Preventative Health & Senior Care Care in Madison, Alabama
At Whitworth Animal Clinic, we are dedicated tp helping pets thrive at every age through personalized preventive care and senior wwellness. From the first puppy visit to the senior years, our team creates care plans that prioritize long-term health and early disease detection.
Annual exams, vaccinations, parasite prevention, nutrition guidance, and wellness screenings help us stay ahead of health concerns. As your pet ages, we adjust our approach to include more frequent checkups and diagnostics tailored to senior needs such as arthritis, kidney function, and cognitive changes.
Veterinary Care Plays a Big Role in the Longevity of Your Pet
With pets routinely living to old age these days due to advances in veterinary geriatrics medicine and the increase in information about preventative health measures, Dr. Charles Whitworth at the Whitworth Animal Clinic offers a range of veterinary geriatric services in Madison and the surrounding areas. Just like humans who face more health issues as they age, as animals grow older they also have a greater risk of developing diseases and health problems such as arthritis, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, cancer, vision loss, and dental disease. Not only can these health problems and diseases cut a pet’s life short; they can also rob pets of a high quality of life, leaving them in pain or restricting their activity level.
At What Age Is My Dog Considered a Senior?
Senior Cats
Cats are generally considered seniors once they reach 10 years of age.
Senior Dogs
Dog seniority status varies depending on their size and breed.
- Toy or Small Breeds (20 pounds and under): 8 to 11 years old
- Medium Breeds (Between 20-50 pounds): 8 to 10 years old
- Large Breeds (Between 50-90 pounds): 8 to 9 years old
- Giant Breeds (90+ pounds): 6 to 7 years old
Quality of Life Focus
Many of the aforementioned diseases and health issues can be treated and managed effectively when diagnosed at an early stage. From his years of experience as a veterinarian in the Madison area, Dr. Whitworth recommends that all animals seven years or older have an annual geriatric evaluation. These evaluations aim to diagnose health problems before they occur, keeping your pet happy and healthy, longer. The annual veterinary geriatric tests include a thorough physical examination as well as a complete blood count, blood chemistry profile, urinalysis, and radiography.
Knowledge Is Power When Helping Your Pet
After your pet’s examination, Dr. Whitworth will analyze the results in our in-house laboratory, attempting to identify any current or future problems for your pet. Not only will addressing potential health issues early give your pet a great chance to get the most out of life, but these tests can save you money by allowing your pet to be treated with medication over time rather than through an emergency procedure or animal hospital care.
If you have a pet that is considered a senior, contact us at Whitworth Animal Clinic in Madison, Alabama, today so that you can take advantage of our veterinary geriatric services and keep your elderly pet happy, healthy, and full of energy.