What age can a pet be considered a senior? It’s been discovered that smaller breed dogs tend to outlive their larger counterparts. The same is valid for cats. Several health issues can affect senior pets, including changes in weight and movement, arthritis, renal, liver, and heart illness or malignancies, as well as hormonal issues like thyroid imbalance and diabetes.
When we reach different ages, our bodies have different requirements for how we should be cared for medically. The same goes for our pets. The health plan for senior pets should be developed by collaborating closely with the owner and the vet.
Evaluating Senior Pet Health
Regular visits to the vet are essential as your pet ages to keep it in top condition. Fortunately, several veterinary hospitals have created senior or geriatric treatment programs nationwide to offer preventive care for older animals. This usually involves having your animal undergo several diagnostic tests to pinpoint the issue.
1. Complete Blood Count
The test that is commonly used determines the total amount of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets present in every individual’s blood sample. The numbers and kinds of these cells provide the data needed for the veterinarian to aid in the detection of anemia, infections, and leukemia.
A complete blood count can also be beneficial for your vet in keeping track of how certain medicines are working for your pet. You can read more about it by searching blog posts and articles about it.
2. Urine Analysis
It is a common practice to examine a pet’s urine and analyze its physical and chemical characteristics using urine urinalysis. Analyzing kidney function and detecting urinary tract inflammation and infection can be achieved through urinalysis in a veterinary laboratory. Alongside detecting cancer in the urinary system and cancer in the urinary tract, it can also be used to spot symptoms of diabetes.
A routine wellness check should consist of a urinalysis test to thoroughly evaluate the kidneys and urinary system. Due to the increased prevalence of kidney diseases in older dogs, this is more important for senior and geriatric canines.
3. Radiographs
Radiographs should be taken for an accurate diagnosis if your pet has a history of heart, respiratory, hepatic, renal, or digestive problems.
The doctor might recommend scans (x-rays) or another test to help diagnose issues like arthritis. These signs may be related to arthritis or suggest a more severe condition.
4. Fecal Analysis
The examination of the feces of your pet by a vet internist in Westfield, NJ can reveal information concerning various problems, including issues with digestion, internal bleeding, and diseases of the pancreas, among others.
However, the central aspect that this test can reveal is that intestinal parasites such as roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, tapeworm, and giardia are present in the patient.
5. Blood Chemistry
A range of tests like these can aid in diagnosing various conditions, including diabetes, liver disease, renal illness, and others, by providing information about tissue and organs of the human body. Your doctor may suggest conducting the biochemistry test again within a few days, weeks, or months even if there are only slight changes from normal.
The degree of the anomalies will determine the range of the diagnostic test, which could involve additional tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) and blood pressure reading, and imaging studies, such as radiography (X-rays) or ultrasound.
