Senior Care for Your Pets
by Patricia Feeser, DVM
Greenville Veterinary Hospital
There is no doubt about it! As you look at Fido and Fluffy, you notice that they are getting gray around the muzzle and sleeping more than before. There is no getting around the fact that you beloved family pets are aging. Cats are considered to be senior citizens at about age 7 and geriatric patients at age 10. Dogs vary depending on their size and are considered to be seniors at age 5-7 and geriatric by age 10-13.
Pets age about 7 times faster than humans, and they are very good at covering up any problem until it becomes a crisis. Our pets can run into the same problems as their owners do as they age. They may develop osteoarthritis, dental disease, cataracts, cancer, etc. Many of these problems if found early can be treated and improve the quality of life for your pet.
Most responsible pet owners are used to bringing in their animal for yearly physical examinations and vaccinations. As you pet ages, the most important part of this visit becomes the physical examinati9on. Your veterinarian may find subtle changes from the previous year and ask questions which may raise red flags for potential problems. As you pets reaches his/her senior years, your veterinarian will probably recommend twice yearly examination with some lab tests.
Having baseline CBC (complete blood cell count), serum chemistry values and urinalysis results are invaluable in early disease detection. To make the visit as stress-free as possible for your pet, bring a urine sample and stool sample with you. Depending on the age and breed of your pet, your veterinarian may also recommend thyroid testing, blood pressure measurement, eye pressure measurement, EKG (electrocardiogram), and/or radiographs.
Your next vet visit would be a good time to ask you veterinarian any questions you might have concerning the aging process in your pet and for his/her recommendations for helping your pet to live a long and happy life.
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