title: Results of Screening of Apparently Healthy Senior and Geriatric Dogs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a growing interest in health care of elderly dogs; however, scientific information about physical and laboratory examination findings in this age group is limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe systolic blood pressure (SBP), and results of physical examination and laboratory tests in senior and geriatric dogs that were judged by the owner to be healthy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hundred client-owned dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs were prospectively recruited. Owners completed a questionnaire. SBP measurement, physical, orthopedic and neurologic examination, direct fundoscopy and Schirmer tear test were performed. Complete blood count, serum biochemistry, and urinalysis were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one senior and 59 geriatric dogs were included. Mean SBP was 170 ± 38 mmHg, and 53 dogs had SBP > 160 mmHg. Thirty-nine animals were overweight. A heart murmur was detected in 22, severe calculus in 21 and 1 or more (sub)cutaneous masses in 56 dogs. Thirty-two dogs had increased serum creatinine, 29 hypophosphatemia, 27 increased ALP, 25 increased ALT, and 23 leukopenia. Crystalluria, mostly amorphous crystals, was commonly detected (62/96). Overt proteinuria and borderline proteinuria were detected in 13 and 18 of 97 dogs, respectively. Four dogs had a positive urine bacterial culture. Frequency of orthopedic problems, frequency of (sub)cutaneous masses, and platelet count were significantly higher in geriatric compared with senior dogs. Body temperature, hematocrit, serum albumin, and serum total thyroxine concentration were significantly lower in geriatric compared with senior dogs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physical and laboratory abnormalities are common in apparently healthy elderly dogs. Veterinarians play a key role in implementing health screening and improving health care for elderly pets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paepe
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marynissen
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smets
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Van de Maele
authors.affiliation: Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Picavet
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Physiology and Biometrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duchateau
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daminet
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001530:Belgium; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000662:veterinary*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values
keywords: Age-specific reference interval; Blood pressure; Canine; Creatinine ratio; Elderly dogs; Urinary protein