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January is Senior Wellness Month at Arroyo . . .
For the month of January we are offering an incentive for our Senior Wellness package - a discount of 10% off of diagnostic testing for seniors.* These services are offered in conjunction with a Senior Wellness Exam. When Does "Senior" Start? Some small dog breeds may be considered senior at 7 years, while giant breeds are classified as seniors at ages as young as 5 years of age. Cats are considered senior around the age of 11. Generally, smaller breeds of dogs live longer than larger breeds, and cats live longer than dogs. Senior Health Exams AAHA recommends that healthy senior dogs and cats  visit the veterinarian every six months for a complete exam and laboratory testing. Keep in mind that every year for a dog or cat is equivalent to 5-7 human years. Laboratory Testing When your pet is healthy, laboratory tests provide a means to determine your pet's "baseline" values. When your pet is sick, the veterinarian can more easily determine whether or not your pet's lab values are abnormal by comparing the baseline values to the current values. During the senior years, laboratory tests are recommended every six months for healthy dogs and cats. At a minimum, the following tests are recommended:- Complete Blood Count
- Urinalysis
- Blood Chemistry Panel
- Parasite Evaluation
The Effects of Age
With the senior years comes a general "slowing down" in pets. As their major senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell) dull, you may find that your pet has a slower response to general external stimuli. The best remedy for gradual sensory reduction is to keep your pet active-playing and training are excellent. Physical Changes
As the body wears out, its ability to respond to infection is reduced, and the healing process takes longer. A very common and frustrating problem for aging pets is inappropriate elimination.
The kidneys are one of the most common organ systems to wear out on a cat or dog, and as hormone imbalance affects the function of the kidneys, your once well-behaved pet may have trouble controlling his bathroom habits. Excessive urination or incontinence may be indicative of diabetes or kidney failure, both of which are treatable if caught early enough.
Nutrition Many older pets benefit from specially formulated food that is designed with older bodies in mind. Obesity in pets is often the result of reduced exercise and overfeeding and is a risk factor for problems such as heart disease. Because older pets often have different nutritional requirements, these special foods can help keep your pet's weight under control and reduce consumption of nutrients that are risk factors for the development of diseases, as well as organ or age-related changes.
Surgery for the Older Pet AAHA recommends all senior dogs and cats undergo the laboratory testing mentioned above, ideally within two weeks of any anesthetized procedure. A blood pressure evaluation  and additional tests might also be recommended. These screening tools can provide critical information to the health care team to help determine the proper anesthesia and drug protocol for your pet, as well as make you aware of any special risk factors that might be encountered. Pain Management
Pets experience pain just like humans do, and AAHA recommends veterinarians take steps to identify, prevent, and minimize pain in all senior dogs and cats. The AAHA guidelines encourage veterinarians to use pain assessment as the fourth vital sign (along with temperature, pulse and respiration). You can play a key role in monitoring your pet to determine whether he suffers from pain.
Signs of a Problem: - Sustained, significant increase in water consumption or urination
- Sudden weight loss or gain
- Significant decrease in appetite or
failure to eat for more than two days - Significant increase in appetite
- Repeated vomiting
- Diarrhea lasting over three days
- Difficulty in passing stool or urine
- Change in housebreaking
- Lameness lasting more than five days
or lameness in more than one leg - Noticeable decrease in vision
- Open sores or scabs on the skin that
persist for more than one week - Foul mouth odor or drooling that
lasts more than two days - Increasing size of the abdomen
- Increasing inactivity or amount of
time spent sleeping - Hair loss, especially if accompanied
by scratching or if in specific areas
(as opposed to generalized) - Excessive panting
- Inability to chew dry food
- Persistent coughing or gagging
- Breathing heavily or rapidly at rest
- Blood in stool or urine
- Sudden collapse or bout of weakness
- A seizure (convulsion)
Exercise
You should definitely keep them going as they get older-if they are cooped up or kept lying down, their bodies will deteriorate much more  quickly. You should keep them as active - m entally and physically - as possible in order to keep them sharp ways to keep their senses sharp. Regular senior health exams can help catch and treat these problems before they control your pet's life.
*Comprehensive blood panel, Urinalysis, EKG (dogs only), X-ray series (4 x-rays; chest and abdo), Heartworm test, Fecal Exam, Blood pressure and Glaucoma check/ |
