Improved nutrition and advances in veterinary science have resulted in dogs and cats enjoying longer lives. However, with longer lives come many of the ailments associated with old age in humans. Among these are kidney disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, cataracts, and urinary tract infections, to name a few.
Visible symptoms associated with these diseases sometimes appear early, making a cure or therapeutic control possible. Unfortunately, an early symptom is often pain, which the dog or cat is unable to communicate to you. Pain is also something that animals often instinctively masks since, in the wild, visible pain is a sign of being easy prey to predators.
Because of these factors, the best chance of early detection and treatment is regular pet wellness checks in which blood work and other tests are available to detect early signs of many of these illnesses. In addition to checking for age-related ailments, regular pet wellness checks during a dog or cat’s senior years are opportunities to discuss adjustments to your pet’s diet due to his or her changing nutrition needs and/or changes in medications.
Finally, some conditions associated with old age in your pet, such as arthritis or diabetes, are treatable but not curable. With regular veterinary treatment, pain associated with these conditions can be reduced, thereby enabling your cat or dog to continue to lead a happy life.
At Seven Hills Veterinary Hospital, we want to help your pet spend his or her senior years with you in dignity and comfort.