Is it time to start considering your pet a senior?  Though many seniors refuse to act their age, there are reasons for changes in the care of your pet after this point. Aging is a wearing process; organs and joints have been suffering wear and tear the length of your pet’s life.  According to the American Animal Hospital Association, 30% of senior pets have at least one hidden disease.   The changes in examinations help us detect and identify problems while they are still in an early-enough stage to treat; changes in the senior pet’s body can be rapid, and irreversible. Adding to your pet’s maintenance care is the best way to make sure you share more happy years together.

One of the most important changes in your senior pet’s care comes during his/her physical exam. The exams should be every six months, rather than once yearly, and will include a few more routine items. Most of the exam will be like the one your pet has received throughout his/her lifetime.

Monitoring your pet’s weight and avoiding obesity is extremely important. The combination of years and pounds can have devastating results.  We will check your pet’s weight at every exam, and more often if needed.  A pet that is overweight has a higher risk for many diseases that are often fatal.  Extra weight causes strain on the heart, can increase blood pressure, or lead to diabetes and other diseases.  Taking off a few pounds on an overweight pet can have a dramatic effect on his/her health.  We will also be watching for sudden drops in weight. Cats are prone to thyroid disease, and the risk increases in the later years.

We will take a detailed history of your pet. This history is very important; we are depending on you to tell us about changes that we can’t see in the office.  Some things to watch for as your pet ages are: changes in drinking or urinating habits, trouble getting up after lying down for awhile, seeming lost in familiar environments, coughing, vomiting, or changes in sleeping habits.  There are many other changes you might see, so keep a list and bring them all up during this history.  There will also be some added examination components that might have only been done previously get baseline, or normal, data. We need to regularly test your pet’s blood pressure and the pressure in his/her eyes (Glaucoma test) during each exam.

Your pet’s teeth and gums will also require more attention with age. Over time the build-up of tartar will show on your pet’s teeth.  This needs more attention now, and removing it will be necessary at times. Bacteria in the plaque and tartar can get access to the bloodstream; where it then gets to the heart and kidneys.  Since we already know these organs have some wear, we want to make sure they are not compromised by extra bacterial disease.  We will examine your pet’s teeth and gums at each visit, and will ask you to watch for signs of dental problems at home. Some symptoms you might notice are: a change in eating habits, only liking softer foods, chewing differently, changes in your pet’s attitude toward toys, or signs of pain like rubbing or licking his/her mouth. If you have not been brushing your pet’s teeth, you can always start. Daily brushing is the best way to slow the frequency of needed complete dental procedures.

The laboratory testing that has been done yearly throughout your pet’s life will be continued to ensure the health of your pet.  Fecal exams and the SNAP4 test (blood evaluation for heartworm, Lyme, Anaplasma, or Ehrlichia infection) or COMBO SNAP test (FIV and Feline Leukemia) should still be done yearly to check for internal parasites and diseases.  At least yearly, there are certain tests we will want to run to monitor the metabolic health of your pet.  An evaluation of your pet’s blood with a complete blood count and chemistry profile can provide a lot of information about your pet’s health and how well his/her organs are functioning. Analysis of your pet’s urine will also provide a lot of information about the functioning of the kidneys. Radiographs should be taken of your pet’s chest and abdomen to monitor organ sizes, shapes, and radiodensity.

Your pet’s vaccine schedule may also be adjusted during this time. If there are changes in your pet’s risk of exposure, non-core vaccines will be reevaluated as necessary.  Also, the balance of risks and benefits of every vaccine needs to be continuously evaluated for your one of a kind pet.

Older pets have different nutritional needs, especially as they become less active. Discuss with us the right time to change to a diet that is made just for seniors.  As always, a good diet is the best foundation for the health of your pet; providing them with high quality nutrition can improve the length and quality of your pet’s life.

Be sure to ask our staff about any questions you may have about your pet. There are questions you may have about your dog’s breed that affect how he/she responds to aging. Every pet, and owner, is an individual and be treated that way at our practice. With age, concerns about fading health may come to mind, but maintain hope; we will do all we can to prolong the quality time of your pet’s life.  We hope to keep you informed of every option that is available for your pet, in hopes that there will be years of options left to consider. 

When will your pet require geriatric care?

Cats usually require geriatric care starting when they are 8–10 years old.