Dogs over 7 years of age and cats over 10 years of age enter a new stage of life: their senior years. As your pet ages, it is important to be proactive to detect problems and pain before symptoms progress. Symptoms in senior patients can be difficult to recognize as they often occur gradually and may be subtle.
Some changes you may notice include:
| Behavior changes | Slowing down on walks | Weight loss |
| Hearing loss | Accidents in the house | Reluctance to go up/down stairs |
| Vision loss | Vomiting | Bad breath |
| Difficulty rising | Diarrhea | Sleeping more |
| Hiding (especially cats) | Increase/decrease in appetite | Waking in the night |
| Restlessness | Excessive panting | Development of growths |
| Excessive water drinking | Loss of obedience training | Repeated infections |
Dogs and cats cannot speak to us and let us know when something is bothering them. We must rely on good detective skills to help improve the quality of life of our aging pets. Your pet may not be showing obvious symptoms of aging, but we are here to help you detect subtle changes. Coastal Veterinary is dedicated to helping you during your pet’s transition into the golden years.
We have developed a senior wellness program to help identify health problems sooner:
- Twice yearly examinations
- - Checking for arthritis
- - Oral examination
- - Evaluate for brain aging signs: confusion, wandering, sleep disturbances
- - Eye exam: cataracts, evidence of hypertension
- - Pain assessment
- Annual blood and urine testing: evaluates how well your pet’s organs are functioning
- Nutrition consultation to maintain ideal body weight
- Regular fecal examinations
- Heartworm/Tick-borne disease testing
- Flea/tick/heartworm preventive
- Immunizations
- Blood pressure check
- Consider chest X-rays and electrocardiogram
Based on your pet’s exam and the results of wellness testing, we will develop a treatment plan with you to provide the highest quality care for your aging pet.
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