senior pet care

Whether our older pets have been beloved long-time companions or are recent rescues, as they grow older, it is our responsibility as owners to be sure we are keeping them healthy and comfortable. An older pet is more likely to develop diseases of the heart, kidney and liver, or to suffer from, cancer or arthritis. Early diagnosis and treatment of all of these conditions gives your pet a better shot at living longer.

​​​​​​​The very best diagnostic tool we recommend for senior pets is blood work. We recommend baseline blood work for:

• Cats over 10 years of age

• Small and Medium-size dogs over 10 years of age, and

• Large and giant-breed dogs over 8 years of age

In the best case, senior blood work gives us a normal baseline for your animal as he/she ages. It also can help us to find disease early, before symptoms occur. Catching and treating at an early stage is when we are more likely to be able to offer effective treatment. If your cat seems healthy at age 10, but begins to struggle with health trouble at age 12, we can repeat bloodwork and compare it with that done two years earlier to see what has changed and how we may need to treat your pet.