Complete Care for Our Faithful Senior Companions
Your senior pet experiences many of the same issues as aging humans, including a variety of physical changes. To help make the adjustment from healthy adult to comfortable senior pet, we recommend a physical exam by your Gentle Care veterinarian twice annually, with laboratory tests such as blood work, urinalysis, and parasite evaluation.
Pets such as dogs, cats, and pocket pets age at an accelerated rate, with lifespans ranging from 2 to 20 years. On the other hand, some birds have a lifespan of 75 years! Your veterinarian will advise you of the average lifespan of your pet and when to consider your pet a senior.
Your Changing Pet
You may notice your pet slowing down somewhat, responding to the world in a way that causes you concern. Losses in hearing, vision, taste, and smell are not uncommon, and some of these changes may become progressively worse over time. Regular senior exams can help detect any problems that may be causing these changes, and our veterinarians can counsel you in addressing age-related issues at home.
Behavioral changes—a pet acting irritable, aggressive, or depressed—may be caused by a variety of things such as age-related diseases, loss of physical or cognitive ability, or even digestive disorders that have developed since your last visit. Please mention any change in your pet over the past six months. Early detection of problems offers many more options than treating an advanced disease or condition.
What You Can Expect
Gentle Care Animal Hospital offers a variety of compassionate methods for addressing age-related issues. We are members of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management and subscribe to the belief that pets deserve the most humane efforts possible in treating chronic pain. Our veterinarians are able to blend traditional medicine with the practice of acupuncture, chiropractic medicine.
Every senior patient and owner is treated as a member of our family, with compassion and respect. Every member of our professional team is committed to providing exceptional care, with the goal of the healthiest life possible—for as long as possible—for your senior animal companion.