Senior Pet Care
Special Care for Older Pets
Dogs and cats over age 7 are considered 'geriatric' pets. They need:
- A physical exam at least once per year
- Blood pressure checks
- Screening blood tests annually
- Special diets to control illness and obesity
- Nutritional support for arthritic joints
Pets can live long productive lives and bring joy to their families. Our veterinarians are dedicated to ensuring that your older pets receive specialized care designed to meet their changing needs. It may be hard to believe, but many animals as young as seven years of age are considered to be seniors and require specialized care. Even if your pet does not look old, he or she deserves extraordinary care from approximately age seven on.
It is crucial to catch any changes in your older pet's health as early as possible. Early detection allows for early treatment, which can significantly improve the quality of your senior pet's life. For this reason, we recommend physical examinations at least once per year. During these examinations, a complete history of your pet's health will be taken to help uncover any signs of illness. The doctor will ask questions regarding appetite, sleeping, vocalizing, behavior, elimination, and play to make sure that your aging pet is still acting and feeling well at home. The veterinarian will then perform a comprehensive physical examination, including a blood pressure reading.
Common problems seen in older pets include dental disease, orthopedic problems, obesity, and changes in behavior. The doctors can provide dental care, offer advice regarding arthritis, and even recommend special diets or supplements. Behavior issues may be helped with a combination of training, medication, and diet. Physical therapy and/or supplements may help pets with arthritis and other age-associated infirmities.
In addition, the veterinarian may suggest annual blood testing and urinalysis for your senior pet. These screening tests check for illnesses that are common in geriatric animals and can be treated with medications and diet. For example, older pets are more likely than younger pets to suffer from heart trouble, kidney disease, thyroid problems, and diabetes. Screening tests can identify these problems early enough that medications, foods, and life style changes can be recommended to limit the illnesses and help your pet feel better, longer. Ideally, pets five years of age and older should have a "senior" blood profile performed, and those pets over age seven need "geriatric" blood profiles done annually.
Senior pets need just a little bit of extra care to feel great. Remember: physical examinations and geriatric blood profiles at least 1 TIME PER YEAR for older dogs and cats!