Senior Pet Care

Caring For Your Senior Pet

The golden years are reached by the age of 7 years old for most breeds of dogs and cats. Once your pet has reached their senior years, our clinical team highly recommends visiting us twice a year so we can ensure your pet is aging with the least amount of aches, pains, and age-related diseases. 

In addition to bi-annual wellness visits, the veterinarians at Oakhurst Veterinary Hospital recommend several diagnostic tests to obtain the most complete picture of your pet's health status and highlight any deviations from your pet's typical baseline of health. 

Diagnostic tests recommended for senior pets include:

• Bloodwork provides us with a wealth of data and aids our clinical team in detecting general infections as well as age-related diseases, such as diabetes, bladder cancer, kidney disease, and liver disease.
• Digital X-Ray allows us to view your pet's internal systems, giving us the ability to diagnose arthritis and certain types of cancer.
• Glaucoma Screening is quick and painless to your pet, allowing us to diagnose Glaucoma which can result in irreversible blindness.
• Urinalysis provides a general overview of your pet's health and can detect conditions such as diabetes, urinary tract infections, and liver disease.

Keep in mind as your pet ages, signs of pain can be subtle and hard to pinpoint at home. The most surefire way to keep your senior pet healthy and comfortable is by visiting us regularly for professional veterinary services. Together, we can help your pet have the greatest golden years with you!