Senior Pet Care 

How your pet's needs change.

Advances in veterinary medicine have made it possible for pets of all kinds to live long, healthy lives. However, when they become seniors, they require extra attention and medical care which is why it’s important to understand how their needs change as they age. 

Generally speaking, cats and dogs are considered seniors at 11-years-old and 7-years-old, respectively. At this age, your elderly pet will need regular physical exams, vaccines (or vaccine titer testing), lab work, and dental care. Through diagnostic testing, such as complete blood counts, urinalyses, and fecal tests, we can detect diseases that commonly affect older pets. 

Some conditions that typically affect senior pets include:

• Arthritis 
• Obesity 
• Diabetes 
• Dementia
• Thyroid imbalances
• Behavioral changes 
• Mobility issues
• Kidney, heart, and liver disease
• Tumors and cancer 

Luckily, many age-related health conditions can be prevented or managed via medication and/or treatment. Our goal is to keep your pet happy and healthy well into their golden years and we can do that by addressing their needs on an individual basis. 

If you have questions about how often we should see your elderly pet or you’d like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (724) 758-8882.