Geriatric Care for Pets
Bring your senior cat or dog in to see our Apple Valley geriatric veterinarians for comprehensive geriatric vet care. Regular checkups will help them feel healthy and comfortable in their golden years.
Geriatric Care for Senior Dogs & Cats
Routine preventive veterinary care is critical for senior pets, who need diligent veterinary care and early diagnosis for health conditions as they age. Conscientious geriatric care from a qualified vet can help your cat or dog live longer and remain in good health as they age. Even if they seem healthy, it's important that they attend regularly scheduled routine exams.
Our experienced veterinary team at Apple Valley Animal Hospital is here to help identify emerging health issues and offer proactive treatment early, while health issues can still be managed easily and effectively.
Is my pet considered 'old'?
While your pet may seem young, healthy, and virile, you may be surprised to discover that they have already become a senior. In fact, small to medium-sized dogs and cats are generally considered seniors at about 7 years old.
Larger breed dogs typically have shorter life spans, so are thought to be seniors when they reach 6 years old.
Typical Health Problems
Due to improvements in veterinary care and dietary options, companion dogs and cats are living for far longer today than they have in the past.
While this is certainly cause for celebration, veterinarians and pet owners now face more age-related conditions with pets than they did in the past.
Senior pets are usually prone to these health conditions:
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Urinary tract disease
- Joint or bone disorders
- Blindness and hearing loss
- Diabetes
- Senility
- Weakness
Veterinary Care for Seniors
Your senior pet will receive a thorough physical examination. The vet will inquire about their home life in detail and perform any tests that may be needed to gain additional insight into his or her overall physical condition and health.
Based on the results of these tests, we'll develop a treatment plan that can potentially include medications, activities, and dietary changes to help improve your senior pet's health, comfort, and wellbeing.
Routine Wellness Exams
When it comes to helping your senior pet live a healthy, happy, and fulfilled life, preventive care is a vital aspect of their health routine. It also allows our veterinarians a chance to catch age-related diseases and other conditions early.
Detecting diseases early will help preserve your pet's physical health, and catch developing health issues before they develop into long-term problems - which are often costly to treat.
Your pet will have the best chance at a long life and quality long-term health with regularly scheduled physical examinations.
