The Senior Wellness Program for Cats at Willow Creek Animal Hospital

As veterinary care and commercial pet foods improve, our pets are living longer. Our goal for the Wellness Program is to work closely with you to help your pet live as long and as comfortably as possible. Early detection of disease or degenerative changes makes successful management of the problem more likely. We consider cats nine years of age or older to be seniors.

Wellness screening in the older pet begins with the pet owner. You may notice subtle changes in your pet's activity, such as increase or decrease in appetite or thirst, personality changes, restlessness or stiffness. Such changes, or any obvious sign of illness (coughing, vomiting, diarrhea.), warrant prompt attention. With early detection chronic illness can be more successfully managed.

Your veterinarian will perform a complete physical examination. The exam is an important step for detecting subtle changes because cats often do a good job in hiding their illnesses.

For routine health screening of senior cats, we recommend the following tests:

Chemistry profile - This is the first line testing for major organ function, electrolyte balance, and blood sugar
Urinalysis - A urine sample helps us to evaluate kidney function and screen for diabetes as well as detect infection of crystals
Complete blood count - Evidence of anemia, infection and inflammation are found here
Fecal - A stool sample is examined for parasites
Thyroid panel - Hyperthyroidism is a common and treatable condition in older cats
Blood pressure - Hypertension is sometimes a sign of an underlying illness and can be treated

Early detection is an important factor in treatment success. Talk to your veterinarian about your senior cat at your next visit.