As your pet ages, and the same is true for ourselves, body system function changes. Several of these changes are quite obvious, such as mouth odor due to dental calculus and slowed movements due to arthritis. Other age related problems such as heart, liver and kidney disease, and certain hormonal disorders are not quite so obvious. For these reasons routine physical examinations and appropriate diagnostic testing is essential to monitor health status as our pets age.
With appropriate examinations and testing, many disease processes can be identified as early as possible. Treatment can then be initiated to control the disease process and improve overall quality of life and longevity. Once treatment is initiated, appropriate periodic monitoring is essential to minimize complications from both treatment and progression of disease.
Age appropriate diagnostic testing is also necessary in preparations for surgical procedures. As pets age, the risk for unknown disease processes to be present increases. Therefore as our pets age, more thorough diagnostic testing and precautionary measures are recommended to minimize anesthetic complications and maximize the likelihood of a positive outcome.
