Silver Maple Veterinary Clinic: Senior Pet Wellness Program

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Senior Pet Wellness Program

Yes, it’s true. Your 7 year old cat is really 44 (and counting) and your 7 year old dog is anywhere from 46 to 59. Now many of us are also somewhere in that range and we don’t necessarily FEEL senior; however, I bet most of us are wearing bifocals and are maybe just a tad slower when moving from a kneeling position to a standing position or maybe on some medication because something’s just not working the way it used to. The point is our pets are beginning to experience age-related changes, too. Before taking a look at some of our very informative baseline blood tests, take a look at the chart below.

The first step is to figure out how old your pet is. Use the age and weight of your pet to find out how old they are:

Pet's age	Cat	Dogs 0-20 lbs	Dogs 21-50 lbs	Dogs 51-90 lbs	Dogs >90 lbs
5	36	36	37	40	42
6	40	40	42	45	49
7	44	44	47	50	56
8	48	48	51	55	64
9	52	52	56	61	71
10	56	56	60	66	78
11	60	60	65	72	86
12	64	64	69	77	93
13	68	68	74	82	101
14	72	72	78	88	108
15	76	76	83	93	115
16	80	80	87	99	123
17	84	84	92	104
18	88	88	96	109
19	92	92	101	115
20	96	96	105	120

Senior

Geriatric

The chart above gives us an idea of how old our pets really are! Silver Maple’s Senior Wellness program consists of healthy ways to ease our pets into their senior years. More and more, pets are living longer, happier, and healthier lives and having these diagnostic tools can benefit everyone.

So, how old is your pet? Are they considered senior? Or is your pet about to transition from his/her adult years to their senior years? No matter what the age of your pet proper diet, vitamins, regular exercise and routine medical checkups should be a basic part of their lives.

The fact that our pets age more rapidly than we do allows diseases and other health problems to develop more rapidly. The best defense against these health problems are awareness and prevention. If we can spot the warning signs early on, we can help ensure our pet a smooth transition from their adult years to their senior years.

Silver Maple Veterinary Clinic’s Senior Wellness Program includes:

Physical Examination: This is the most important part of a senior pet’s care. A good physical exam will tell the doctor many important things about your pet, especially since your pet can’t!

Complete Blood Count: This common test measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in a given sample of blood. The numbers and types of these cells give your Veterinarian information needed to help diagnose anemia and infections. A Complete Blood Count also helps your Veterinarian monitor your pets response to some treatments.

Urinalysis: Testing the urine is a tool used to detect the presence of one or more specific substances that normally don’t appear in the urine, such as protein, sugar, white blood cells or blood. A measurement of the dilution or concentration of urine is also very helpful in diagnosing disease. Performing a urinalysis can assist the Veterinarian in the diagnosis of a urinary tract infection, diabetes, dehydration, kidney problems and many other conditions that can complicate the wellness of your pet.

Blood Chemistry Panel: (chem. 12 and electrolytes)
Blood chemistry panels measure electrolytes, enzymes, and chemical elements such as calcium and phosphorus. This information helps your Veterinarian determine how various organs such as kidneys, pancreas, and liver, are currently functioning. The results of these tests help your Veterinarian formulate an accurate diagnosis, prescribe proper therapy, and monitor the response to treatment.

Parasite (fecal) Evaluation: Testing your pets stool can provide information about many kinds of diseases, such as difficulty with digestion, internal bleeding and disorders of the pancreas. Most importantly however; this test confirms the presence of intestinal parasites, such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms and giardia.

T4: (feline friends only). Hyperthyroidism is one of the most common diseases of the middle aged and older cat. It is a multi-system disorder caused by an increase in the amount of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) produced by an enlarged thyroid gland.

Some warning signs that may indicate your pet is beginning to suffer from age related problems
[LEARN MORE]

Still unsure?
Try our [SENIOR CHECKLIST].
If you answer yes to any of these questions than your pet should have a Wellness Exam done!

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