How do you know if your pet qualifies as a senior? What changes should you watch out for? How do you know if your pet has age related health issues that should be addressed with your veterinarian? Learn more...

What is involved in a comprehensive senior wellness exam?

History: The history you provide is very important to assessing the health and well-being of your pet. They can’t talk. You need to be their advocate. Even the little changes you see and may ignore could be important. We will provide you with a questionnaire that may help you remember some history details. Don’t assume the changes you are seeing are not important.

Physical Exam: Next, your pet will receive a complete nose to tail examination. The findings here, along with your history, will direct the next step.

Laboratory Testing: A baseline laboratory screening is extremely valuable. Many times, underlying health issues are detected early when regular lab screening is performed. Bring in a first morning urine sample to help with accurate kidney health evaluation.

Radiographs: These may be recommended depending on the history and physical exam findings. Screening radiographs for early detection of heart disease, neoplasia and arthritis can be helpful.

Blood Pressure: Establishing your pet’s normal blood pressure in a hospital situation can be very valuable when it becomes necessary to start monitoring blood pressure.

STT Testing: This determines if dry eye is a problem in your pet. Just as with us, some dogs will develop dry eyes that can be very uncomfortable.

Tonometry: This tests the eye pressure. Even dogs develop glaucoma. Older dogs with red sclera (eyes) should be checked for early glaucoma.

Fecal Test: Parasites can interfere with digestion and are an ongoing issue throughout a pet’s life.

Examination Recommendations for the Senior Pet

Annually: Comprehensive history and physical exam, complete blood count and chemistry, urinalysis, fecal analysis, blood pressure and other tests as required based on physical examination results. Possible radiographic screening.

Biannually: Comprehensive history and physical exam, urinalysis, and blood pressure. Fecal analysis if regular deworming is not done.

After a full physical exam and history, your veterinarian will make some recommendations regarding further diagnostic testing. This testing will be done to either detect and further define current medical problems or to establish a normal baseline for your pet.

Blood Tests

Complete Blood Count: This test examines the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Changes to the red blood cell numbers and shape can indicate certain disease processes. Changes to the white blood cells can help detect inflammation, infection and cancer. Platelets must be adequate in number to permit normal clotting.

Chemistry: This test examines numerous electrolytes, enzymes and chemicals in the body.

Proteins: changes in albumin and globulin may suggest problems with the kidneys, liver, or intestines. They may also change if inflammation or cancer are present.

Electrolytes: changes in electrolytes may suggest problems with the kidneys, liver, intestines or endocrine system (hormones). Changes in calcium may also indicate a potential problem with bone disease or the pancreas.

Glucose: changes may indicate diabetes, stress, or insulinoma (pancreatic tumours).

Liver enzymes: changes may indicate liver disease or changes in the endocrine system hormones.

Blood Urea Nitrogen: helps assess the liver and kidney function.

Creatinine: helps us assess the kidney function.

Amylase and Lipase: help assess the pancreatic function.

Bilirubin: helps assess the liver and anemia.

Thyroid: this hormone may be decreased due to hypothyroidism or may suggest the body is fighting a battle somewhere in the body (euthyroid sick syndrome). Elevations are common in the cat.

Urinalysis: The urine concentration, about 5 key tests, and microscopic analysis for cells and bacteria are key to helping interpret the chemistry values obtained. A low urine concentration is one of the first indicators of kidney disease.

The results of these tests may indicate the need for additional specific testing.

Fecal Analysis

This checks for parasites that may be causing problems with digestion and may be affecting some of the lab values.

Radiographs

Radiographs provide a black and white image of the structures in the body. The denser the item, the more white it appears. Radiographs of the chest allow us to assess the heart size & shape and look for changes in the lungs. Radiographs of the abdomen help us locate masses of different densities from the abdominal organs. Radiographs of the bones helps us to identify arthritis or bone cancer.

After radiographs are interpreted, a referral for an ultrasound may be needed.

Blood Pressure and Eye Pressure

Yes, pets can suffer from high blood pressure and can get glaucoma too!

Maximizing Your Pet's Health in the 'Golden Years'

We all get older and aging changes are inevitable. There are things we can do to minimize those changes and slow their progression. We will explore what some of those changes are, and how we can have a positive impact on our pet’s health. When do our pet’s become seniors and in need of extra care? Learn more...

Together we can make aging a comfortable process. The key to managing diseases in the senior pet is early detection. Most diseases in the senior pet can be cured or managed IF detected early enough.

Did you know? The oldest dog known is an Australian Cattle Dog born in 1910. He lived for 29.5 years! The oldest cat known lived 36 years! Learn more...

Are you concerned about keeping your dog or cat as active as possible for as long as possible? Pets don't need to suffer with sore joints any more than you do! Working with your veterinarian you can help your pet by

1. Reducing any extra weight your pet may be carrying to better help the joints
2. Learn more...

Giving Your Pet the Best

None of us wants to admit that the puppy or kitten we fell in love with will age.With progressive pro-active health care we can give them optimum health and well-being during all the stages of their lives. After all...they give us so much! To view the chart click here