Dear Senior Pet Owner,

If you haven’t already, you may soon notice some telltale signs that your pet is entering its “senior” years. Maybe your pet takes longer to fetch a favorite ball, or has stopped greeting you at the door, or takes longer to get there. Maybe your dog is “forgetting” housetraining. Or your cat has begun inappropriate elimination “outside of the litter box”. Perhaps you’re noticing that your pet is gaining weight, has poor skin and coat condition or is sleeping more than usual. While these things may just seem like normal “old age” to you, the fact is that any or all of these signs may be an indication that your senior pet has a medical problem that may be associated with aging but is readily cured or at least is controllable.

In the past, we often accepted a declining quality of life for our aging pets – or even for ourselves, as a fact of aging that is beyond our control, however, thanks to advances in disease detection, prevention and treatment, that is no longer true.

With advanced veterinary care, home care and nutrition, your pet’s senior years can be a healthier and happier time. You are the major key to making this happen. You know your pet better than anyone, so it is up to you to report any changes you see to us. I also recommend that you bring your pet in for physical examinations and lab work more often now. Remember: your pet ages 4 to 6 years for every one of ours. With this “Time Compression” in aging, health problems in your pet can progress 4 to 6 times faster than ours and, therefore, more frequent checkups are necessary. By working together to identify internal problems before they show external sign, we can prevent, treat or control many problems that could rob your pet of much of its quality of life and probably also extend its life.

Now is also a good time to re-assess your pet’s diet. Proper nutrition is extremely important in your senior pet’s health. Dietary needs mirror the changes occurring in the body, metabolism slows and fewer calories are required. The pancreas, liver, stomach and intestines have decreased ability to digest proteins and eliminate minerals and toxins. So higher levels of higher quality, more bio-digestible proteins and decreased minerals are needed. Kidney function decreases and more water consumptions and urination occur causing a flush out of the water-soluble vitamins, so vitamin supplementation is needed. Just as we need to alter our diets, as we grow older, aging pets need alterations in their senior diets. A properly formulated diet combined with a moderate exercise program is a powerful preventive medicine for your senior pet.

By sharing its life and love with you, your pet has given you a priceless gift. Now that your pet has earned senior status, you have a golden opportunity to give something in return: the special love and care that can make your pets golden years happy and healthy. I encourage you to make an appointment soon to discuss how we can make these the best years of you and your pet’s life together.

Sincerely,
R.T. (Bill) Goldston


Senior Care Health Check
Diet for Hepatic/Renal Failure

An Ounce of Prevention
According to a recent survey of veterinarians, sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health and Iams Company 98% of veterinarians believe older dogs have different medical needs and would benefit from specialized services and testing.

That’s why it’s a good idea to establish a baseline that can be used as a benchmark for measuring changes before your dog reaches “senior” status. For example, ongoing blood and urine tests are especially beneficial at times, such as before surgery, and before certain medications that require conformation of normal liver, kidney or heart function, are prescribed.

Scheduling your senior pet for a twice – a – year physical examinations is another important step since dogs age 5 - 7 years for every year of human life. Just as more frequent examinations and more extensive laboratory tests are a reality for middle aged people, increased attention is important for disease detection in dogs reaching the seven year mark. 91% of the veterinarians responding to the Pfitzer/Iams survey stated they would be more likely to detect diseases earlier if their clients brought their dogs to a clinic for examinations for more than once a year.

During these regular examinations, it’s important that you report any health or behavior changes that you’ve noticed since the last visit. Throughout your dog’s life, you are the best judge of changes taking place, and you are the veterinarian’s most valued source of an accurate history profile.

Today’s veterinarians have both the knowledge and the tools to help your older dog. In fact, 94% of veterinarians surveyed believe they have more tools now than ever before to help senior animals! By working with your veterinarian, you can help ensure that you and your dog will enjoy the best possible quality of life for the longest possible time.

Screening Procedures for Senior Dogs
Just as certain health screenings become necessary for people as they age, your veterinarian may wish to run specific tests to ensure your dog is healthy – so as to catch problems early. These Procedures are common: