Senior wellness exam at Cornwall Animal Hospital in Oakville
Older pets tend to be at higher risk for certain illnesses as they getting older. Therefore as pets age, we recommend regular veterinary visits and screening tests for early disease detection which is crucial for helping to catch any medical conditions as soon as possible.Vaccines and parasite preventives remain as important as ever for helping to keep your pet protected against preventable diseases.
Please call us at 905-8428800 for assistance in creating your individualized senior pet care plan.
Main Concerns
Dogs and cats age much faster than humans. Routine lab work, including blood and urine tests, can help us determine whether your pet has any diseases we need to treat. Even though you may believe your pet is normal, there are many disease processes that do not show any outward signs until the disease is quite advanced. More advanced diseases can be more difficult to treat and are not always as responsive to treatment as diseases diagnosed early. Many symptoms that historically have been attributed to old age and considered untreatable are now treatable. Testing plays a big role in helping us figure out what is wrong and how to properly treat our pets. We suggest beginning screening pets at 7 years of age or earlier, so we can get a baseline of what is normal for your individual pet. At your pet’s wellness exam. Our professional team members will discuss which vaccines and other things are appropriate for your individual senior pet.
Please call Cornwall Animal hospital at 9058428800 for assistance in creating your individualized senior pet care plan.
Main Concerns
Most common diseases and conditions that our professional team can help your senior pet with include:
• Arthritis: It is a chronic, painful joint disease that affects the walking of both dogs and cats. If it’s diagnosed early, it can be managed more effectively, slowing the disease, minimizing pain, and maximizing the comfortable life of beloved pets’ mobility through pain management and nutraceutical joint support.
• Cancer: Lump and bumps can be early diagnosed by screening tests, which are essential for helping to catch cancer as early as possible. We have more treatment options than ever before for enhancing the quality of life for pets with cancer.
• Diabetes: Drinking and peeing more frequently are classic symptoms of diabetes. It’s important to catch and control this disease early to prevent further damage of other vital organs and easy to manage with a special diet and medications.
• Heart disease: As pets are getting older- are prone to developing heart problems, and high blood pressure (hypertension) is also common in these pets. A special diet and medications can help us manage heart disease and keep senior pets enjoying life.
• Hyperthyroidism/Hypothyroidism: The thyroid problems affect dogs and cats differently. Cats tend to have hyperthyroidism, which speeds up their metabolism, making them lose weight even though they eat more. Older dogs, on the other hand, tend to have hypothyroidism, which slows down their metabolism and makes them gain weight even though they eat less. Dogs with this condition also tend to be tired and have hair loss and skin problems try to sit near warm places. We have options that can help these pets, but the earlier we catch them, the better. Without treatment, these thyroid issues can cause other serious diseases as well.
• Kidney disease/urinary tract disease: Drink and peeing more can also be signs of renal trouble, but these symptoms aren’t always obvious, and kidney disease isn’t curable. However, the disease can be diagnosed early with blood work and urinalysis for which we can make a special plan to help slow down the disease.
• Liver disease: Depending on the type of liver disease, pets may only have vague symptoms or not show any obvious signs until the disease is advanced, so early detection and treatment are crucial. Besides medications, we may also prescribe a special diet to help manage liver disease in some pets.