By Emery and Carbon Animal Health
When your dog or cat reaches seven or eight years of age, it is time to start thinking about senior wellness care. Dogs and cats age much more quickly than people do; because of this, major health issues can begin. These issues may not always show outward signs until the complications become severe with noticeable symptoms.
We know you want to see your dog or cat live a long, full and healthy life. Senior lab work can help detect disease before pets are sick and must be hospitalized for treatment. That is why we urge our clients to have senior lab screening with or without symptoms on any senior pets. For example, 75% of your pet’s kidney function will typically be gone before they start showing noticeable symptoms. What if you can catch disease before that with a 15 to 20-minute blood screening? With our new in-house SDMA testing, we can detect issues even 25% earlier than typical lab tests. If the staff at Emery and Carbon Animal Health catch these issues early and put the right care routine in place, we can dramatically slow the progress of many diseases. Some treatments are as simple as changing your pet’s diet.
Some major diseases for which senior pets are seen more frequently are diabetes, kidney and liver failure, or thyroid disease. Some are curable while others are managed. Early diagnosis can give you and your pet quality and comfortable time together. In general, the earlier a disease is diagnosed, the better the prognosis. Early disease stages are subtle and physical or behavioral changes can go unnoticed. This is the reason lab testing is so valuable and extremely important. Testing senior pets (beginning at seven or eight years) and identifying disease early lets us intervene and help provide a better quality of life.
Closely monitoring your older dog’s health with senior lab screening and regular visits to your veterinarian makes it easier to detect minor changes that signal the onset of disease or deterioration of an existing condition. Senior lab screening is a simple and effective way to help your pet have a healthy and active life with you for as long as possible.
Through the month of November, Emery and Carbon Animal Health will be offering 15% off your bill when you bring in you pet for a senior exam with blood work and a urinalysis. Fasting is recommended before your pets’ appointment and please bring a urine sample.