It’s easy to forget that our pets age much faster than we do! Senior pets have special needs, and benefit from more regular veterinary visits compared to their younger counterparts. Age-associated conditions include:

• Dental Disease
• Kidney Disease
• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Liver Disease
• Thyroid Disease
• Arthritis

These conditions will start to become more prevalent as your pet gets older. For this reason, we recommend twice-yearly veterinary visits for pets over 7 years of age. Your aging pet may be showing early signs of osteoarthritis such as stiffness after rest or play, difficulty going up or down stairs and reduced activity. Early intervention with joint supplements and prescription arthritis medications when indicated, along with modified nutrition and exercise plans, can greatly improve your pet’s comfort and mobility. Likewise, performing annual screening lab work on your older pet can help identify early stages of medical problems that might go unrecognized, and progress significantly without treatment.Getting older is an inevitable part of life for all of us! See your vet regularly to help keep your senior pet healthy and comfortable.