Landsberg G, Ruehl W
Doncaster Animal Clinic, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.
Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1997 Nov;27(6):1537-59. doi: 10.1016/s0195-5616(97)50138-0.
Behavior problems in older pets may be due to many of the same causes as in younger pets. However, the effects of aging on the pet's body may cause a dramatic decline or deterioration in organ and sensory function, which may have a profound impact on the pet's behavior. A decline in cognitive function may also afflict older pets, in many instances due to the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease brain pathology, especially beta amyloid plaque formation. Correlation of geriatric behavior problems, therefore, entails first diagnosing and treating any underlying medical problems. Behavior modification techniques and drug therapy may then be required, with modifications and adjustments made to suit the specific needs of the older pet.
老年宠物出现行为问题的原因可能与年轻宠物的许多原因相同。然而，衰老对宠物身体的影响可能会导致器官和感官功能急剧下降或退化，这可能会对宠物的行为产生深远影响。认知功能下降也可能困扰老年宠物，在许多情况下是由于阿尔茨海默病脑部病变的发生，尤其是β淀粉样蛋白斑块的形成。因此，对于老年宠物行为问题的处理，首先需要诊断和治疗任何潜在的健康问题。然后可能需要行为矫正技术和药物治疗，并根据老年宠物的具体需求进行调整。
