Our animal companions unfortunately age much faster than we do, which means disease and illness progress much faster as well. For this reason, Pleasant Pet Care recommends that dogs over age seven have wellness exams and senior blood chemistry panels twice per year.
The goals for senior pet exams are to detect, prevent or delay the diseases and conditions that are common in older animals such as osteoarthritis, hormone disorders, organ failure, cancers, and disease of the kidney, heart, and liver. For this reason, we may also advise X-rays, ultrasounds, urinalysis and blood pressure monitoring for your older pet.
If you have senior dog, we recommend that you call us for an exam if you observe any of the following symptoms:
- Sudden weight loss or weight gain
- Significant decrease or increase in appetite
- Failure to eat for more than two days
- Noticeable decrease in vision
- Increasing inactivity or time spent sleeping
- Excessive panting
- Hair loss, especially if accompanied by scratching in a localized area
- Seizures or convulsing
If you have senior feline, we recommend that you call us for an exam if you observe any of the following symptoms:
- Sudden weight loss or weight gain
- Significant decrease or increase in appetite
- Failure to eat for more than two days
- Noticeable decrease in vision
- Increasing inactivity or time spent sleeping
- Excessive panting
- Hair loss, especially if accompanied by scratching in a localized area
- Seizures or convulsing
- Straining at the litterbox/Litterbox problems
If you have questions about caring for your dog or cat companion at any life stage, or to set up an appointment, call us at (843) 856-9190.