Care for your dog aged 7 and older*

*Giant breed dogs have shorter life spans and are considered senior citizens at age 5.

At seven years of age we consider our canine patients senior citizens. Its even earlier for our giant breed friends as they are seniors at only five years of age. Older dogs tend to be susceptible to many diseases. Thanks to our advancing veterinary technology, many of these diseases are easily and successfully treated if they are found early enough. The most common problems that senior dogs face which shorten their life span and increase their suffering are obesity, dental disease, and decreased mobility related to degenerative joint disease. The most important things you can do for your senior dog now more than ever are to keep him or her at an ideal body weight, feed the best quality senior formulated food that you can afford, make sure that you continue to walk your dog daily for 30 minutes, and get his or her teeth professionally cleaned if and when it is recommended. Old age is not a disease. Dogs develop problems as they age, but these problems are identifiable and treatable with proper veterinary care. Our goal for your senior dog is not life at all costs, but rather, the highest quality of life possible. With today’s veterinary technology, an older dog who “seems to be slowing down” may actually have a manageable disease that we may be able to find with the regular care recommended below.

Senior Comprehensive Physical Examination: Twice per year.

What is involved: A complete evaluation of all of your dog’s bodily systems including:

Review of all body systems from head to toe including: BODY CONDITION SCORE, EYES (cornea, anterior chamber, adnexa, lens, and retina) EARS: External ear canal and eardrum. NOSE, ORAL CAVITY (teeth, gums, and tongue), LYMPH NODES, HEART (for murmurs or arrhythmias), LUNGS (for congestion), ABDOMEN (for evidence of tumors or enlarged organs), MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM (for muscle atrophy which is a sign of chronic pain of arthritis), SKIN (for allergic disease, skin tumors, hair cycle abnormalities can be a sign of glandular disease), RECTUM (for anal gland tumor, enlarged or abnormal prostate, other tumors)

· Vaccinations will be given according to the risk of the individual. We follow the most up to date recommendations on vaccinations from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA); this is a veterinary care organization which has studied many facets of canine vaccinations. Dogs who visit boarding kennels, groomers, go to parks where they encounter other dogs, or attend doggie day care are at increased risk of infectious disease. Most dogs will receive a Distemper-Adenovirus Type 2-Parvo-Parainfluenza (DA2PP) injection every three years. All dogs who contact other dogs as described above need twice per year Kennel Cough Vaccines. We recommend Lyme vaccinations for any dog who does not test positive on the annual Lyme test. Rabies vaccination is required by law in Massachusetts for companion dogs. We will vaccinate your dog for rabies at either one or three year intervals depending upon his or her prior rabies vaccination history.

What is involved: An injection under the skin or a nose drops.

Blood pressure screening

What is involved: A small cuff placed on the leg of your dog which is connected to a blood pressure machine. High blood pressure can cause kidney failure and blindness in the dog. It can be caused by a number of medical problems. It is treatable with oral medication.

Fecal Floatation

What is involved: By bringing a fresh stool sample (not more than 24 hours old) we can look for the presence of any intestinal parasites which dogs can obtain from contact with other dogs or by walking where another infected dog has been. Roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms can make you and the people in your home sick. Dogs like to groom themselves by licking all of their body parts including their anus which can harbor the eggs of internal parasites. If your dog has a worm infestation and then licks one of the children or immunocompromised people in your home, this can be a health risk. If you are unable to obtain a stool sample, we can administer a broad spectrum dewormer to your dog which will eliminate any potential gastrointestinal parasites.

Annual Lyme, Heartworm, and Ehrlichia canis testing

Dedham is now considered a Lyme endemic area. We now recommend that every dog owner know their dog’s Lyme status every year.

Lyme is spread by the bite of the tiny deer tick. It is postulated that over 90% of dogs in a Lyme endemic area will test positive for exposure to Lyme disease. Of these individuals, only 10% will become ill from orthopedic (joint) disease. There is an unknown number of dogs who test positive for Lyme disease that are at risk for a certain type of kidney failure. By testing each dog each year, we hope to be able to protect those who test negative with a vaccination and treat those who are positive in hopes of preventing both joint and kidney disease which is related to exposure to Lyme. The three part test that we use to test for Lyme also tests dogs for heartworm disease and another tick borne disease called Ehrlichiosis.

Annual Canine Wellness Bloodwork and Urinalysis

What is involved: Your veterinarian and veterinary nurse will collect both a blood and urine sample from your dog. The test is no more painful than a needle stick. A CBC, biochemical profile, and urinalysis will be submitted to the laboratory for testing.

A CBC or Complete Blood Count allows us to measure the function of the bone marrow and answer the following questions: Is the body making proper numbers of red blood cells which carry oxygen to the tissues? Anemia can be a sign of blood loss or failure to produce red blood cells due to a chronic disease. Is there normal platelet function for blood clotting? Is there evidence of an elevated white blood cell count which can indicate stress from a disease state, cancer, or an infection?

A biochemical profile will allow us to assess the health and function of the liver and kidneys as well as to assess the blood sugar level and electrolyte levels. For senior dogs this includes an add on amylase and lipase level which will assess pancreatic health.

A two part thyroid panel will help screen your dog for hypothyroidism or an under-active thyroid gland. This condition can cause hair loss and obesity as it lowers your dog’s metabolic rate.

A urinalysis is the second of a two part test of the kidneys. Checking the urine allows us to determine the kidney’s ability to concentrate the urine. Cats should have highly concentrated urine; failure to concentrate urine in a cat can be indicative of kidney disease. Additionally, a urinalysis will tell us of your cat has urinary tract inflammation or infection as well as if there is any protein or sugar being lost from the kidneys which can be a health risk if not addressed.

Regular parasite prevention and control for internal and external parasites

Heartgard plus once per month for heartworms ,roundworms, and hookworms.

Revolution once per month for Fleas and Ticks

Cost is dependent on the body weight of your dog .

Why? Heartgard plus contains two medications: One that kills any baby heartworms that were introduced into your dog’s bloodstream by the bite of a mosquito and one to kill any roundworms or hookworms that your dog could have picked up by walking anywhere other dogs have been and then licking his or her paws to ingest the worm eggs or larvae. Frontline is toxic to the nervous system of fleas and ticks, it is safe for humans to use on dogs as our nervous systems are totally different. It is not absorbed systemically, but rather seats itself in the oil glands of the coat and is released over the period of a month. Fleas and ticks do not have to bite your dog for this product to work. It works on contact with the parasite. Fleas carry tapeworms. Ticks carry Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis, and Tularemia.

Regular oral care: Toothbrushing, Hills T/D diet, and/ or an oral mouth rinse

Please call for a cost of CET enzymatic dog toothpaste, a 5 pound bag of T/D dental diet; and a bottle of Nolvaldent oral rinse

Why? Your dog will live longer, have fewer problems, and may not have to have costly dental procedures if you can maintain excellent oral health in his or her mouth. Ideally, you would brush your dog’s teeth every day. May dogs are amenable to tooth brushing and love the taste of our toothpaste. The act of brushing the teeth provides attention and a delicious treat to your dog! We also recommend the regular use of several kibbles of Hill’s t/d diet given as a treat for your dog to prevent dental disease. Additionally, we suggest the use of an oral rinse on a regular basis to help keep numbers of mouth bacteria to a minimum.

Due to the increasing costs of veterinary products and technology, our prices are subject to change.

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