Our senior wellness visit begins with the usual physical exam to assess eyes, ears, skin, teeth, heart, lungs, abdomen, and the presence of any lumps.
The doctor then assesses the patient for age related changes which may include arthritis, behavioral differences, or changes in appetite or weight.
We recommend yearly screening lab work, which includes blood testing and possibly urine testing.
The senior blood work panel is the same for dogs and cats, except it includes a Heartworm/Lyme test for dogs and, instead, a thyroid level for cats.
We want to check that the liver and kidneys are functioning well, red and white blood cells are in appropriate amounts and condition, there are no infections, and that there are no signs of early diabetes.
Lab work can find things that don't show up on an exam - but could later on.
This gives us a baseline for future blood work as well - we'll be able to see if there is a trend in declining health or not.
Additional testing may be advised if a problem is detected with your pet.>