Here at Parkhill Vets, we are passionate about caring for your pets through every stage of their life – from puppies and teenagers through to adults and seniors.
As our pets get older, similarly to us, certain age-related conditions can start to develop. These illnesses can sit beneath the surface without becoming apparent until much later. Senior Clinics have been designed to pick up on illnesses before they start to affect your pet. Early detection will hopefully help prevent deterioration and ensure your pet can live life to the fullest!
As pets age, it is normal to see some changes to their behaviour, but some of these changes can indicate an underlying problem.
Signs to look out for in your senior pet include:
- Increased thirst or urination
- Stiffness when first getting up
- Slowing down on walks, lagging behind or less interest in going out for walks
- Developing fears or phobias they didn’t have before
- Being less interactive or not wanting to be groomed
- Becoming more grumpy/snappy
- Reluctance to jump (e.g. on furniture or into the car) or use the stairs
- Licking at their legs
- Poorer coat quality
- Sleeping more
- Weight loss or changes in appetite (increased or decreased)
Please call us today to book an appointment
What is included in our Senior Wellness Clinics?
Prior to your appointment you will be asked to complete a questionnaire about your pet, and you will also be asked to collect a urine sample.
The initial appointment will last up to 45 minutes and will be with one of our Veterinary Nurses.
It will include:
- Full clinical exam and dental check
- Blood testing
- Schirmer tear test for dry eyes
- Stance analyser to assess early signs of pain
- Blood pressure measurement
- Urine sample testing
- Body conditioning scoring and diet assessment
- Exercise analaysis
The results of these tests will be collated and assessed by a Veterinary Surgeon who will call you to discuss the findings and any recommendations for management, treatment or lifestyle changes.
Please call us today to book an appointment
What conditions are we concerned about?
Screening blood tests can often identify a problem before it becomes clinically evident. They can detect early signs of a number of diseases such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), hyperthyroidism, diabetes and other endocrine diseases.
For example, clinical signs of Chronic Kidney Disease are often not seen in our patients until they have already lost up to two thirds of their kidney function.
Mobility can often decline as our pets age; with 80% of dogs over the age of eight, and 90% of cats over the age of twelve suffering from osteoarthritis. Pets that have also experienced trauma, such as a road traffic accident or orthopaedic surgery, can often develop osteoarthritis at a much younger age.
This is a painful condition that can reduce your pet’s quality of life, so we want to help manage this disease in any way we can. For overweight pets, losing just 6% of their bodyweight can improve mobility by the same amount as starting anti-inflammatory medication. Pain from arthritis should not just be ‘a part of getting old’.
Our Senior Pet Clinics are £85, giving you a huge saving of over £150.
For more information or to talk to one of our nurses, please contact us on 01937 582 025.
