As dogs grow older, their needs change. You may switch them to a food for senior dogs, and you may shorten those walks and sessions in the dog park to keep their joints more comfortable. The care your dog receives at the vet may also change as they age. Here are some additional vet care services that can be beneficial to add to your senior dog's routine.
Blood Screening
When your dog enters his or her senior years, the vet will probably want to start administering blood tests about once a year. The blood samples collected will be analyzed to detect any liver or kidney diseases, anemia, diabetes, or other problems that become increasingly common as dogs grow older. Blood analysis can help ensure these problems are diagnosed earlier, perhaps before they even start causing symptoms. It will only take your vet a few minutes to collect a small blood sample from your dog. They typically do it via a small needle inserted into one of their upper legs, and most dogs barely realize anything is happening.
Dental Cleaning
Dental disease is really common in older dogs. Once your dog enters his or her senior years, the vet may want to put them under anesthesia so they can do a thorough dental cleaning and exam. The vet will take x-rays to detect any tooth problems that may be lurking below the surface, and they will also clean the teeth, removing tartar at the gumline that can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. Your dog may need to have one or more teeth removed, and after that, they may need to eat a softer diet. But rest assured; if a tooth is causing your dog pain, they are better off having that tooth removed.
Arthritis Medications
As in people, arthritis is really common in dogs as they age. Your vet may recommend a medication to reduce the inflammation in their joints and also relieve pain. Dogs with milder arthritis may be given a supplement like glucosamine or MSM, and those with more severe arthritis may be given an NSAID like firocoxib. Your vet can monitor your dog's arthritis to see how it progresses and whether additional treatments, like massage therapy or laser therapy, are needed.
As your dog grows older, veterinary care becomes even more important. Talk to a vetrinarian for more information. They can recommend other services that may also benefit your older dog.
A vet is someone who is there for your pet from their early years until their last years. When your pet is young, a vet can give them the vaccines they need for disease prevention as they become acquainted with the world. As your pet ages, your vet can monitor them for the conditions that often come with old age, such as arthritis and cancer. Vets care about their patients. We hope you will learn more about this care as you browse the content on this blog. We do our best to offer well-researched and helpful information for pet owners like you.