Senior Pet Care
When it comes to health and wellness, your pet has different needs at every life stage. Pets enter their "senior years" around the age of seven. While it may seem like only yesterday that your companion was a playful puppy or a curious kitten, your senior pet’s health is much different than that of a younger pet.
The veterinarians at the Animal Medical & Surgical Center of Canton, GA understand the unique health care needs of your older pet. That’s why we’ve developed our special "Senior at 7" program.
For senior pets, prevention is important. Arthritis, skin conditions and difficulty with hearing or vision are all common problems pets face as they get older. If your older cat or dog begins exhibiting any of the following symptoms, please let us know.
Senior Pet Health - Signs To Watch For
- Increased stiffness or limping, including difficulty climbing stairs or jumping.
- Loss of housetraining; house soiling, changes in litter box habits/inappropriate elimination.
- Increased thirst.
- Increased urination/more trips outside to urinate (especially overnight).
- Circling/confusion or disorientation.
- Less interaction with family/hiding and decreased responsiveness.
- Poor grooming habits.
- Changes in activity level/tires easily.
- Decreased (or increased) appetite.
- Weight change (loss or gain).
- Bad breath/excessive salivation or difficulty chewing food.
- Enlarged abdomen (stomach).
- Vomiting, diarrhea or changes in stool.
- Odor or discharge from ears.
- Difficulty seeing/hearing.
Regular wellness exams are the best way to check for illness and health problems before they become more difficult to treat. As part of your senior pet’s exam, we thoroughly listen to the heart and lungs, check the eyes and ears, look for lumps and skin conditions and evaluate the joints and muscles, among other procedures.
Senior Pet Wellness Program
As part of the Animal Medical & Surgical Center's "Senior at 7" program, we may perform a number of diagnostic tests on your pet, including x-rays and ultrasound, and a thorough series of blood tests. These tests can help us detect diabetes, heart disease, parasites and other health problems that may not be readily apparent during a physical examination. We recommend pets age 7 and older undergo an examination and bloodwork twice a year, as this helps us identify and slow disease progression using medication and diet changes. In addition, we recommend routine testing for glaucoma and hypertension (high blood pressure).
You are an important ally in keeping your older pet healthy. We urge you to keep a close watch on your senior pet and note any changes in behavior or personality. Spotting these problems early on can make them easier to treat and ensure that you and your pet have many more happy years together.