Physical Changes and
Early Disease Detection

A touch of gray around the muzzle, increasing cloudiness in the eyes and a less-frisky gait are some of the more obvious physical changes you might see in your senior dog or cat. Other changes may be more subtle. It takes a watchful eye to recognize what may be early signs of disease or health problems. Often when you see outward signs of disease, your pet has already lost significant organ function and has actually been dealing with this disease state for some time. Early disease detection and establishing a baseline for organ function is important.

Your veterinarian can run a variety of blood chemistries, hematology, urinalysis, and electrolyte profiles that will check the function of your pet's blood, liver, kidney, heart, pancreas, electrolyte balance, and thyroid function. These tests, and others such as radiographs, tonometry, and ultrasound, will provide your veterinarian with an excellent picture of your pet's current health status. We recommend yearly laboratory testing, as well as twice-yearly examinations for senior pets.

Exactly when these changes occur will vary from pet to pet, influenced by factors such as genetics, the environment and nutrition. By reporting changes in your senior dog to your veterinarian as early as possible, you can help improve your dog's quality of life and keep potentially serious conditions under control.