Senior Pet Care

Humans, obviously, require more and different types of care as they age. The same is true for both cats and dogs. Aside from the old saying about "dog years," pets with a shorter lifespan simply age faster than pets that are supposed to live for decades upon decades. This means that internal organs erode more quickly and than normal bodily functions slow at a more noticeable and harmful rate.

Along with doing annual blood work, we will pay close attention to the exercise patterns of each pet, dogs in particular. Large breed dogs tend to age faster than small breed dogs and, with these large breeds especially, exercise stress can become an issue.

Throughout the dog's life, but most importantly as it ages, regular consistent exercise is necessary. A once a week 15 mile run might do more harm than good. We would prefer that all dogs get half an hour of exercise twice a day. As mentioned earlier, while these patterns might need to change as the dog ages, regular exercise is usually necessary.

As pets age, problems or issues can arise with their internal organs. Kidneys need to be watched more closely, for instance. These and other organs and functions will be checked during the annual exam and through the annual blood work testing.

We are intensely concerned about the long term care of your pet. To ensure happy and healthy twilight years for your pet, the single best thing that you can do for it is to ensure that your pet is happy and healthy and loved throughout its life. Please see our section on Wellness for more tips on how to keep your dog and/or cat invigorated, mobile and happy from birth to old age.