Senior Care
Senior wellness care for dogs and cats parallels the trend to senior care and wellness in human medicine. The media points our attention to living longer, happier, healthier lives through advertisements, news stories, special reports and articles on new exercise programs, pain management products, new tests, nutritional breakthroughs and disease prevention strategies. The needs of our best friends are no different. Just as humans reaching senior status need more frequent health checks and services from their physicians, so do cats and dogs. With improved veterinary medical care, disease prevention, and better nutrition pets are living longer and healthier lives. It’s a great time to be a family pet.
Recommendations For General Good Health
Keep vaccinations current. Your veterinarian, based on your pet’s physical condition and lifestyle will determine which vaccines are necessary as your pet enters her senior years. Some vaccines provide immunity for 2 to 3 years whereas others only 6 months to 1 year and may need to be given more frequently.
Groom your pet at home frequently. Brushing your pet will prevent matts that may contribute to skin infections. Frequent brushing will also allow you to check for skin tumors.
Clip toe nails often to prevent overgrowth that may result in pain and discomfort. Long toe nails may cause your pet to stand and walk abnormally and exacerbate discomfort from arthritis in your senior pet.
Provide fresh water at all times and monitor consumption. Increased consumption of water can be associated with diseases such as diabetes, liver and kidney disease.
Provide proper nutrition for your pet's life stage. Nutritional needs of senior pets change so feed a high quality premium food formulated for senior pets.
Monitor your pet’s weight. Changes in weight can be an indication of disease and obesity can contribute to developing disease. Reports estimate upwards of 65% of all pets are overweight.
Senior Care Wellness Program
Important facts about senior care testing.
An aging pet’s organs gradually deteriorate and may lose their ability to function properly. We use senior care testing to promote early detection and treatment of disease, so we can maintain health and prevent illness during your pet’s senior years. Early detection of disease often gives us more effective and less costly treatment options. In addition, senior testing helps establish normal baseline values for your pet, creating a point of comparison for the future.
Which pets should take part in senior care testing?
We recommend senior care testing for all senior pets as well as any pet who is exhibiting one or more of the following symptoms: weight loss or gain, increased thirst or urination, lethargy, vomiting/diarrhea, poor hair coat, coughing, seizures, unusual behavior, or overall decline in condition.
What is senior care testing?
Your pet’s complete senior care testing program includes these elements:
A physical exam is the most important part of the senior care program. Dr. Burr will assess all body systems to check for any abnormalities.
Blood chemistry tests measure levels of various substances in the blood and diagnose diseases such as diabetes, and liver and kidney failure.
A complete blood count (CBC) provides a detailed look at the blood cells and helps the doctor diagnose anemia or infection.
A urinalysis gives information on kidney function and checks for urinary tract infections.
The thyroid screen (fT4 and TT4) helps diagnose thyroid disease, which is an especially common ailment in older cats and dogs.
Body Condition Assessment allows the doctor to evaluate body condition and to make recommendations for future nutrition.
Radiographs (X-rays) help evaluate heart, lungs and abdominal organs (optional). 2 views each of the chest and abdomen are reviewed by a specialist.
Is my pet a senior?
If your pet is 7 years old or older, we consider him or her a senior. Your pet may seem healthy well into its senior years. However, many problems common to senior pets (like kidney or heart failure) may not present symptoms until your pet becomes seriously ill. A comprehensive senior care program helps our veterinary healthcare team identify problems early enough to institute preventive healthcare measures.
I’d like my pet to participate in the Senior Care Wellness Program. What do I do?
Call our hospital at 552-9825 and speak with a member of our health care team to arrange a day that is convenient for you and your pet to receive his or her testing. We prefer that you admit your pet to the hospital by 8:30 a.m. and pick-up after 4:00 p.m. the same day. After testing, we will schedule a phone or office consultation with Dr. Burr usually for the following day to go over all the test results, specialist reports and make recommendations. A copy of all the results and reports will be available. Withhold food the night before after 10:00 p.m. but make sure your pet has access to water.
