Many of our senior pets have given us a decade of fun, love, and devotion and it is our responsibility to provide appropriate care, in turn, as they enter their geriatric years. Our pets face the same problems with age as we do even if they keep their pain hidden. It is surprising to note 60% of cats older than 6 years and 70% to 90% of cats 12 years of age and older have arthritis!

I have a precious cat Nibbler (My daughters who were young at the time named him Nibbler because he was yellow like a niblet of corn and he nibbles his food.😂) When he was 7 years old he lost his companion, Boo, to cancer. Soon after he began lying around more. There were other changes in the house that would cause a cat to be sad or grumpy which explained his behavior. He was still jumping high on furniture and other places. One day he missed a jump so I tried him on a new arthritis injection, Solensia, and within 2 months he was playing like a kitten! It’s amazing how easy it is to overlook illness in our pets and how sometimes a small change can reap remarkable benefits. I love my pets and want to treat them the way I want to be treated and we are here to help you give that same care to your pets!

Routine visits with your veterinarian every 3-6 months for a complete examination and some routine testing are essential to uncover any problems your aging pet may be experiencing. There is so very much we can do to improve the quality of their life, sometimes with just simple changes such as a special diet or a monthly injection for arthritis as examples.

Some of the aging changes we can recognize and treat in our beloved aging pets are kidney disease (Cat or Dog), hyperthyroidism (Cat or Dog), osteoarthritis (Cat or Dog), and canine cognitive dysfunction to name a few. We encourage you to make regular appointments with your veterinarian and maintain an open dialogue to provide the very best care possible for our beloved pets!