Veterinary Services
Pet Senior Care in
Rolling Meadows, IL
Like humans, cats and dogs are living longer. Also, as in human medicine, the veterinary field has many non-invasive ways to screen our older pets for early signs of disease. There are many procedures and medications that can help them live longer, happier, and healthier lives.
More Frequent Examinations – For every one year in human life, a dog or cat ages the equivalent of five to seven human years. At some point in their lives, it can be up to seven years for every one human year! So seeing a veterinarian and getting a complete physical every calendar year would be the equivalent of seeing our human physician every seven years. Allowing Arlington Park Veterinary Hospital to assess your pet’s health on a more frequent basis allows for early detection of illness and disease. For selected pets – those with known diseases and those in their advanced senior years – twice-yearly examinations are recommended.
Diagnostic Laboratory Work — Studies have shown that over 17 percent of senior cats and 23 percent of senior dogs that appear healthy during a physical exam have an underlying disease. Performing blood work, urine tests, and fecal exams ensure that the pet is truly healthy on the inside as well as on the outside, or it uncovers a medical problem while it is in the early stages and may not be showing obvious symptoms. This allows us to treat and hopefully cure those medical problems earlier without invasive treatments.
Medication – With today’s advances in veterinary medicine, there are many new medications that are increasingly successful and safe in treating diseases affecting our senior pets, as well as alleviating common effects of disease or aging, such as lameness, soreness, allergies, or incontinence.
Special Nutritional Diets – Available specialized diets have an essential balance of nutrients with lower calories and fat and a controlled blend of vitamins and minerals to help your pet stay stronger for longer.
Dentistry – Studies show that over 70% of cats, and 80% of dogs over the age of three years, show some sign of gum disease. One of the earliest signs of dental problems is the formation of tartar on the tooth. Tartar is composed of bacteria, plaque, and food debris. Left untreated, this can allow bacteria into the bloodstream, which can cause harm to the pet’s internal organs. Dental disease can also cause bad teeth, red gums, and pain when chewing. It is important to have us examine your pet’s teeth and gums and have regular dental cleanings when recommended.