Senior Care Program Options
Option 1 : Includes complete senior care testing. Excludes x-rays.
Option 2 : Includes complete senior care testing, X-rays (4 views) with board certified specialist review.
We now offer in-house blood tests for senior care testing!!
Recommendations For General Good Health
Keep vaccinations current. Your veterinarian, based on your pet’s physical condition and lifestyle will determine which vaccines are necessary as your pet enters her senior years. Some vaccines provide immunity for 2 to 3 years whereas others only 6 months to 1 year and may need to be given more frequently.
Groom your pet at home frequently. Brushing your pet will prevent matts that may contribute to skin infections. Frequent brushing will also allow you to check for skin tumors.
Clip toe nails often to prevent overgrowth that may result in pain and discomfort. Long toe nails may cause your pet to stand and walk abnormally and exacerbate discomfort from arthritis in your senior pet.
Provide fresh water at all times and monitor consumption. Increased consumption of water can be associated with diseases such as diabetes, liver and kidney disease.
Provide proper nutrition for your pet's life stage. Nutritional needs of senior pets change so feed a high quality premium food formulated for senior pets.
Monitor your pet’s weight. Changes in weight can be an indication of disease and obesity can contribute to developing disease. Reports estimate upwards of 65% of all pets are overweight.
Senior Care Wellness Program
Important facts about senior care testing.
An aging pet’s organs gradually deteriorate and may lose their ability to function properly. We use senior care testing to promote early detection and treatment of disease, so we can maintain health and prevent illness during your pet’s senior years. Early detection of disease often gives us more effective and less costly treatment options. In addition, senior testing helps establish normal baseline values for your pet, creating a point of comparison for the future.
Which pets should take part in senior care testing?
We recommend senior care testing for all senior pets as well as any pet who is exhibiting one or more of the following symptoms: weight loss or gain, increased thirst or urination, lethargy, vomiting/diarrhea, poor hair coat, coughing, seizures, unusual behavior, or overall decline in condition.
What is senior care testing?
Your pet’s complete senior care testing program includes these elements:
A physical exam is the most important part of the senior care program. Dr. Burr will assess all body systems to check for any abnormalities.
Blood chemistry tests measure levels of various substances in the blood and diagnose diseases such as diabetes, and liver and kidney failure.
A complete blood count (CBC) provides a detailed look at the blood cells and helps the doctor diagnose anemia or infection.
A urinalysis gives information on kidney function and checks for urinary tract infections.
The thyroid screen (fT4 and TT4) helps diagnose thyroid disease, which is an especially common ailment in older cats and dogs.
Body Condition Assessment allows the doctor to evaluate body condition and to make recommendations for future nutrition.
Radiographs (X-rays) help evaluate heart, lungs and abdominal organs (optional). 2 views each of the chest and abdomen are reviewed by a specialist.
Is my pet a senior?
If your pet is 7 years old or older, we consider him or her a senior. Your pet may seem healthy well into its senior years. However, many problems common to senior pets (like kidney or heart failure) may not present symptoms until your pet becomes seriously ill. A comprehensive senior care program helps our veterinary healthcare team identify problems early enough to institute preventive healthcare measures.
I’d like my pet to participate in the Senior Care Wellness Program. What do I do?
Call our hospital at 552-9825 and speak with a member of our health care team to arrange a day that is convenient for you and your pet to receive his or her testing. We prefer that you admit your pet to the hospital by 8:30 a.m. and pick-up after 4:00 p.m. the same day. After testing, we will schedule a phone or office consultation with Dr. Burr usually for the following day to go over all the test results, specialist reports and make recommendations. A copy of all the results and reports will be available. Withhold food the night before after 10:00 p.m. but make sure your pet has access to water.
Senior Care Program Options
Option 1 : Includes complete senior care testing. Excludes x-rays.
Option 2 : Includes complete senior care testing, X-rays (4 views) with board certified specialist review.
We now offer in-house blood tests for senior care testing!!