Low-Cost Comprehensive Senior and Adult Pet Health Screening Clinic
Allow us to help your pet feel young again!
*This package is for healthy dogs and cats only. It is to be used as a health screening tool. This package can only be used once in a pet’s lifetime. If medical conditions exist, this Senior Health Package pricing cannot be utilized and normal pricing will be charged.
By Appointment Only! Please Call for Special Pricing!
Clinic Package includes:
- Comprehensive Physical Examination
- Complete Blood Count (CBC)
- Blood Chemistry Panel
- Thyroid Function Screening Blood Test
- Urinalysis (please bring a fresh sample)
- Fecal Analysis (please bring a fresh sample)
- Blood Pressure (BP)
- X-Rays: 2 lateral (pet laying on side) views. One chest view and one abdomen view. This is for general screening purposes only. Additional views may be suggested depending on patients clinical history. X-rays have limitations and may not be diagnostic. X-Rays are typically taken in multiple positions, usually one view with the patient on the back and one view with the patient laying on his or her side. Without complete x-rays, it is possible for some disease processes to not be visualized. Abdominal Ultrasound may be suggested depending on your pets blood work and x-rays
Senior and Adult Pet Care
Thanks to more frequent veterinary visits and higher quality pet foods, dogs and cats are living longer and healthier lives. As pets live longer the chance of developing more age-related diseases increases. Pets can potentially develop similar diseases as elderly people such as arthritic changes, kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, thyroid diseases, and many others. Veterinary care is possibly the most important for your pet as they age. Catching many diseases early can possibly prolong your pet’s life substantially.
Senior Health Exams
The most important step you can take as a pet owner in keeping your pet healthy is bringing him or her to the vet at least every 6 months for a comprehensive health examination because every year that passes is the equivalent to 5-7 people years. Senior care starts with the veterinary exam, which is needed to help catch and delay the onset or progress of a disease and for the early detection of problems such as organ failure and arthritic changes.
Client education and laboratory testing are also key components of the senior exam.
Diagnostic Testing
Laboratory testing is extremely important in understanding the status of your pet’s health. Blood work can catch a problem well before you ever notice something is wrong. Most often by the time you notice there is a problem such as drinking too much or urinating too much your dog or cat may only have 1/3 of his or her kidney function remaining. Normal blood work acts as a ‘baseline’ of your pet’s health, while even minor changes in lab results may indicate an underlying disease.
- Complete Blood Count: This test quantifies the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in your pet’s blood sample. These numbers can indicate different diseases such as anemia(low red blood cells), thrombocytopenia (low platelets), leukemia etc.
- Urinalysis: The analysis of urine is used to help detect the presence of certain products that should not normally be in your pet’s urine sample such as protein, sugar, white blood cells or blood. It will also help determine the concentration of the urine which can indicate different disease processes. Urinalysis can help your vet diagnosis o urinary-tract infections(UTI’s), diabetes, dehydration, kidney problems(some of which may not show up in blood work alone) along with other diseases.
- Blood-Chemistry Panel: This lab test helps your veterinarian assess the function of organs such as the liver and kidneys, along with assessing the level of dehydration, inflammation, diabetes. It can also help determine if further diagnostics are needed to determine if your pet has Cushing’s disease, cancer or other diseases. These results can help your pet’s veterinarian determine if further testing is needed or if specific medications or diet changes need to be prescribed to prolong your pet’s health.
- T4 – Thyroid Function Test: This test measures the function of the thyroid gland which is located at the base of the next. The thyroid gland is very important in the basic daily functions of almost every body system. The thyroid gland controls, activity level, appetite, hair growth, metabolism, heart function and much more. Hyperthyroidism in cats is dangerous and must be treated. Occasionally an additional test is needed to confirm thyroid disease.
- Parasite Evaluation: This test is performed by evaluating a fresh fecal sample. It will help determine if your pet has different intestinal parasites which may be detrimental to their health and which also may be transmissible to people.
Nutrition and Muscle Building Programs
Your pet’s nutrition and exercise requirements change as they age. There are specially formulated veterinary diets to help meet your pets health needs. All dogs over the age of 7 should be on nutritional supplements such as a high-quality joint supplements to help prevent or slow down the progression of arthritis.(be careful of what you may find in pet stores, Dr. Arpino recommends only getting supplements through your veterinarian or recommended by your veterinarian as there are much poor quality and counterfeit products on the market). Do NOT give your pet Aspirin, Advil, Tylenol, Motrin or any other medication not prescribed by your veterinarian as they can cause severe long-term and potentially fatal problems for your pet. We will help you formulate a proper protocol of food, supplement and exercise along with proper anti-inflammatory therapy if needed. Just as our joints may get achy and our muscles may get weaker as we get older, our pets do as well, the only difference is our pets will not tell us if they are uncomfortable.
Boulevard Veterinary Group carries the highest quality products for the continued health of your pet.
Dr. Arpino will work with each pet family to help formulate a diagnostic and/or treatment plan that is best for both your dog or cat and your family.
Signs of a Problem:
- Drinking more than normal and Urinating more than normal
- Weight Loss or gain
- Decreased appetite or anorexia
- Ravenous appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Straining to urinate or defecate
- Inappropriate urination or bowel movements
- Limping for more than 2 days
- Vision loss
- Open sores or scabs on the skin
- Foul mouth odor or excessive drooling
- Abdomen appears to be growing in size or becoming rounder
- Increased activity level or decreased activity level
- Hair loss or hair thinning
- Excessive panting
- Trouble chewing dry food
- Blood in feces or urine
- Sudden collapse or weakness
- A seizure
- Coughing or gagging
- Tongue turns blue in color
- Exercise intolerance
- Breathing heavily or rapidly at rest
