Suburban Animal Clinic is celebrating Senior Pets all September long!  We’d all like for our pets to live forever, but the truth of the matter is that they age sooner than we’d like.

 

Most dogs and cats are considered “senior” pets by 7 years of age, although many breeds are living to 15 years and beyond.  We have seen several cats reach the age of 20 with good quality food, preventative veterinary care, and of course, a lot of love.  Suburban Animal Clinic has a few recommendations for your senior pets to keep your pet aging as happily and as comfortable as possible.

 

-         Senior pets should be seen every six months.  Pets age an average of 5-7 years for our one human year.  So a year without seeing the vet is like us not seeing our doctor for 5 years!  That’s a long time to go without seeing the doctor!  More frequent exams allow us to screen for and detect any abnormalities or health issues sooner, many of which can be treated or managed when found in time.  Often times, we find health problems with 6 month exams while the pet is not yet showing symptoms.

 

-         Senior pets should have bloodwork checked at least once yearly (sometimes medications or conditions require more frequent bloodwork).  Typical senior bloodwork at Suburban includes a CBC (Complete Blood Count), Profile (Liver & Pancreatic Enzymes, Kidney Values, Glucose, Electrolytes), and a Thyroid Level.  While the pet may appear healthy, bloodwork may reveal a problem when the pet is not yet showing symptoms.

 

-         A urinalysis is often recommended for older pets.  This is not usually done as frequently as bloodwork, but is still important in assessing kidney and bladder health.  Changes in kidneys show in the urine first.  By the time kidney values are affected in the blood, the kidneys are already pretty sick (2/3 of kidney function is gone by this time).

 

-         Blood Pressure is important to assess regularly in older pets.  Many conditions seen in senior pets can cause or be the result of high blood pressure.  Some pets must take daily medications for blood pressure just like humans.

 

-         Eye Tests: Various eye problems arise in senior pets.  Two common problems include Dry Eye (when the eyes don’t make enough tears to keep the eyes lubricated), and Glaucoma (increased eye pressure).

 

-         Radiographs and/or EKG’s may be required in patients with suspected problems or a history of problems.  Both can be sent to a specialist for consultations if necessary.

 

By seeing our aging friends more often, we can detect health concerns and address them sooner rather than later.  Early detection leads to an earlier start for treatment/management of the problem, allowing your pet to remain comfortable for longer.  To help with the cost of veterinary care for senior pets, we can do annual vaccinations at one appointment, and can do the senior ‘workup’ at the 6 month appointment.  This helps spread the cost out so you don’t have one large veterinary bill.

 

Please be sure to ask a staff member what you can do to help your senior companion.  As always, our goal is to provide the best all around care we can to keep your pet happy and healthy for as long as possible.