Senior wellness is really lifelong wellness.  The best kind of health care for pets is the preventive kind.  The earlier we can detect problems, the better we can control them.  Screening tests like cholesterol and blood pressure checks are important for you, and similar wellness exams and screenings are just as important for your pet throughout its lifetime.  Pets age much more quickly than we do.  One year in a pet's life is like seven years in a person.  This means kidney failure progresses seven times as fast.  Cancer progresses seven times as fast.  Simple blood and urine tests can give us a virtual picture of your pet's health, and are even more useful when conducted regularly over the course of a pet's life.

In veterinary medicine, we don't have the ability to ask our patients a lot of questions.  Because we can't ask them what's wrong, we need more extensive, in-depth blood tests.  That "language barrier" is also why we need you to be attuned to your pet's habits.  You should take note of any changes in your pet's behavior, bathroom habits, appetite, or appearance.  Arthritic aged pets can regain energy when medications are provided to control pain and inflammation.

The three most important things you can do for a senior pet are: provide a high quality diet appropriate for your pet (we recommend Eukanuba Senior Plus or ProPlan Senior), keep the mouth healthy with regular home care and routine dental prophylaxis, and schedule regular wellness checks.  Flea, tick, and heartworm prevention, good quality nutrition, and vaccinations will all keep your pet healthier.

Our recommendations for older pets:

Every 6 months:

Wellness Examinations

Urine check

Every 12 months:

Vaccinations-According to your pet's risk factors:

Rabies, Distemper/Parvo, Lyme, Bordatella

Heartworm/Parasite prevention - Year round

Dental Prophylaxis

Blood work (CBC-Complete Blood Count / Chem-12 Chemistry Panel)

Fecal analysis

3Dx test (Heartworm, Lyme, Ehrlichia Screen)

At your pet's wellness exam other screening tests may be recommended for your senior pet depending upon your pet's health status, breed, and risk factors.

EKG (electrocardiogram)

Chest X-rays

Abdominal Ultrasound

Echocardiogram

Blood Pressure

Our goal at the Animal Hospital of Chetek is to keep your pet healthy during these years.  It is important to remember that there is not a set age at which you can say a pet is truly "senior".  We use seven years of age as a general guideline.  At age seven, some pets will still act like puppies, while others will have gray muzzles and be stiff and achy.  Many factors can affect the rate of aging in animals.  Species, breed, living conditions, health care, and genetics all play a role.  Your pet's own behavior and appearance, along with the results of regular veterinary exams and screening will be our guide.

Thanks for letting us be "your other family doctors".

Senior wellness is really lifelong wellness.  The best kind of health care for pets is the preventive kind.  The earlier we can detect problems, the better we can control them.  Screening tests like cholesterol and blood pressure checks are important for you, and similar wellness exams and screenings are just as important for your pet throughout its lifetime.  Pets age much more quickly than we do.  One year in a pet's life is like seven years in a person.  This means kidney failure progresses seven times as fast.  Cancer progresses seven times as fast.  Simple blood and urine tests can give us a virtual picture of your pet's health, and are even more useful when conducted regularly over the course of a pet's life.

In veterinary medicine, we don't have the ability to ask our patients a lot of questions.  Because we can't ask them what's wrong, we need more extensive, in-depth blood tests.  That "language barrier" is also why we need you to be attuned to your pet's habits.  You should take note of any changes in your pet's behavior, bathroom habits, appetite, or appearance.  Arthritic aged pets can regain energy when medications are provided to control pain and inflammation.

The three most important things you can do for a senior pet are: provide a high quality diet appropriate for your pet, keep the mouth healthy with regular home care and routine dental prophylaxis, and schedule regular wellness checks.  Parasite prevention, good quality nutrition, and needed immunizations will all keep your pet healthier.

Our recommendations for older cats:

Every 6 months:

Wellness Examinations

Every 12 months:

Vaccinations-According to your cat's risk factors:

FVRCP (Feline Distemper and upper respiratory viruses), FELV (Feline Leukemia Virus),

Rabies

FELV (Feline Leukemia Virus) and FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) testing - according to your cat's lifestyle

Dental prophylaxis

Blood work: CBC (Complete Blood Count), Chem-12 (Chemistry Panel)

Thyroid level

Fecal analysis

Urinalysis

At your pet's wellness exam other screening tests may be recommended for your senior pet depending upon your pet's health status, breed, and risk factors.

EKG (electrocardiogram)

Chest X-rays

Abdominal Ultrasound

Echocardiogram

Blood Pressure

Our goal at the Animal Hospital of Chetek is to keep your pet healthy during these years.  It is important to remember that there is not a set age at which you can say a pet is truly "senior".  We use seven years of age as a general guideline.  At age seven, some pets will still act like kittens, while other cats will lay in the sun and sleep away the day.  Many factors can affect the rate of aging in animals.  Species, breed, living conditions, health care, and genetics all play a role.  Your pet's own behavior and appearance, along with the results of regular veterinary exams and screening will be our guide.

Thanks for letting us be "your other family doctors".