Dear Senior Pet Owner,

As our pets reach their later years of life, they are increasingly vulnerable to many illnesses. Their health problems they may have that are related to their advancing years are similar to our own, including:

• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Dental problems
• Digestive disorders
• Diabetes
• Cancer

Early disease detection and treatment can help us extend and improve the quality of your pet’s life. The senior wellness screening for your pet includes:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• White blood cell analysis
• Red blood cell analysis
• Platelet count
• Blood chemistry profile (evaluates major organs)
• Urinalysis
• Thyroid screening

We are not necessarily looking to find something but, rather, build a baseline. It gives us a record of what normal ranges are so that we’ll have something to compare to. Our pets will not show clinical signs of many organ problems until there is 75 % damage. The blood work and urinalysis give us an inside look to your pet’s overall health, which will greatly improve his life quality of life as well as life expectancy.

Pets are aging at a more rapid rate then we are, so it is important that they are examined every 6 months (which is like 3 years in people time) so any changes in weight, behavior, activity level, eating or drinking can be addressed. Remember, age is not a disease. There are many things that can be done to keep our older friend comfortable and enjoying life.