Senior Pet Care
Pets age much more quickly than humans. What’s more, different breeds have different life expectancies. For example, a miniature poodle wouldn’t be considered a senior until the age of eight. But a St. Bernard is a senior at age four. As your pet ages, you can count on our expert veterinary staff to provide the quality, customized care he or she needs.
Senior Pet Care
When your pet reaches his senior years, we will expand veterinary care to include:
- Physical examinations two times a year
- Recommendations on diet and exercise changes based on your pet’s individual needs
- Preoperative blood work prior to any surgical procedure
- Blood chemistry and CBC
- Thyroid tests for cats
In addition, we may recommend:
- chest xrays and electrocardiogram
- Blood pressure monitoring
- Urinalysis
Special Senior Services
Certain medical conditions are common in aging pets. Patterson Dog & Cat Hospital’s staff has the expertise to care for conditions including degenerative diseases like arthritis, mobility changes and limitations, chronic pain, and cognitive dysfunction. If your pet suffers from chronic arthritis or other severe pain, we may also recommend acupuncture services.
End of Life Support
At Patterson Dog & Cat Hospital, we firmly believe that dying is a natural process. Much can be done medically and through specialized care to ensure your pet continues to live comfortably and enjoys the best possible quality of life in his or her geriatric years. Our staff will provide you with a customized veterinary care plan based on your pet’s unique situation that may include palliative care, pain control, and/or nursing care.
We rarely recommend euthanizing pets as your only option, except in instances when we cannot do anything else to control your pet’s pain. Ultimately, we believe the decision to euthanize is intensely personal for both the owner and the pet; however, our expert, caring staff is available to work with you and explain all your options so that you can make an informed decision that is right for you and your pet.