{"title":"Value of repeated health screening in 259 apparently healthy mature adult and senior cats followed for 2 years","authors":"Femke Mortier, Sylvie Daminet, Sofie Marynissen, Pascale Smets, Dominique Paepe","doi":"10.1111/jvim.17138","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Background</h3>\n \n <p>Although regular health screening is recommended, long-term follow-up data in healthy aged cats are lacking.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Objectives</h3>\n \n <p>Determine the most common conditions in a large group of apparently healthy older cats and which diseases are manifested within 2 years in cats confirmed to be healthy based on extensive health screening.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Animals</h3>\n \n <p>Client-owned cats.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Methods</h3>\n \n <p>Prospective study. Thorough history, physical examination, blood tests, and urinalysis were performed in 259 apparently healthy mature adult (7-10 years) and senior (>10 years) cats. Semi-annual follow-up examinations were performed in 201 confirmed healthy cats.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Results</h3>\n \n <p>At baseline, 21% of apparently healthy cats were not considered healthy but were diagnosed with International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) ≥ stage 2 chronic kidney disease (CKD; 7.7%) or hyperthyroidism (4.6%), among other disorders. Disease occurred significantly more frequently in senior cats compared with mature adult cats. In addition, 40% cats were overweight, 35% had moderate to severe dental disease, and 22% had abnormal cardiac auscultation findings. Within 2 years, 28% of mature adult and 54% of senior cats that were confirmed healthy at inclusion developed new diseases, most commonly IRIS ≥ stage 2 CKD (cumulative incidence, 13.4%), hyperthyroidism (8.5%), chronic enteropathy, hepatopathy or pancreatitis (7.5%), or neoplasia (7%).</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Conclusions and Clinical Importance</h3>\n \n <p>The high prevalence and 2-year incidence of physical examination abnormalities and systemic diseases in apparently healthy older cats argue for regular health screening in cats ≥7 years of age. Although more common in senior cats, occult disease also occurs in mature adult cats, and owners should be informed accordingly.</p>\n </section>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":49958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11256131/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvim.17138","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"VETERINARY SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Although regular health screening is recommended, long-term follow-up data in healthy aged cats are lacking.
Objectives
Determine the most common conditions in a large group of apparently healthy older cats and which diseases are manifested within 2 years in cats confirmed to be healthy based on extensive health screening.
Animals
Client-owned cats.
Methods
Prospective study. Thorough history, physical examination, blood tests, and urinalysis were performed in 259 apparently healthy mature adult (7-10 years) and senior (>10 years) cats. Semi-annual follow-up examinations were performed in 201 confirmed healthy cats.
Results
At baseline, 21% of apparently healthy cats were not considered healthy but were diagnosed with International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) ≥ stage 2 chronic kidney disease (CKD; 7.7%) or hyperthyroidism (4.6%), among other disorders. Disease occurred significantly more frequently in senior cats compared with mature adult cats. In addition, 40% cats were overweight, 35% had moderate to severe dental disease, and 22% had abnormal cardiac auscultation findings. Within 2 years, 28% of mature adult and 54% of senior cats that were confirmed healthy at inclusion developed new diseases, most commonly IRIS ≥ stage 2 CKD (cumulative incidence, 13.4%), hyperthyroidism (8.5%), chronic enteropathy, hepatopathy or pancreatitis (7.5%), or neoplasia (7%).
Conclusions and Clinical Importance
The high prevalence and 2-year incidence of physical examination abnormalities and systemic diseases in apparently healthy older cats argue for regular health screening in cats ≥7 years of age. Although more common in senior cats, occult disease also occurs in mature adult cats, and owners should be informed accordingly.
期刊介绍:
The mission of the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine is to advance veterinary medical knowledge and improve the lives of animals by publication of authoritative scientific articles of animal diseases.