Senior Pet Awareness

Growing old is difficult for everyone, and the constant reminders are everywhere; that gray hair that wasn't there yesterday, the increasing strength of your eye prescription, the number of prescription bottles you have in your medicine cabinet, and the fact that the president doesn't look as old as what you think he should. These are all reminders. Every year we celebrate another candle on our birthday cake, and that's one year closer to being "old". But what if, instead of every birthday bringing us 1 year closer to that golden age, it brings us 4,5, even 7 years closer. That is the life of your pet. "Trixie" your 78 pound golden retriever may only be 6 years old to us, but to her body she is 45 years old, and now is the time to prepare for "Trixie" as she enters her senior years.

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

So, how old is your pet? Are they considered senior? geriatric? 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 also. Our 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.

Some warning signs that may indicate your pet is beginning to suffer from age related problems are:

Health Category	Examples of Common Senior Diseases	Signs	If Left Untreated
Dental	Periodontal disease, gingivitis, cancer	Bad breath, redness in gums, swollen gums, mass'	Heart disease, tooth loss, kidney and liver disorder, systemic infection, cancer progression
Joints	Arthritis, hip dysplasia, back disease	Lameness, reluctance to walk or exercise, decreased appetite, discomfort/pain	Progressive disease, reduced mobility, neurologic deficits
Heart and Lungs	Cardiac disease, pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema	Decreased stamina, coughing, difficulty breathing, weight loss, pot belly	Progression to renal and liver disease, poor vascular profusion, eventual death
Endocrine System	Diabetes mellitus, hyper/hypo- thyroidism, hypo/hyper- adrenocorticism	Noticeable weight change, increased appetite without weight gain, vomiting, increased water consumption, frequent urination, change in energy level	Heart failure, kidney failure, secondary metabolic disease
Liver	Inflammatory, degenerative and cancerous liver disease	Decreased appetite, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst/urination	Hypoalbuminemia, lipid metabolism disturbance, anemia, bleeding disorders, liver failure
Kidney	Kidney failure, kidney stones, kidney infection, kidney insufficiency	Increased thirst/urination decreased appetite, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, back pain	Progression to kidney failure, heart disease, electrolyte upset, fluid balance disturbance, death
Cancer	Cancers of the skin, liver, spleen, lymphoid tissue etc.	Bleeding, lumps, irritated skin, identified mass, swollen lymph nodes, vomiting, diarrhea	Can progress to organ failure or death
Ocular	Cataracts, dry eye, glaucoma	Grey bluish hue at the center of the eye, rubbing, pressing head against objects, swelling, redness, irritation, tearing	Difficulty seeing, corneal ulceration, can progress to blindness, loss of eye
Gastrointestinal Disease	Inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, cancer, colitis	Vomiting diarrhea, weight loss, fluid gain	Further weight loss, disease will progress to potential death

Still unsure? Try our Senior Checklist. If you answer yes to any of these questions than your pet should have a Wellness Exam done.

The good news is that ALL of these problems are controllable if caught early on. Although you can't turn back the clock, there are things you can do to keep your older pets healthy and YOUNG-AT-HEART. A Senior Pet Wellness Exam is one step you and your pet can take on the road to a comfortable old age.

Cats 6-8 years.	Dogs (under 50 lbs) 5-7 years	Dogs (50 lbs or more) 5-6 years	Yearly physical exams Dental exam, cleaning and polishing Fecal exam (checking for parasites) Urinalysis Heartworm test Complete Blood Profile & CBC Thyroid Profile
Cats 8-10 years.	Dogs (under 50 lbs) 7-8 years	Dogs (50 lbs or more) 6-7 years	Yearly physical exams Dental exam, cleaning and polishing Fecal exam (checking for parasites) Urinalysis Heartworm test Complete Blood Profile & CBC Thyroid Profile
Cats 10 or more years.	Dogs (under 50 lbs) 9 or more years	Dogs (50 lbs or more) 8 or more years	Physical exams TWICE a year Dental exam, cleaning and polishing Fecal exam (checking for parasites) Urinalysis Heartworm test Complete Blood Profile & CBC Thyroid Profile EKG Chest X-rays

EKG- to check heart function
X-rays- Chest x-rays to check the heart and lungs.
Urinalysis- to check the urinary tract for acute or chronic disease of the kidney and bladder.
Fecal- Checking stool for the presents of parasites.
Thyroid Profile- to test for adequate thyroid function.
Geriatric Pet Evaluation (Full Comprehensive Physical Exam)
Lab Work - CBC (Complete Blood Count) & Blood Profile

These tests are of great importance even if your pet is showing none of the warning signs, because it establishes a baseline for comparison to tests administered further down the line.

With some extra TLC from you and our staff, your pet can be on his/her way to many happy and healthy senior years.

If you're are interested in starting your pet in the Senior Pet Wellness Program let us know at seniorpets@funkstownvet.com

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