Facts about your aging dog

Who doesn't adore those cute rambunctious puppies?! However adorable puppies are and certainly a joy to see in our clinic, my heart strings are really tugged on for those gray faced and slower moving senior citizen dogs (maybe it is because I can identify with them!). There is just something so endearing about a senior pet; their patience (or lack of it), they just seem to wear their life experiences in their eyes and faces. I reflect on my beloved Cookie and Sophie as I watched the changes in them over the years, both in mind and body. For example, Cookie was a poster child for the aged dog. In his later years, he had a heart murmur (mitral valve insufficiency), cataracts, harder of hearing, slow progressive renal failure, muscle mass loss, the need for dental cleanings every 6 months vs annually, slept the majority of his day, unsteady on his feet (arthritic, loss of muscle tone), interacted less with the family, signs of cognitive dysfunction (lost in his own home, house soiling), increase need for medications for his old man deficiencies, special prescription diet, decrease in interest in food (likely due to decrease in smell), hypotension (low blood pressure-he would pass out when he lowered his head to the food bowl to eat!). The list was long. My family would come to visit and would be shocked to see how much different he seemed over a six month period of time since they had seen him last, forgetting how much faster dogs and cats age compared to us. Six months in their world, is equivalent to about 3-5 years in his!

During the past year the ACC and veterinary industry has been promoting the importance of Senior Wellness Examinations. Some of you may think this is just a gimmick to get you to spend more money at your veterinarian; yet another marketing tool. Speaking on behalf of the ACC, you couldn't be more wrong. I see approximately 6000 patients a year.   Dogs making up the majority at 70%; 32% of these dogs are over 8 years of age.  Many of them only visit our office once a year, when we send reminders that annual vaccinations are due. Since animals age faster than we do, my major concern for these senior pets isn't just the necessity of vaccinations (the major reason a client brings in their pet), but the necessity of a comprehensive physical examination. In dog years, this means that many of our senior patients are being examined and evaluated only once in 7 years.

During a senior health exam, your veterinarian will ask you many questions regarding changes in your dog; difficulty in getting up and down, changes in eating and drinking habits, changes in sleeping habits, cognitive/mental changes, urination/defecation changes, diet, etc.  Keep in mind these questions are so that your veterinarian can draw a mental picture of your dog's general health and help you become aware of specific senior pet problems.  Your veterinarian will perform a physical exam from head to tail and explain what they are looking for and inform you if there are any abnormalities that should be addressed.  An internal parasite evaluation will be performed to confirm the presence of parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms.  Additional tests to evaluate your dog's organ systems such as liver and kidney function should also be performed every 6-12 months depending on your dog's history and general health.  These tests include:

• Complete Blood Check (CBC)  measures the number of red and white blood cells, and platelets.  This information is needed to help diagnose anemia, infections and leukemia.
• Blood Chemistry Panel measures electrolytes, enzymes and chemical elements that helps your vet determine how various organs such as kidneys, pancreas, liver are functioning.  These organs can have diminished function as your pet ages and cannot be evaluated by a physical exam.
• Urinalysis can assist your vet in the diagnosis of urinary tract infections, diabetes, dehydration, kidney dysfunction and many other conditions. 

Depending on your individual pet’s condition and other factors, other tests and assessments might be recommended. These include heart worm tests, blood pressure evaluation; urine protein evaluation; cultures; imaging such as x-rays, ultrasound, and echocardiography; electrocardiography, and special ophthalmic evaluations, among others. Additional tests become especially important in evaluating senior pets that show signs of sickness or are being prepared for anesthesia and surgery.

Here at the Animal Care Center, we want to help you make your pet's Golden Year's Golden. We encourage you to make wellness examinations every six months and a complete examination with blood work at least annually.  To help ensure your pet lives comfortably during the senior life stage, it’s critical to work with your veterinarian to tailor a senior wellness plan that is best for your dog. Be sure to monitor behavior and physical conditions and report anything unusual to your veterinarian, who can help your pet head into the twilight years with ease.

Final note:  Cats TOO!