If you haven’t already, soon you may begin to notice some telltale signs that your pet is entering the “senior” years. Maybe your pet takes longer to fetch a favorite ball. Maybe your pet has stopped greeting you at the door or takes longer to get there. Maybe your pet has forgotten “housetraining”. Perhaps you’re noticing that your pet is gaining weight, has poor skin coat condition or is sleeping more than usual. While these signs may just seem like normal “old age” to you, the fact is that any or all of these signs might be an indication that your senior pet has a medical problem that needs attention.In the past, we often accepted a declining quality of life for our pets as a fact of life beyond our control. Thanks to advances in disease detection and treatment, that is simply not true any more!!
With appropriate veterinary care and nutrition, your pet’s senior years can be a healthy and happy time. You are the key to making this happen!! You know your pet better than anyone, so it’s up to you to report any changes you see to our staff. We also recommend that you bring your pet in for a physical and lab work more often now. It is important to remember that your pet will age on average 5 to 7 years for every one of our years. By working together, we can prevent or treat many problems that could shorten the quality of life your pet deserves and you desire.
Now that your pet has earned senior status, you have an opportunity to give something in return. I encourage you to make an appointment so we may discuss how you can help improve the senior years of your pet.