The Vet Isn't Just for Puppies and Kittens! Senior Pets Should Come Too!

By Luis Leon, DVM

Thanks to advances in medicine, humans are living longer than ever before. The same can also be said about our beloved pets, with dogs and cats able to reach anywhere from 18 to 25 years of age! It is wonderful to have our family members around for as long as we can, and at Boyette Animal Hospital we are here to help you make that happen. Remember, old age in and of itself is not a disease, but just like humans, animals will begin to pick up little things here and there that can affect the quality of their life. Because of this, it is just as important to bring your senior pet in for regular visits as it was to bring them in when they were a puppy or kitten getting their first set of vaccines.

To get into some more specifics, as your beloved furry friends become a little grayer on the muzzle you may notice some changes in their activity level, behavior, or habits. These could be innocent signs that your pup or kitten is aging, but it is also possible that something else is going on, and it could be something that we can help with. Some of the most common things we see in senior pets are new growths, increased urination and/or drinking, increased or decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, decreased movement, decreased weight, among others. No matter what the issue is, we are here to help! One of the first things we will do when we see your pet is weight them, and we can compare this to previous weights to see if there have been any significant changes. We will perform a thorough physical exam to look for any changes or problem areas to discuss. We can run labs such as blood work, urine testing, and x rays to see if there is anything we need to address. But most importantly, we are here to talk with you and advise you on how to best keep your furry friends comfortable and happy, so that you can be too.