Senior Pet Health
Senior Health Exams
Dogs and cats are living longer and healthier lives thanks to more frequent veterinary visits and higher-quality pet foods. However, as pets live longer, the chances of them developing age-related diseases increases. Like elderly people, our animal companions can potentially develop arthritic changes, kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, thyroid diseases, cancer, diabetes and more. As your pet ages, veterinary care becomes extremely important. Catching disease early can potentially prolong your pet’s life.
One of the most important steps you can take to keep your senior pet healthy is to bring them to the veterinarian at least every six months for a comprehensive exam. Senior care starts with regular exams that help catch and delay disease and detect early problems like organ failure and arthritis.
Diagnostic Testing
Laboratory testing helps understand the status of your pet’s health. Blood work can catch a problem before you ever notice something is wrong—normal blood work acts as a “baseline” for your pet’s health, while even minor changes in lab results may indicate an underlying disease.
These tests include:
- Complete Blood Count
- Urinalysis
- Blood-Chemistry Panel
- T4 Thyroid Function Test
- Parasite Evaluation
Nutrition and Muscle-Building Programs
As your pet ages, their nutrition and exercise requirements change. Our staff will help you formulate a proper diet of food, supplements and exercise along with proper anti-inflammatory therapy if necessary. Just as our joints may get achy and our muscles may get weaker as we get older, our pets do as well. The only difference is our pets will not tell us if they are uncomfortable.
If you have any questions about your senior pet or would like to schedule an exam, please call us at (347) 463-9426.
