Elder Canine

Elder – Canine – House Pet - Age > 12yrs

Our Preventative Healthcare Plans allow our attending veterinarians to offer a reward program, based on professional services, for preventative screening. Your veterinary team will evaluate your pet's predominant breed, age, medical history, lifestyle, and condition to create a Health Risk Assessment (HRA)—identifying your pet’s risk for potential disease. During this evaluation, we can have a family discussion. creating actionable items and a vaccination plan. Our goal? To guard your pet against infectious diseases, and allow us to manage other non-infectious diseases or conditions should they occur.

Components of this Lifestage Program

  1. Comprehensive Physical Examination

  2. 4Dx Heartworm Screen (also checks for tick-borne disease)

  3. Microscopic Fecal Flotation Exam

  4. Urine Chemistry

  5. Elder Metabolic Blood Chemistry/CBC and Electrolytes

  6. Annual Healthcare Planning (Based on Medical History, or Lifestyle)

Six Month Follow up

  1. Courtesy Physical Exam - Follow Up Exam

Elderly Dogs - Healthcare Information

Characteristics: Elderly dogs are on average 77-87 human years old. They are independent and experienced. Sometimes they may seem a bit grumpy or confused.

Prone to: Joint Disease; Heart, Liver, Eye & Kidney Diseases; Spinal Disease; CDS/Dementia; Certain Cancers; Infectious Diseases could be more severe due to a less responsive immune system.

In addition to healthcare: Avoid overexertion and excessive heat and cold. Do not drop activities that your pet enjoys- just be sensitive to his/her limits. If your dog enjoys swimming or snow, for example, do not let him/her go too far as unpredictable fatigue can create danger.

Your dog may need to go outside more often to maintain housetraining, and steps to a new ramp may need to be evaluated. Continue monthly grooming, noting changes, lumps or bumps. Introduce k-laser, acupuncture or massage therapy while pet can adjust to a new therapy. Use a whole food diet that is made with his/her needs in mind. Consider adding canned food and a pet fountain. Consider re-evaluating your pet's metabolic or joint supplements as his/her needs change.