When your pets reach a certain age, especially towards their older years, maintaining their health becomes a necessity, similar to us humans.
During their senior years, our pets make more frequent visits to the Virginia Beach animal hospital or clinic to make sure that they live out their remaining years living a good quality of life and help ease the pain of possible illnesses that come with old age.
However, it does not mean that your pets are no longer healthy due to old age, but in fact, they could remain in great health with proper and sustainable health and wellness practices.
A Virginia Beach vet hospital or clinic is not just for interventional medical care, and rather these are facilities that are equipped to provide health and wellness care and programs for pets.
When does a pet get considered to be a “senior?”
Our pets get old faster than humans. For instance, a year of age in humans is equivalent to an average of seven pet years in dogs.
While there are several factors that affect these age years in dogs such as breed, weight, species, nutrition, and environment, the age factor of seven years for every human year is a fairly accurate figure.
At seven years of age, dogs and cats can be considered seniors and are more susceptible to diseases and health conditions. Nonetheless, when such problems are detected early on through a routine checkup at a Virginia Beach animal hospital, it is highly possible to address such problems to delay its progression, or better yet, even cure such health problems.
Senior pet program
To ensure that your pet lives out its remaining years in good health, signing up for a senior pet wellness program at a Virginia Beach animal hospital or clinic can help you stay abreast of any condition or illness that your pet may develop during their senior years.
Generally, such programs include comprehensive and thorough health and medical evaluation of your pet at least every six months.
Common wellness program services to seek out
Aside from the usual health and medical exams, senior pet wellness programs include annual tests for dental/oral conditions, physical condition, intestinal parasite screening, heartworm and tick screening, blood chemistry profiles, complete blood cell count, thyroid testing, and urinalysis, among others.
Health profile
A thorough blood chemistry examination will help assess your pet’s liver, kidneys, cholesterol levels, proteins, and blood sugar levels to determine if there are problems or risks that a pet may be experiencing or show signs of occurring.
CBC and Electrolytes level
This examination will determine the chloride, potassium, and sodium levels of your pets, which are critical for the proper function of muscles and heart.
A complete blood count (CBC) test checks for the appearance and number of different types of blood cells, which may help pet doctors see if there are abnormalities that occur that could indicate signs of diseases or health problems.
Other important tests
There are a number of other tests that are included in a senior pet wellness program that is necessary to ensure the health of your senior pet.
As mentioned before, your pets need not suffer from pain caused by diseases or because of failing health, with proper care and attention, they may live up to be more happy, healthy, and have fun for the remaining years of their lives.
