea, Louise Longstaff, Danielle Riley, Nirav Nagda, Kristina DiPietrantonio, Ashley Enstone, Robin Wyn and David Bartram
Animals 2024, 14(16), 2308; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14162308 - 8 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1336
Abstract
This research aimed to explore UK cat owners’ preferences for treatments for feline osteoarthritis (OA) by exploring preferences around quality of life (QoL) improvements, safety considerations, and costs associated with hypothetical innovative pain therapies. Aspects identified in an existing conceptual framework were extracted [...] Read more.
This research aimed to explore UK cat owners’ preferences for treatments for feline osteoarthritis (OA) by exploring preferences around quality of life (QoL) improvements, safety considerations, and costs associated with hypothetical innovative pain therapies. Aspects identified in an existing conceptual framework were extracted for inclusion in exploratory interviews with cat owners (n = 3) to identify key domains that contribute to the QoL of cats. QoL descriptions for cats with OA and hypothetical product attributes were developed and validated through interviews with veterinarians (n = 3). An online survey was subsequently shared with 255 pet owners in the UK. Pet owners were presented with QoL descriptions and hypothetical product attributes to gather their preferences for QoL improvements and their willingness to pay (WTP) for (unbranded) pain therapies at various price points. Pet owners were motivated to improve their cats’ QoL, which translated into WTP for therapies; specifically, pet owners valued QoL improvements in mobility, pain expression, and well-being. When presented with a product profile of the hypothetical novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) and cost, 50% of cat owners were willing to pay more for a mAb that is expected to have improved efficacy and safety when compared to a hypothetical standard of care (SoC). Significantly more pet owners preferred the mAb than the SoC when price was not presented (p < 0.01), with product efficacy and safety driving pet owners’ decision-making. The majority of pet owners did not agree that taking their cats to the veterinarian once a month for their treatment would be burdensome. Cat owners in the UK are motivated to improve their cats’ QoL, which translates into WTP for the efficacious treatment of pain associated with osteoarthritis. Veterinarians should offer cat owners the pain treatment they feel is best suited for improving the cat’s QoL and to ensure subsequent owner-pet bond is preserved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavior, Welfare, Health and Care of Aging Pets)
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13 pages, 1584 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Life Expectancy at Birth of Companion Dogs in Portugal Using Official National Registry Data
by Helena Geraz, Katia Pinello, Denisa Mendonça, Milton Severo and João Niza-Ribeiro
Animals 2024, 14(15), 2141; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14152141 - 23 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1032
Abstract
This study aimed to provide a comprehensive picture of the life expectancy of dogs in Portugal, focusing on the impact of diverse factors including breed, sex, size, and skull shape. The final dataset, gathering data from the national registry database, consisted of 278,116 [...] Read more.
This study aimed to provide a comprehensive picture of the life expectancy of dogs in Portugal, focusing on the impact of diverse factors including breed, sex, size, and skull shape. The final dataset, gathering data from the national registry database, consisted of 278,116 dogs with confirmed deaths. The mean lifespan at birth for all the dogs was around 8.91 years, with the female dogs tended to have a similar lifespan to male dogs. The analysis of life expectancy at birth for the 20 most common non-Portuguese breeds and 10 Portuguese breeds revealed that Yorkshire Terriers had the highest life expectancy (10.89 years) and French Bulldogs the lowest (6.27 years). Size and cephalic index were found to be influential factors, with large brachycephalic breeds exhibiting shorter life expectancies and smaller, mesocephalic breeds experiencing longer lifespans. Additionally, the cephalic index had a more substantial impact on life expectancy compared to body size. These findings enhance the understanding of the factors influencing canine longevity and aid in developing strategies to improve the health and lifespan of companion dogs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavior, Welfare, Health and Care of Aging Pets)
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15 pages, 492 KiB  
Article
Self-Reported Utilization of International (ACVIM Consensus) Guidelines and the Latest Clinical Trial Results on the Treatment of Dogs with Various Stages of Myxomatous Mitral Valve Degeneration: A Survey among Veterinary Practitioners
by Marie D. B. van Staveren, Esther Muis and Viktor Szatmári
Animals 2024, 14(5), 772; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14050772 - 29 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2171
Abstract
Background: Myxomatous mitral valve degeneration is the most common canine heart disease. Several clinical trials have investigated various treatments. The latest recommendations are published in the ACVIM consensus guidelines (2019). Our study aimed to investigate how closely veterinary practitioners apply the treatment recommendations [...] Read more.
Background: Myxomatous mitral valve degeneration is the most common canine heart disease. Several clinical trials have investigated various treatments. The latest recommendations are published in the ACVIM consensus guidelines (2019). Our study aimed to investigate how closely veterinary practitioners apply the treatment recommendations of these guidelines and the latest clinical trials. Methods: An online survey was sent to Dutch and Belgian veterinary practices via digital channels. Results: The data from 363 fully completed surveys were analyzed. For stage B1 disease, 93% recommended, correctly, no treatment. For stage B2 disease, 67% of the respondents recommended starting pimobendan as monotherapy. For chronic treatment of stage C disease, 16 different drug combinations were mentioned, but nobody recommended surgery. Only 48% of the respondents recommended the only evidence-based drug combination: a loop diuretic with pimobendan. A concerning finding was the simultaneous prescription of two loop diuretics, by 19% of the respondents. Conclusions: Treatment recommendations showed an increasing variation with more advanced disease stages from B1 through B2 to C. This reflects the increasing disagreement among the panelists who prepared the ACVIM consensus guidelines. Practitioners of our study seem to practice more evidence-based medicine than veterinary cardiologists, as it was reported in a recent survey-based study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavior, Welfare, Health and Care of Aging Pets)
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Review

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16 pages, 1804 KiB  
Review
Common Neurologic Diseases in Geriatric Dogs
by Luciano Espino and Natalia Miño
Animals 2024, 14(12), 1753; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14121753 - 10 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1470
Abstract
The increase in the canine geriatric population means that veterinarians are more often confronted with diseases that are more prevalent in patients in this age group. As in other organ systems, degenerative, neoplastic, and vascular diseases are the most prevalent neurologic disorders in [...] Read more.
The increase in the canine geriatric population means that veterinarians are more often confronted with diseases that are more prevalent in patients in this age group. As in other organ systems, degenerative, neoplastic, and vascular diseases are the most prevalent neurologic disorders in older dogs. A neurological disease in an older dog poses a challenge for the clinician due to the presence of concomitant diseases and age-related changes that make it difficult to interpret the neurological examination. In addition, given the age of the patients, some owners do not allow advanced imaging tests, and it is necessary to establish the most likely presumptive diagnosis to initiate treatment. Although many of these diseases can cause clinical signs that can be very upsetting, some of them can be managed with symptomatic therapy and have a good prognosis, such as idiopathic vestibular syndrome. Moreover, advances in and the greater availability of therapeutic options such as surgery and radiation therapy may increase survival and quality of life in diseases with a more serious prognosis, such as tumours. The aim of this review is to summarize the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of the more frequent diseases affecting the central nervous systems of geriatric dogs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavior, Welfare, Health and Care of Aging Pets)
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