Understanding senior veterinary care
The age at which your pet is considered a senior depends on their species and breed, but it’s typically around 7 to 9 years for most pets. This is when you may start to notice age-related changes such as a decline in energy, hearing or vision loss, cognitive changes, or mobility issues. Senior pets are also more likely to develop chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, or kidney failure. Early signs are often subtle or can be mistaken for normal aging changes.
Senior wellness care
Wellness care focuses on preventing health problems and detecting issues as early as possible. This becomes even more important as your pet ages. Aspects of your senior pet’s wellness care that we typically adjust include:
- Wellness exams: Although we recommend annual exams during most of your pet’s life, an aging pet’s health can change quickly. Twice-yearly exams help us stay on top of developing issues and detect changes before they progress. If it’s been more than six months since your senior pet’s last visit, we’d love to see them—give us a call to schedule an appointment.
- Vaccinations: We thoughtfully consider which vaccines your senior pet still needs based on their lifestyle. Some pets go outside less frequently or no longer attend daycare, which may change our recommendations. Older pets who have received regular vaccines throughout their lives may have long-term protection against some diseases and no longer need certain vaccines.
- Dental care: Bacteria associated with dental disease can travel throughout a pet’s body, leading to heart disease, kidney failure, and other conditions. As your pet ages and their organ function becomes more delicate, keeping up with dental care becomes even more critical. We check your pet’s teeth at every appointment, but if you’ve noticed bad breath, tartar buildup, or other dental problems, schedule a visit so we can discuss a dental cleaning.
Proactive Disease Screening
Although we do all we can to prevent diseases, health conditions become more likely as your pet ages. Regular screening tests can help us detect diseases early, when they are easier and less costly to manage. Tests we may recommend for senior pets include:
- Senior lab work:Senior pets benefit from more comprehensive lab testing, including thyroid testing and more extensive kidney screening. Urine testing can provide information about your pet’s kidney function and hydration.
- Ultrasound:We may also recommend a preventive ultrasound to detect changes and diseases that may not show up on blood work.
- Additional testing:We may recommend additional screening tests, such as X-rays, blood pressure measurement, or an EKG/ECG (heart screening).
*These services are available for any pet, regardless of age.
As your pet ages, it can be difficult to differentiate normal aging changes from signs of a health problem. If you have any questions or concerns about your senior pet’s health, it’s better to be proactive than to wait. Give us a call or schedule an appointment so together we can stay on top of your aging companion’s health.