SENIOR WELLNESS

"Wrinkles will only go where the smiles have been." - Jimmy Buffet

BIANNUAL EXAMS

At Dundas West Animal Hospital, we have a strong focus on our senior pets. We recommend biannual wellness exams as they have a special set of needs. During your senior pet’s exam, our veterinarian will conduct a thorough nose-to-tail exam paying close attention to age-related conditions such as cognition (an aging brain), eye (nuclear sclerosis, cataracts, glaucomas), feeling for any new lumps, and conducting a full orthopedic exam to assess for conditions such as arthritis. 

SENIOR WELLNESS PLAN

We tailor our senior wellness plan to the individual pet. This includes risk assessment for vaccines, parasiticides as well as nutritional considerations for the aging pet. We also recommend more frequent blood and urine testing to screen for age-related conditions (such as thyroid, liver, and kidney testing) and to detect and trend any organ abnormality. We believe it is better to take a proactive approach to monitoring in order to manage conditions before they can affect the quality of your pet’s life. 

PROCEDURES

For procedures, we pay close attention to the needs of our senior pets. Examination and pre-operative blood work are critical to assessing general anesthesia risks and this will be thoroughly discussed with you prior to the recommended procedure. Anxiety and thermoregulation are two areas of focus for our seniors and we combat this by prescribing temporary anti-anxiety medication to give prior to their procedure as well as providing a warm and comfortable environment for them throughout their stay. 

SENIOR CONDITIONS

There are many age-related conditions that we focus on such as thyroid disease, cognitive decline, and arthritis. Thyroid disease requires prompt detection and medication, diet, or surgical treatment depending on the patient. Cognitive decline can be a subtle progressive disease that can be managed through environmental modification, nutrition, supplements, and sometimes medication. For our arthritic patients, we explore options such as nutrition, supplements, joint-supporting injections, therapeutic laser therapy, and multimodal pain management. 

To schedule an appointment for your senior pet, contact us at 416-535-8387.