Senior Pet Care at Pet Medical Center of Westerville

If you heard someone recite a list of the age-related health problems that afflict pets, you might think that the list referred to elderly humans instead. Pets and people both get older, and as they do, they encounter many of the same health and wellness challenges. If your pet is approaching his senior years, you want to make sure that he's in the hands of a veterinarian who can help make those years healthy ones. Pet Medical Center of Westerville is happy to provide that all-important senior pet care.

Advancing Age and Your Pet's Health

The old saying about a pet aging the equivalent of 7 years as each year passes is more or less correct. Once most dogs and cats reach the age of 7, they're considered to be entering their senior years. Some large dogs, however, have shorter lifespans, so it makes more sense to consider them geriatric by around age 5. Your pet may appear as happy and healthy as ever at this point, but it's common for senior animals to start experiencing certain problems. These may include cataracts, dementia, arthritis, hearing loss, high blood pressure, diabetes, dental issues, cancer, incontinence, and heart or kidney failure. 

As pets slow down and develop mobility problems, they also become more vulnerable to obesity. This is a major concern for sedentary geriatric pets. Obesity is notorious as a "gateway" to many of the systemic health problems faced by older animals. The extra pressure on joints can also aggravate arthritis pain.

Senior Pet Services from Our Westerville Veterinarian

Our Westerville veterinarian, Dr. Nowery, can help your aging pet enjoy this phase of his life. We provide twice-annual senior pet exams, a schedule which allows us to catch age-related conditions and treat them before they get out of control. We will check your pet's vision, hearing, cognition, teeth, mobility, and vital signs, while also running tests to look for any sign of internal systemic diseases. Weighing your pet helps us watch out for encroaching obesity. Depending on your pet's baseline health and needs, we may recommend services such as:

• Pain medication
• Drugs to control chronic diseases
• Exercise to help your pet stay mobile
• Specialized weight-control or disease-specific diets
• Dental treatment
• Lifestyle or home environment changes to make daily life easier

Bring Your Old Friend to Our Veterinary Clinic

Give your pet the highest possible quality of life, no matter what his age. Call Pet Medical Center of Westerville at (614) 882-7700 to schedule a senior pet exam or other senior pet services at our Westerville veterinary clinic!