Senior at Seven:

Dear Client,

Welcome to your pet's senior years! As you may know, dogs and cats age quicker than humans. In fact, by the time some animals reach the age of seven, they are almost equivalent to a fifty-year-old man or woman. Here are a few common health problems that many dogs and cats face as they age:

Obesity: This is the most common form of malnutrition that affects our pets. Obesity can predispose your pet to back and joint pain, diabetes, and respiratory problems. Our goal is to help you form the most appropriate feeding schedule for your pet to help prevent obesity and all of the problems it may cause.

Dental Disease: Since our pets do not brush their teeth daily, many of them develop painful dental tartar and gingivitis. This can allow bacteria in the mouth to have constant access to the bloodstream, ultimately causing heart, liver, and kidney infections. Also, many pets with dental disease suffer silently as they cannot tell us how painful their mouths really are.

Arthritis: Many pets suffer from painful hips, backs, shoulders, and elbows. Thankfully, we now have safer and more effective treatments for preventing and treating arthritis pain. Yearly exams can be vital for detecting signs of arthritis before it cripples your pet and destroys his/her quality of life.

Kidney Failure: In many older pets, the kidneys become unable to function properly. This can be due to genetics, age changes, and exposure to toxins. Diagnostics, such as bloodwork and urinalysis, allow us to catch kidney failure in its earliest stages. By doing this, we can offer your pet various treatment and diet options to help prolong their quality of life.

Endocrine Disorders: Hypo- and hyperthyroidism, diabetes, Addison's disease and Cushing's disease are all very common endocrine disorders that occur in both dogs and cats. All of these diseases, if left untreated, can be potentially life threatening. However, early detection and treatment can oftentimes stabilize your pet and allow him/her a more normal life.

Heart Disease: Unfortunately, heart disease is also a common malady in dogs and cats. During your pet's physical exams, we try very hard to detect and heart murmurs or arrhythmia, which may indicate that the heart muscle is failing. Many heart conditions are readily treated and we are now able to help delay or prevent the onset of congestive heart failure.

Cancer: Animals suffer from many of the same types of cancers as people. Thorough physical exams and screening tests can help to detect tumors as early as possible, thus giving your pet the best chance of recovery.

As you can see, our pets face many different health issues as they get older and a lot of focus has been placed on developing senior pet care programs. In light of this, we are presenting you with our own "Senior at Seven" program.

We strongly believe that annual or biannual physical examinations and appropriate screening test can help to detect and treat illness and allow your pet to experience a better quality of life and extended life span. This packet is an introduction to the "Senior at Seven" program and is also designed to help educate you about caring for your senior pet.

As you read through the information, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. It is our goal to provide your pet with the longest and healthiest life possible and to help you make the most informed decisions regarding your pet.

Thank you for your time and for entrusting your pet to our care!

~ The Doctors and Staff of Leesburg Veterinary Hospital