VMDiva

Too often, as pets age, our mindsets change regarding how much financial and medical commitment we are willing to provide them. I hear all too frequently: “Well, he’s getting pretty old so I don’t want to run a bunch of tests. He certainly doesn’t need his vaccines and I don’t see the point in heartworm preventative.” While we can justify this line of thought, I challenge pet owners to approach their pet’s golden years from a different perspective.

Senior pets, just like senior citizens, require close monitoring to ensure their health does not fail prematurely. An old adage in veterinary medicine is that ‘Old Age is Not a Disease’.  Dogs are typically considered senior between 6-8 yrs of age with large breed dogs aging faster than small breeds. Cats are considered senior at 8 yrs of age.  Senior pets are more likely to develop common aging diseases such as heart disease, dental disease, osteoarthritis, thyroid disease, and early kidney disease. As pets age, their immune systems typically weaken preventing them from fighting infection as well as in the past. They slow down, spend a majority of their days sleeping, and sometimes struggle on cold days. They may develop a medical condition or two. But, with proper care, you can extend your pet’s quality of life by addressing these issues before they becoming life threatening. Below are a few ways you can stay on top of your senior pet’s health.

Twice Yearly Appointments

As you can imagine, an animal with a life expectancy of 12-14 years will age much more rapidly than a person with a life expectancy of 75-80yrs. Many health changes can be detected by your veterinarian based on your pet’s history and physical exam. At these appointments, do not be afraid to mention Fido’s difficulty getting up or Fifi’s ravenous appetite. Things you may think unimportant could signal disease to your veterinarian.

Senior Bloodwork

I cannot stress the importance of routine bloodwork enough. General health screen typically includes blood sugar, kidney and liver values, blood counts, thryoid values, and urinalysis. This bloodwork can detect sub-clinical disease processes like early kidney disease, mild thyroid disease, anemia, diabetes, among many others. This bloodwork is generally affordable and can prove invaluable if disease is detected early. Many diseases are treatable or manageable when detected early. A urinalysis can detect kidney disease before it is evident in bloodwork. Use a sealable plastic container to collect urine from your pet the morning of your appointment and take it along with you. Ask your veterinarian about screening bloodwork.

Vaccines and Preventatives

Vaccination protocol is not without controversy. There are several schools of thought concerning frequency of vaccinations in veterinary medicine, however, the vast majority of veterinarians agree that all pets should be vaccinated if their health allows. Senior pets are no exception. At minimum, all pets must be rabies vaccinated. This is the law. Even without the legal impetus, pet owners should ensure their senior pets are up to date on their rabies vaccine. A sad fact is that many animals will develop some degree of neurologic signs, from abnormal behavior to seizures, prior to their deaths. If your pet is not vaccinated for rabies, your veterinarian must consider the disease as she treats or euthanizes your pet. Rabies testing may be recommended. This is an avoidable scenario.

Heartworm and flea/tick preventatives are recommended irregardless of age. Discuss the remaining vaccinations and preventatives with your veterinarian to determine what protocol is best for your senior pet.

Follow Up!

If your sick senior pet sees the veterinarian, follow up! Stick with prescribed medications and, if financially feasible, pursue diagnostics. Call your veterinarian if you don’t understand the diagnosis or reason for testing. You and your veterinarian should work together to formulate a plan on how to extend your senior pet’s quality of life.

As pet’s age they rely on their owners to ensure a smooth transition from adult to senior life. Don’t undervalue the benefits of prompt and proactive care.