Comprehensive Senior Pet Care
At Divine Animal Hospital, we take pride in providing compassionate senior pet care, including pain management services like laser therapy, piezo wave therapy and stem cell therapy.
As with humans, pets in their senior years—those of about seven years of age and older—begin to go through a gradual reduction of their physical capabilities. With your veterinarian's help, you can manage these factors in order to prolong your pet's good health, vitality and increase his or her well-being, even as his or her pace slows a bit.
Senior Pet Wellness Exams
During your senior pet's routine physical examination, you'll be given an opportunity to discuss concerns regarding your pet's aging in detail. Your veterinarian may include specialized lab work to detect the early signs of disease. Because a mature pet's condition can change significantly in a short period of time, we recommend that families bring in their senior pets approximately every six months. Starting at age 7 a routine abdominal ultrasound and full body x-rays are recommended. These are provided at substantially reduced costs.
Great Home Care for Your Senior Pet
During your pet's senior exams, your veterinarian will discuss ways you can help maintain your older pet's health at home, such as:
- Avoid excessive weight gain. Your veterinarian may recommend an exercise program as well as a special senior pet food.
- Keep your pet's living area clean, dry and warm at all times.
- If possible, regularly check your pet's mouth for reddened gums, loose teeth or unusual swellings. Check eyes for redness, unusual cloudiness, discomfort and discharge. Check ears for wax build-up, discharge or unusual odors.
- Thoroughly groom and inspect your older pet's skin regularly. Look for lumps, bumps and wounds.
- If your older pet's eyesight is impaired, avoid relocating furniture and changing his or her surroundings. Also, try not to drastically change your pet's daily routine.
- Any changes associated with eating, drinking or elimination should be noted and discussed with your veterinarian, as these may be manifestations of disease.
- Monitor your pet for pain, which they conceal well.
Complete Blood Count
A Complete Blood Count test measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in a sample of blood. The numbers of each type of cell provides information to help diagnose anemia, infections and leukemia. If your senior pet is undergoing treatment for a condition, a complete blood count can help your veterinarian monitor how your pet is responding to the treatment.
Blood-Chemistry Panel
A blood-chemistry panel measures electrolytes, enzymes and chemical elements of your pet's blood. Included in a blood-chemistry profile are important components such as calcium and phosphorous levels, liver enzymes, glucose and total protein. These measurements help your veterinarian determine how your senior pet's organs, such as kidneys, pancreas and liver, are functioning. Blood-chemistry panels help diagnose and treat illness, as well as monitor your pet's response to treatment. A blood-chemistry panel is usually performed to screen for potential problems and risks before anesthesia is administered.
Urinalysis
Laboratory testing of your senior pet's urine can help detect the presence of specific substances that normally do not appear in urine, including protein, sugar, white blood cells or blood. Measuring the dilution or concentration of urine can also help your veterinarian diagnose illness. Urinalysis can be helpful in diagnosing urinary tract infections, diabetes, dehydration, kidney problems and other medical conditions.