Senior Wellness Care

As our pets age, it is important to address their special needs. An age at which a pet is considered senior varies depending on breed, size and whether there are underlying medical conditions.  In general a pet can be approaching their senior years at 9 or 10 years of age.  At Litchfield Veterinary Hospital we will work with you to design a wellness program tailored for your senior pet and provide the care they need. Pets are great at masking disease and therefore a problem may not be visible to the owner until the disease has progressed.  Many diseases in pets present with subtle signs  that may go unnoticed unless you know to look for them.

Some of these signs include:

• Increase/decrease in water consumption
• Increase/decrease in food consumption
• Changes in behavior
• weight loss or weight gain
• vocalization
• Changes in activity/mobility
• Changes in bowels or urination
• vomiting
• coughing
• bad breath

As your pet ages, it is important to watch for any signs of illness.  As part of our preventative care plan, a geriatric wellness screening is recommended at 9 or 10 years of age, bi-annual exams are also recommended.

The doctors and technicians at Litchfield Veterinary Hospital will discuss your pets specific needs and address any concerns you may have in order to keep your pet happy and healthy for many years.  It is important to remember that early detection is the key in maintaining your pets overall health. Chronic illness associated with seniority can often be treated and  allow your pet to continue living comfortably.