Is your pet a senior citizen? by Mountain Shadows Pet Hospital

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Is your pet a senior citizen?

Today people live longer, healthier lives than they typically did years ago. In large part this is due to a better understanding of ways to slow down the aging process, such as preventative health care and nutrition.

Similarly, the dogs and cats that are such important parts of our families are also living longer, healthier, and happier lives. We are observing that a growing number of our patients are canine and feline senior citizens. One reason why pets are living longer now is the tremendous advances that have occurred in veterinary medicine over the past several years. A greater knowledge of diseases, diagnostic procedures, and treatments is available to us today. The biggest reason why our pets live longer, better lives is that pet owners are more knowledgeable about the importance of preventative health care measures such as regular physical examinations, immunization, parasite control, and early disease detection.

Just as with people, when dogs and cats age they have a greater risk for developing certain diseases and conditions. We know that the incidence of heart disease, kidney disease, cancer, arthritis, loss of hearing and vision, and dental disease increases as we and our pets get older. However, when such conditions are diagnosed in their early stages, treatment to cure such disorders, or delay their progress, can be given in most cases. Many pets appear healthy on the outside but some can have very serious illness lurking inside that can only be diagnosed through screening tests such as the ones included in our Senior Health Care Program.

For these reasons, Mountain Shadows Pet Hospital recommends that all of our dog and cat patients 6 years of age or older be entered into our Senior Health Care Program. One of the most important aspects of our program is to provide our senior pets more frequent physical examinations. A senior pet having a physical examination only once a year is like a person having an examination only once every 7 years! When the initial comprehensive evaluation is complete and all the tests results have been received, we will meet with you to discuss the findings and plan for your pets health care in the future. Just as when people have an annual physical, sometimes the results are normal. If this is true with your pet, then it will be comforting for you to know that all is well and the evaluation will provide valuable baseline data on which to compare future results. If an illness or disease is revealed, you know it has often been discovered as early as possible and treatment can be [started. Importantly, we can work with you to ensure that your pet lives a long, healthy, and happy life. Since the start of our Senior Health Care Program in the summer of 2000, many of our senior patients have been rewarded with a comprehensive senior health evaluation. It is a wonderful gift we can give in return for all the love that our pets give us throughout their lives!

Enclosed you will find a detailed explanation of what our Senior Health Care Program offers as well as a Senior Health checklist that you can fill out at home and bring with you on your pets next visit to our hospital. If you have any questions about our Senior Health Care Program or would like to enter your pet into the program, please call us. We look forward to talking with you and thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Doctors and Staff of Mountain Shadows Pet Hospital

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