Canine Senior Care
- Aging or Illness
- Senior Wellness Exam
- Senior Wellness Packages
- When Is My Dog a Senior?
- Senior Wellness Questionnaire
Canine Aging or Illness
While some signs of aging, such as a graying muzzle or slowed activity, are easy to identify in dogs, others are more subtle. Most age-related changes in how your dog looks, acts, and feels tend to be gradual. Therefore, you must carefully watch for early signs of disease or health problems and regularly visit the veterinarian for routine checkups.
Canine Senior Wellness Exam
Regular veterinary exams are key to keeping dogs healthy and happy throughout life, especially as your dog ages. Just as physicians recommend certain tests such as routine cholesterol screens and blood pressure checks when you turn 40, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommends your dog starts annual screens at middle age, which ranges from 4 to 7 years old for most.
Canine Senior Wellness Packages
Clinically screening healthy dogs establishes a baseline assessment for future comparison and detects subclinical abnormalities when your dog may optimally benefit from preventative and therapeutic intervention. A thorough and complete history of health and physical examination are the most effective ways to uncover health issues – although your dog may appear fine, scientific research shows that subclinical disease can exist in healthy-looking animals. Furthermore, laboratory results exhibiting subtle changes in your dog may indicate underlying disease that can be treated.
When is My Dog a Senior?
A touch of gray on the chin or around the muzzle, cloudiness in once-clear eyes, and slight stiffness in a previously frisky gait can all signify that your furry friend has entered the golden years.