Senior Pet Care & Disease Prevention With Regular Exams & Lab Diagnostics
Our senior pets are progressively more vulnerable to age-related illnesses, conditions, and injury. The professionals of The Maywood Veterinary Clinic provide complete wellness care focused on maximizing health and longevity for our loyal senior companions. This program is centered on detecting and addressing developing problems at the earliest stage possible, for the least invasive treatments.
As an accredited veterinary hospital, we follow the guidelines of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) for the care of senior dogs and cats.
Regular veterinary examinations are critical to the health of any pet. As dogs and cats enter the senior life stage, these examinations help us detect problems such as organ failure and osteoarthritis, and delay the progress of age-related disease. Since pets age at a more rapid rate than humans, we recommend healthy senior pets visit our clinic every six months for a complete exam and laboratory testing.
Senior care starts with a comprehensive veterinary exam of all of your pet’s body systems. Client education and laboratory testing are also key components of the senior exam. Test may involve blood work, urinalysis, fecal exam, and other diagnostics including ultrasound or x-ray.
At that time, we will discuss any changes in your pet’s activity and behavior since the last visit.
Changes in your senior companion may be obvious, such as a graying coat and stiffness in movements. Other changes may be more subtle or even baffling: a gentle dog becomes cranky and aggressive, a cat hides at dinner time, or the animal exhibits a sudden weight loss or gain. Other signs of dysfunction include night time restlessness, loss of bowel or bladder control, howling or vocalizing, confusion, and lack of response to commands.
Any dramatic change in your pet warrants a call to our clinic at (201) 368-0607, to discuss the issue with our veterinarians. Addressing such changes immediately often prevents more complex, uncomfortable, and expensive treatments later on.
Saying goodbye to a long-time friend is painful. At The Maywood Veterinary Clinic, we work with clients to ensure the comfort and dignity of every pet at end of life. Our services include client support for hospice, pain relief, humane euthanasia services, and taking care of the remains as directed by the client.