Free Senior Pets Health Check Up!

We are now offering free health checks for geriatric patients. Dogs over 8 years and cats over 10 years are eligible to take advantage of this service.  Our experienced team of qualified nurses are running senior pet health checks helping to keep your older cats and dogs in tip top health through the golden years. They will perform detailed examinations, urine tests, and additionally in cats a blood pressure check. This will be followed later by a complimentary veterinary consultation to review key life-stage advice and discuss any concerns raised by the nurses. Finally, we are also offering exclusive discounts on selected services through our Geriatric clinics including blood profiles and dental treatment.

Why is it important to take your pet to the Senior clinics?

Animals age more quickly than humans.  Sadly we cannot stop our pets from getting older and although inevitable, pet owners can help delay the signs of ageing through good management and regular health checks.   Dogs and cats are generally considered geriatric from eight years of age although certain breeds of dogs become senior at five years of age.  Older pets need more attention than younger pets and it is important that your animal is checked regularly by us in order to detect problems early.

Is my pet getting old or could there be other reasons it is slowing down?

It is true that older animals can slow down a lot. However, while we often simply put this down to ageing changes it can in fact be due to an underlying medical condition.  If detected early these conditions are often treatable and treatment can greatly improve an animal’s quality of life.   Some examples of problems that commonly occur in older animals include: dental problems, arthritis, heart conditions, kidney failure, liver problems and skin conditions. You may not even realise your pet is in the early stages of disease and most of these problems benefit immensely from an early diagnosis and institution of treatment. Advances in veterinary medicines and diets have also allowed us to provide your pet with state of the art treatments and preventative health-care ensuring comfortable and pain free senior years.

Providing peace of mind:

Even if nothing abnormal is detected at your pet’s health-check appointment the information we gather will help in the future when concerns for your pet’s health are raised. Knowing what is normal for your pet gives us unique insights and offers huge advantages when investigating an illness.  We are also able to provide specific life stage advice tailored to your pets needs.

Dietary advice for your senior pets:

Older animals have different dietary requirements from younger ones.  They require a reduction in the fat and sodium levels and an increase in the fibre content of their diet.  They also have lower energy requirements in general, especially if they have been neutered, and as a result are more prone to obesity. This is especially true if they are not as active as they once were.  Weight management is crucial and reaching a target weight can greatly improve quality of life. Obesity on the other hand can greatly exacerbate other health problems, for example arthritis.  Obesity has also been shown to reduce life expectancy in pets by an average of two years! We can access youranimal’s weight and if necessary help you to take steps to reduce it. Ask about our Weight Clinics for more information.

How can I book my Geriatric clinic appointment?

We hope you take advantage of this fantastic service and look forward to seeing you at the surgery soon. Please contact your own surgery for more information and to book your pet’s first Geriatric Clinic appointment.