Just like they do with people, senior animals’ medical needs change over time. In fact, pets age at nearly seven times the rate humans do, so they experience medical changes much faster, too. As your cat or dog gets older, they require different nutrition programs and exercise routines to stay healthy, and they become prone to a variety of new diseases.
Common age-related diseases we treat at Fanwood Animal Hospital:
- Kidney and liver disease
- Intestinal disorders
- Diabetes
- Joint and bone disease
- Breast and testicular cancer
- Cognitive difficulties
It is important to stay alert and look for changes throughout your pets’ lives. Separating the natural aging process from emerging medical disorders becomes increasing difficult with senior pets. Fanwood’s veterinarians must often adjust diagnoses and treatment based on patient age and other factors. Routine veterinary visits with your Fanwood Animal Hospital veterinarian are the best way for us to identify disease and illness and treat problems before they become severe.
It’s important to keep up with wellness exams during old age. The ASPCA recommends pet owners to take their senior pets to see their veterinarians every six months. These visits allow us to establish a pet’s baseline health and are used to ensure that pets are aging normally.
Fanwood Animal Hospital’s veterinarians provide ongoing pet care education to pet owners so they know what to expect from, and how to prepare for, elderly animals. It’s important to know how to change feeding and exercise routines so you can maintain your pet’s healthy lifestyle and keep them comfortable in their old age.
Fanwood Animal Hospital is always available to answer questions or concerns you may have about your aging four-legged companion. Schedule an appointment to learn more about how Fanwood Animal Hospital can help your senior pet age gracefully.