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As a client of Cherrydale Veterinary Clinic, at some point you might have noticed the phrase "Emphasizing Wellness and Geriatric Care" on some of our literature. This is more than just a slogan - it is our long-standing and successful philosophy of practicing veterinary medicine and surgery. We feel the most important thing we do here at Cherrydale is to promote preventative care, especially for our clients with older pets. We do not consider "old age" to be a disease - it is a natural process which brings with it a variety of changes which can affect your pets quality of life. By identifying those changes early, we have a much higher success rate in keeping the pet as healthy as possible for as long as possible. For example, by finding Chronic Kidney Failure in the early stages, we can recommend changes in your pet's diet which can significantly lengthen and improve your pet's quality of life.
When is my pet old?
The first thing you and your veterinarian must decide is "When is my pet considered old?" The following table gives some general guidelines you and your veterinarian can follow to make this decision.
When are your pet's GOLDEN YEARS? 
Just remember that all pets are different and that they age at different rates depending on a variety of factors, including genetics, nutrition, and environmental conditions.
How often should my pet be examined?
Healthy adult pets should be examined at least twice a year to evaluate their weight, skin, teeth as well as the other major organ systems. Since older pets are at increased risk for problems in these areas, they should be seen at least twice yearly for examination. Remember: the earlier we can detect problems, the more we can do to minimize the effects of the problems.
What can we do about problems when we find them?
Many problems such as obesity, heart or kidney disease can be minimized by dietary changes. Hormonal diseases such as thyroid or adrenal gland problems require specific medications and close monitoring to make sure your pet stays as healthy as possible. It is especially important to monitor oral health since older pets can have significant problems fighting off infections such as tooth abscesses and are much more prone to developing oral tumors.
How much will this cost?
A better question may be "How much will it cost to treat my pet once she or he gets sick?" The cost of preventing disease is often much lower than the cost of treating the disease once it has progressed, not to mention the pain and suffering you may save your pet. We like to think that the money and time spent on evaluating your pet now is an investment in making her or his future as happy and healthy as possible. To help you make decisions based on your individual needs, we offer three levels of screening within our Geriatric Program.
Baseline Screening
This basic screening package uses blood tests to look at liver and kidney function as well as monitor for changes in red and white blood cells. While this is by no means an exhaustive panel of tests, it can provide a "snapshot" of your pet's health to help us monitor changes in the years to come. This package would be appropriate starting as early as five years of age if you think your pet is very healthy but would like to begin monitoring for changes. This package can also be a very reasonable pre-anesthesia screen for any pet under 8 years of age.
Geriatric Workup
This package is slightly more involved than the Baseline Screening and also includes monitoring for changes in your pet's pancreatic function and electrolyte balances (which can be markers for a wide variety of diseases). In addition, the Geriatric Workup includes testing of thyroid function, which becomes increasingly important as your pet ages.
Geriatric Profile
This package is an exhaustive series of tests including those in the Geriatric Workup, as well as a urinalysis and x-rays of your pets chest and abdomen, which offer more "pieces of the puzzle" when assessing your pet's health status. Since we realize finances can play a role in making big decision like this, we offer a discount of 20% off the package if you elect to perform the complete Geriatric Profile.
Where should I start with my pet?
You and your veterinarian can decide which level of the Geriatric Program is most appropriate for your pet. Then we can help you make decisions regarding follow-up visits and monitoring in the years to come.
If you have any questions about your older pet, please call or stop by to discuss them with our staff or with your veterinarian. You can call anytime at 703-528-9001 or to e-mail us, just click here . |
