These days, with advances in veterinary medicine and nutrition, our pets are living longer than ever before- which is of course great news!
However, the less good news is that with advancing years, their body organs may begin to function less efficiently. As a result, many older pets suffer from a wide range of age related diseases. These commonly include:
- Impaired hearing
- Impaired vision
- Arthritic joints
- Kidney disease
- Heart disease
- Liver disease
- Incontinence
- Mental confusion
- Dental problems
- Thyroid gland disease
- Lumps and bumps
So that’s the bad news! What about the good news? The good news is that regular health checks are the best method of looking after your pet- particularly as they grow older. With regular veterinary check-ups, problems can often be picked up at an early stage. This means treatment can be started sooner, hopefully ensuring a much better quality of life for pets as they grow older.
A health check consists of a full physical exam. Because many of the ageing changes affect internal organs such as the kidneys and liver, urine and blood tests, and sometimes radiographs may be required as well.
Happily, having identified any problems, we now have better treatments than ever before for your pet. New forms of medication and changes to your pets diet can make a real improvement to many of the conditions covered in the article.
If you would like any further information on any of the conditions mentioned above, or if you would like a check-up for your pet, please contact us!