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Home > Articles > Role of the Veterinarian and the Aging Pet
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Regular checkups of your pet during their senior years help Veterinarians determine the direction of their health and can help you to better understand what is to come.
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Watching your pet age is difficult and poses many questions for the family. Presentations in geriatric pets may include:
- Arthritic conditions and stiff joints- Ranges of treatments include medications, water therapy and physical therapy.
- Vision problems- Changes in eyesight can vary quite a bit. Vision issues may be due to aging or serious medical issues. Veterinarians can provide diagnosis and some treatment options. They can also make recommendations of how to structure your home for a low vision pet. These instructions will facilitate safety so you or your pets do not get injured. Finally. they can refer you to a Veterinarian who specializes in Ophthalmology.
- Kidney failure- Veterinarians can provide blood draws to diagnose kidney failure. If necessary, they will write prescriptions for special diet foods that are low in protein.
- Sleep- Does your pet seem to sleep more and more each passing year? This is common symptom in older pets.
- skin bumps, lumps, and lesions- These symptoms could be very benign or could be very serious. A veterinarian will do tests on the area that will diagnose the problem.
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