Senior Pet Care
Thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer and healthier than ever. We have more diagnostic tools and treatment options to help your pet stay healthy and happy.
Older dogs and cats are more likely to encounter health problems than younger pets. Pets age at a much faster rate than humans. Dogs and cats age approximately seven years for every human year and larger breeds can age even faster. So it's important for us to examine your senior pets more often.
Aging Signs to Watch Out For:
1. Increased / decrease water intake
2. Having to urinate frequently
3. Increased / decreased appetite
4. Shortness of breath, fatigue, exercise intolerance, or labored breathing
5. Loss of vision or hearing
6. Loss of teeth and gum disease
7. Altered mental state and changes in behavior:
a. Disorientation or confusion
b. Sleeping more
c. Decrease in purposeful activity
d. Inappropriate urinating or defecating in the house
e. Less interaction with owners
f. Persistent vocalization
8. Change in appearance and grooming patterns
9. Frequent constipation and or diarrhea/vomiting.
10. Change in weight: gain or loss
11. Coughing
12. Change in sleeping patterns
13. Difficulty standing, jumping up, or climbing stairs
If your pet shows any of these signs, please schedule an appointment for an examination
and consultation.
Common Health Conditions of Senior Pets:
· Periodontal disease: Inflammation of the gums and tooth abscesses may lead to pain, infection, tooth loss, bad breath, kidney, liver, and heart damage, and as a result, decrease your pets life expectancy.
· Obesity: As your pet's metabolism slows, weight gain can increase his or her risk of arthritis, disc disease, and diabetes. It also puts more stress on the heart and lungs.
· Endocrine disease: Aging pets often experience changes in thyroid, pancreas and adrenal gland function that can negatively affect the heart, the digestive system, the liver and kidneys.
· Kidney and liver disease: Failure of these organs can lead to chemical imbalances, anemia, compromised immune function, blood clotting defects and altered mental capacity. Kidney disease is a leading cause of death in cats.
· Heart disease: Pets with heart disease can experience difficulty breathing, fatigue, exercise intolerance and lethargy. Medications may help make your pet more comfortable and increase the quality of their life.
· Arthritis: Arthritic joints are not only painful, they make it difficult for your pet to climb stairs, run or even jump into your lap. Medication is available to help keep your pet comfortable.
· Loss of vision or hearing: Older animals are at risk for cataracts -a natural aging process that clouds the eye. Diminished hearing is also common.
· Cancer: Early detection may improve the prognosis. Some treatments are available and most have few side effects.
· Behavior changes: Pets suffering from canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (senility) may appear disoriented, forget their housetraining, sleep more and interact with family members less. There is medication available to help this condition.
Senior Exam Diagnostic Tests
· Physical examination: Our doctor can check for physical signs of cancer, arthritis, heart and lung disease, dental disease, and cataracts.
· Complete Blood Count: This test helps identify infections, anemia, and certain types of cancer as well as problems with bleeding and the immune system.
· Serum chemistry profile: This blood test can help pinpoint diseases of the liver and kidney, and endocrine disorders such as diabetes.
· Complete urinalysis: A urine sample can help test for kidney disease, diabetes, urinary tract infections and bladder stones.
· Fecal exam: A fecal (stool) sample can be checked for internal parasites and bacterial overgrowth.
· Other tests: Depending on your pet's overall health, our doctor may recommend additional tests such as blood pressure measurement, radiographs, electrocardiography (ECG), ultrasound, thyroid or adrenal gland testing, as well as liver, pancreas and small intestine function tests.