Geriatric Medicine

Geriatric Medicine 1As pets age they often require additional care as the health problems they acquire negatively impact their quality of life. Our aim is to keep your animal comfortable and healthy with consideration to their well-being.

It is important to remember that age is not a disease, in and of itself. Advanced age should not be a reason to ignore a pet’s health problems or allow them to suffer through pain or discomfort.

Common age-related diseases where we can do a lot to ease suffering include:Geriatric Medicine 2

Poor dental health, advanced periodontitis: How is your dog or cat’s breath lately? Dental disease can be very painful and leads to organ diseases such as bacterial endocarditis (heart valve disease) and kidney disease. Read more about dental disease and how we can help here.

Arthritic and painful joints: If your dog limps or moves slowly, we can help with the pain! Read more about arthritis and how we can help here.

Geriatric Medicine 3Organ dysfunction and metabolic changes: Many older animals suffer from decreased organ function such as kidney disease or liver disease. Often there are supplements or special diets that are simple changes that can help them feel much better as they age. Yearly blood chemistries can help us diagnose these health problems before they take a toll on the body and spirit of your pet. For more details about common blood tests, click here.

Cancer: When properly diagnosed early in the process, cancer can be managed in a way that is extremely rewarding to the animal and family. Cancer is an unfortunate and challenging disease, but there’s a lot we can do to help your pet weather or survive the storm. Read more about cancer in pets here

With age-related health problems addressed, your animal will feel much younger and have a much improve outlook on their life and role in the family.

Older Pet Problem Handouts:
Arthritis
Obesity
Hypothyroidism
Oral/Periodontal Disease