|
Just like people, as your pet ages its organs will slowly deteriorate and lose their ability to function. With modern medical tools and in-house blood analysis, veterinarians can take a more proactive approach to maintain your pet's good health.
Geriatric animals are prone to many of the same diseases older humans experience--diabetes, renal disease, heart disease, cancer, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
Geriatric testing helps establish healthy baseline values and identify problems early, rather than waiting for obvious signs of tragic illness. This health profile also serves as a complete pre-anesthetic screening for a dental procedure or surgery. In addition, a geriatric profile helps us avoid using medications that may be unsafe for the pet's condition or health status.
Is my pet a good candidate for geriatric testing? Geriatric testing is recommended for all geriatric animals, refer to the list below to find out whether or not your pet is considered geriatric.
Your pet is geriatric once it has reached the following age:
Small dogs (under 20 lb.)--9 to 13 years
Medium dogs (21--50 lb.)--9 to 11.5 years
Large Dogs (51--90 lb.)--7.5 to 10.5 years
Giant Dogs (over 90 lb.)--6 to 9 years
Most Cats--8 to 10 years
Rabbits--3 years
Ferrets--2 years
At Metairie Small Animal Hospital, we have arranged to packages of geriatric profiles to best fit the needs of your pets.
|
|
