Senior Care
As technology and research bring us new and exciting ways to improve the lives of our pets, we see our pets living longer, healthier lives. Due to vaccinations and heartworm detection and prevention, we are losing fewer pets to diseases that twenty to thirty years ago were taking an alarming number of pets at an early age.
Our clients are well educated and are making good decisions as regards to food, annual examinations and exercise. Because of these good decisions, their animals are living longer, more enjoyable lives.
However, now that our dogs and cats are living longer lives, we see an increase in those diseases that are more common in the elderly. Some of the most common diseases of dogs and cats are obesity, dental disease, diabetes, kidney insufficiency, heart problems, arthritis, and cancer. Dogs suffer from low thyroid or adrenal problems while cats are more prone to overactive thyroid and inflammatory bowel disease.
We at Orchard Road Animal Hospital believe that early detection can greatly improve the quality of life for our patients. Examinations can detect heart murmurs, abnormal growths, weight gain or loss, and decreased mobility. We also want to know how your animals have been behaving at home with regards to water and food intake and the absence or presence of things such as vomiting or diarrhea. Additional testing such as blood testing, xrays, ultrasound, blood pressure and urine testing can detect many problems or rule out some concerning diseases.
Many abnormal findings can help us treat a disorder that not detected early would lead to a devastating outcome. Some tumors, if removed early, can be cured, but if left too long, may spread to other body systems. Other diseases require supplements or food changes, which can help our animals live long that they would if the disease was left untreated.
In these difficult economic times, we understand that there is a difference between what we want to do and what we can afford to do. Additional testing costs more; however, one thing that is relatively inexpensive and brings a wealth of information for the cost is the physical examination. Simply having your older animal examined twice yearly can often detect problems early on as compared to a once yearly examination. Some of our clients are getting vaccinations and heartworm prevention on one visit and six months later have another examination with blood testing. This allows them to break up the costs while also having twice yearly exams.
As always, our friendly, knowledgeable staff is willing and available to answer any questions you might have so do not hesitate to call. We also encourage you to email us with an suggestions for future articles.
Dr. Huffman
Please email questions or suggestions for upcoming articles to orahweb@gmail.com .
Age Charts
|
Age of Dogs (Years)
|
Equivalent Age of Human (Years)
|
Age of Cats (Years)
|
Equivalent Age of Humans (Years)
|
|
1
|
13
|
1
|
15
|
|
2
|
20
|
2
|
24
|
|
3
|
25
|
3
|
28
|
|
4
|
30
|
4
|
32
|
|
5
|
35
|
5
|
36
|
|
6
|
40
|
6
|
40
|
|
7
|
45
|
7
|
44
|
|
8
|
50
|
8
|
48
|
|
9
|
55
|
9
|
52
|
|
10
|
60
|
10
|
56
|
|
11
|
65
|
11
|
60
|
|
12
|
70
|
12
|
64
|
|
13
|
75
|
13
|
68
|
|
14
|
80
|
14
|
72
|
|
15
|
85
|
15
|
76
|
|
16
|
90
|
|
|
|
17
|
95
|
|
|
|
18
|
100
|
|
|
|
19
|
105
|
|
|
|
20
|
110
|
|
|
|
