Our Aging Pets

None of us like to think about the fact that we will most likely out-live our pets.  In fact on the average our pet's age 7 times faster than we do.  That means that at 4 years of age your pet is considered middle-aged and by age 7, large breed dogs are considered seniors.

The good new is that thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer and healthier than ever before.

Working together with your veterinarian there are things you can do to ensure this.

First:  Be aware at home. Alert your veterinarian of any changes in your pet.  Don't assume that changes in your pet are just a result of "getting old".  Many changes signal serious medical conditions.  For example, an old dog urinating in the house may have bladder or kidney stones.  An old cat who's less active may be going blind, have arthritic changes or heart disease.  Weight gain could signal an under active thyroid gland or diabetes.

Second:  Ensure your senior pet has a Wellness exam every six months as recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association. These exams review 12 body systems and will assist your veterinarian in diagnosing, treating or even preventing problems before they become life-threatening.  Your veterinarian will also review your pet's changing nutritional needs and any behavior issues at this time.

Third:  As part of the Wellness exams, discuss having preventative screening tests run with your veterinarian.  These tests should include:

            Complete Blood Count; screening for anemia, some cancers and infection

            Chemistry Panel; screening for major organ function, kidney, pancreas and liver

            Thyroid screen

            Blood pressure check

            Glaucoma (eye pressure) check

            Urinary Analysis; detects kidney failure, diabetes and infections

Developing a schedule for the above tests over several wellness exams will give you piece-of-mind that your senior pet is healthy and comfortable in their golden years.

A case study

Hunter, a 12.5 yr old black Labrador retriever, recently had his semi-annual wellness exam.  During his exam his owner mentioned that he had had a few "accidents" in the house, which was very unlike Hunter.  He had also seemed to be drinking more lately.  Upon physical exam Dr. Sosalla found him to very painful in the hip area.  It was also noted that he had lost weight since his last physical exam, 6 pounds.  His preventative screening tests where all "within-normal-limits", with no urinary infection to explain his "accidents" in the house.

After reviewing these findings with the owner, it was decided that Dr. Sosalla would take lower abdomen and pelvic x-rays of Hunter.  Hunter was sedated to help him relax and relieve any pain he may feel during the procedure.

Upon review of the x-rays Dr. Sosalla found instability of the lumbarsacral joint and severe osteoarthritis in this same joint.  She therefore concluded that the "accidents" in the house may be due to pain and/or neurological change.  Hunter was placed on a osteoarthritis medication and we are happy to report that he is back to his old-self.  He is once again an active happy member of the family, with no more "accidents" in the house.