Senior Pet Care Improves Quality of Life in Your Pet's Golden Years
The Paws & Claws Pet Medical Center in Troutdale provides comprehensive pet wellness services for dogs and cats, from puppy and kitten care through senior pet care.
Through annual pet wellness check-ups we help assure your pet maintains optimal health through all the stages of life. And check-ups enable us to catch medical issues early on, when they are in a subclinical stage -- that is, when disease is present but your pet has not yet shown outward signs of illness. When illness is detected early, the chance for successful treatment is greater.
Regular check-ups are especially important in the senior years, when cats and dogs – just like humans – encounter the natural effects of aging. Preventing illness and detecting it early on will save you expense and help you and your pet experience less trauma.
Senior pet care helps improve the quality of your pet’s life as he or she ages. However, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has found that only about 14 percent of senior animals receive regular health screenings as recommended by their veterinarians.
Most dogs enter their senior years between ages 7 and 10. But aging varies by species and breed, with larger dog breeds aging more quickly than smaller breeds. AAHA recommends that veterinarians begin senior pet care in what they determine to be the last 25 percent of a pet’s predicted life span, based on their species and breed.
Our Veterinarian Recommends Twice a Year Exams for Senior Pets
The Paws & Claws Pet Medical Center recommends annual exams for dogs and cats that include a full physical and routine laboratory tests. Check-ups also allow us to make sure your pet is up-to-date on vaccinations.
We tailor our pet wellness program to each pet and his or her stage of life. We recommend semiannual – that is, twice a year – exams for senior pets. This better enables us to monitor and manage age-related conditions, which include heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and thyroid imbalance.
Treatment of such conditions is more successful when we can catch signs of illness early at a time when your pet may appear to be entirely healthy. And regular exams help our veterinarians keep up with the effect of aging in your pet so we can enhance your pet's quality of life and longevity.
Regular exams also give our veterinarians the opportunity to talk with pet owners to advise them on caring for their pets as they age and what they can do to enhance their pet's quality of life. Our veterinarians cover such areas as:
- Weight control and monitoring weight gain or loss
- Recommended diets for senior pets
- Exercise and accommodations for changes in a pet's mobility
- Home dental care
- Parasite control
- Monitoring and understanding possible changes in an aging pet's mental health and brain function
- End of life concerns
For more information and to schedule a pet wellness exam, call us today at 503-661-1833