Pet Health >> Senior Pet Care

Make the Golden Years Golden for Your Dog or Cat

At the Animal Hospital of the Rockaways, we know that being a senior isn’t the same for all dogs and cats. Senior status arrives for different pets at different times, depending on breed and age. Your observations are as valuable as the health screenings we perform.

We begin at this stage to give some special senior wellness tests. Performed at a “Healthy Check-up,” they establish a baseline by which we can measure any health changes and screen for any silent illnesses. We recommend check-ups twice a year with extra visits if your pet is having problems. In addition to our gentle, hands-on exam, we may perform screening tests for:

  • Arthritis and other joint issues
  • Kidney, heart, and liver function
  • Heart disease, through an EKG
  • Dental problems and disease
  • Diabetes
  • Thyroid problems
  • Blood pressure

Cobi rests on a bench at Rockaway Park NY.Diagnostic tests are valuable for early detection of disease, because they establish a “normal” baseline for your pet and then track any changes over time. In addition to looking for illness, we will check for and talk with you about behavior changes. Just like people, some pets can have “senior moments” when they forget where they are.

Changing habits and behaviors can be the result of pain from arthritis and joint degeneration. Many new medications and dietary supplements are available to help lessen the effects of arthritis and relieve pain. We have had great success with an injectable medication called Adequan that was originally developed for horses. A protocol of injections over the course of several weeks can help to build up depleted cartilage in joints and make your pet much more comfortable.

Activity and Nutrition Build Healthy Pets

Your pet’s diet contains the components that help him or her build and maintain a healthy, fit body. We know that it can be tempting to feed your pet treats from the dinner table or too many snacks. Unfortunately, this can lead to nutritional deficits or obesity that cause many health problems for your pet. Weight problems and malnourishment can be avoided with a proper diet.

Regular exercise is still very important for your senior pet. As well as helping to control weight and keeping your pet fit, vigorous playtime outside and regular walks lead to fewer behavior problems.

Early Diagnosis of Senior Pet Illnesses Leads to Early Intervention

We now offer a geriatric wellness diagnostic package as well as a cardiac diagnostic package at a reduced price. These programs are designed to scan for the common diseases seen in these two groups of patients and can aid in early diagnosis of several conditions. Early diagnosis can help with early intervention that may prolong your pet’s life.

Pets tolerate many diseases much better than humans do; therefore, they frequently start showing signs of illness when the disease is already advanced. At that point, a successful treatment is not always possible. Our geriatric package will help detect early signs of common problems such as kidney disease, hypertension, heart problems, hormonal diseases, and even cancer.

When we start intervention early enough, there is a higher chance of getting the diseases under control and of preventing an acute crisis.

Cardiac Package

  • Blood pressure measurement
  • Chest radiographs
  • Heart ultrasound (echocardiogram) with an EKG
  • Blood work that includes thyroid functions
  • All tests will be reviewed by a board-certified cardiologist

Geriatric Package for Cats

  • Blood pressure measurement
  • Blood work including thyroid function
  • Whole body radiographs that will be reviewed by a board-certified radiologist
  • In some cases, we also recommend an echocardiogram as well (heart ultrasound)

Geriatric Package for Small Dogs

  • Blood pressure
  • Blood work including thyroid functions
  • Chest radiographs that will be reviewed by a board-certified radiologist

Geriatric Package for Large Dogs

  • Blood pressure
  • Blood work including thyroid functions
  • Chest radiographs that will be reviewed by a board-certified radiologist
  • Abdominal ultrasound

Please make sure to ask our staff about these new bundled diagnostic programs, as they will save you more than $100.