Aging with grace & dignity: Navigating Anxiety in Geriatric Dogs

Although age is not a disease, as dogs get older, the likelihood of some behavioral changes may increase. There is a strong overlap and interplay between physical medical conditions and behavior problems, especially in older patients. Anxiety can be caused by many factors, can be compounded by health issues and can be associated with cognitive decline. Teasing between differential diagnoses is an important pathway to improve older pet welfare.

• Recognize the impact of physical medical conditions in older patients, especially how they impact behavior complaints.
• Generate behavior differential diagnoses for anxiety in older patients.
• Develop treatment recommendations for certain differential diagnoses