Golden years mean golden veterinary care, when it comes to aging pets.
While age is not a disease, seniors are still more likely to develop diseases compared to young or adult pets.
Dogs and cats are prone to debilitating ailments as they age, such as kidney failure, heart disease, arthritis, dental disease, cancer and cognitive dysfunction. It's important to schedule regular veterinary visits to help us veterinary professionals catch these ailments in their early stages where the chances of us curing them is higher, the chances of us delaying the onset of the disease is higher and we can help your pet be healthier and happier longer.
Depending on your pet's health risks and/or clinical signs, your pet may need to be seen twice a year instead of the standard one time a year, blood work may need to be ran as well as urine and fecal sample as well. We're big fans of "NORMAL" results here at Contra Costa Veterinary Hospital; not finding something wrong with the blood work, urine and fecal is a SUCCESS!
Here are some common elderly pet symptoms that should not be taken lightly:
-Increased thirst and urination
-Loss of bladder control or noncompliance with house training
-Repeated vomiting
-Bad breath, drooling or loss of appetite
-Lumps or changes in areas of skin color
-Change in appetite such as eating more or less than usual
-Changes in behavior such as disorientation, whining or aggression
-Unusual bowel movements such as diarrhea or constipation
-Weight gain or loss
Early disease recognition and intervention is key when it comes to treating senior pets as opposed to waiting until a disease is grossly evident and reversal or improvement will be much more challenging.
It's much easier (and cheaper!) to maintain an automobile in good working order instead of waiting until the engine fails and replacing it -- same goes for our beloved pets.
