Our pets are a part of the family, and it can be difficult when they start to age. Anasazi Animal Clinic, located in Gilbert Arizona, is passionate about excellent veterinary services for your pet at any age, and knows the benefits of great pet care near you as your pet ages. Our goal is to keep your pet fit and healthy as long as possible so they can keep up with your active lifestyle. When your pet reaches a certain age, a twice-yearly checkup can make the difference when it comes to your senior’s quality of life.
Senior Pet Wellness Checkups
When your pet obtains senior-status varies from the type and breed of animal, but most dogs are considered geriatric when they are around seven or eight years old. At this stage, it is imperative to provide them with specific nutrition and lifestyles to keep them healthy as long as possible. It is recommended that for senior pets, a checkup every six months will be beneficial to prevent any devastating health issues. A typical senior wellness checkup includes a thorough physical examination that examines various aspects of your pet’s health, habits, and nutrition. Tests for blood count, blood pressure, urinalysis, and x-rays may also be included. A senior wellness screen can also be done that will help detect any early health changes.
Symptoms to Pay Attention To
As your pet ages, there may be some signs to pay attention to that would be important for your veterinarian to know. These signs are:
- Eyes: If you notice redness, cloudiness, or see your pet bumping into things regularly or stumbling often.
- Urination: An increase or strain in urination can be a sign of kidney disease or a urinary tract infection.
- Breath: If your pet has bad breath, this can be an indicator of other underlying health issues.
- Skin: If there are lumps, dryness of the skin, redness of the skin or excessive loss of hair, this can be a large concern for other health issues.
There can be many health issues that arise as a pet ages, just as in humans. The best procedure is to continually keep on top of checkups to prevent any devastating finds, and to treat something if found early enough. To learn more about how to care for your aging pet, contact Anasazi Animal Clinic today.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (11/7/2017) PsJeremy – back and catching up... (Flickr)