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Your pet's senior years deserve extra attention
Pets age faster than people do. A dog or cat who seemed perfectly healthy at their last annual exam can develop kidney disease, arthritis, or a heart condition within the same year. By the time symptoms become obvious, a condition that was manageable has often progressed further than it needed to.
Senior pets do not slow down because they are lazy. They slow down because something hurts, or because their body is working harder than it used to. Recognizing that difference and acting on it early is what senior care is about. At Horse Heaven Hills Pet Urgent Care & Veterinary Center, we recommend twice-yearly wellness visits for senior cats and dogs. More frequent exams give us a closer look at how your pet is aging and a shorter window between when a problem starts and when we catch it.
When does a pet become a senior?
The answer depends on species and size. Cats are generally considered senior around age 10 to 11. For dogs, the timeline varies significantly by breed:
- Small and toy breeds (under 20 lbs): Senior around age 10 to 12
- Medium breeds (20–50 lbs): Senior around age 8 to 10
- Large and giant breeds (50 lbs and up): Senior around age 6 to 8
Large and giant breed dogs age more quickly than small breeds, and their health can shift faster as well. If you are unsure whether your pet has entered their senior years, our team can help you understand what stage of life they are in and what that means for their care.
What a senior wellness exam includes
A senior exam covers everything in a standard wellness visit, with additional focus on the systems and conditions most likely to affect older pets.
- Full nose-to-tail physical exam
- Heart and lung evaluation for murmurs and respiratory changes
- Joint and mobility assessment
- Dental and oral health evaluation
- Weight and body condition review
- Lymph node and abdominal palpation
- Eye and ear exam
- Skin, coat, and lump assessment
- Bloodwork and urinalysis
- Blood pressure measurement
- Thyroid screening where appropriate
- Pain assessment
- Cognitive and behavioral health discussion
- Vaccine and parasite prevention review
Diagnostic screening for senior pets
A physical exam gives us important information, but many of the conditions most common in senior pets develop beneath the surface before they cause visible symptoms. Age-related health issues such as kidney disease, arthritis, diabetes, thyroid disorders, heart disease, and high blood pressure often progress quietly in their early stages. Routine diagnostic screening at every senior visit helps us identify these changes sooner, when treatment and management options are often most effective.
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Comprehensive Bloodwork
Evaluates kidney, liver, thyroid, and pancreatic function while screening for common age-related conditions such as diabetes and anemia.
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Urinalysis
Helps assess kidney health and detect urinary tract infections, protein loss, and other changes that may not appear in bloodwork.
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Blood Pressure
Screens for hypertension, a common condition in senior pets that can affect the eyes, kidneys, heart, and brain.
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Thyroid Testing
Detects thyroid disorders that commonly occur in older cats and dogs and can often be managed successfully with treatment.
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Chest and Abdominal Imaging
X-rays or ultrasound may be recommended to evaluate the heart, lungs, and internal organs when additional information is needed.
Pain management for senior pets
Pain is one of the most undertreated conditions in older pets, largely because pets are skilled at masking discomfort. What looks like normal aging, for instance, sleeping more, moving less, being less engaged, can often be traced to pain that is manageable with the right approach.
We take pain seriously at Horse Heaven Hills. For senior pets showing signs of discomfort, we discuss the full range of options, which may include:
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Joint supplements
- Prescription diets formulated for joint health
- Laser therapy
- Environmental modifications to make daily life easier at home
nutrition and weight in older pets
Weight changes in senior pets are worth paying attention to in both directions. Weight gain puts additional strain on aging joints and increases the risk of diabetes and other metabolic conditions. Unexplained weight loss, on the other hand, is often an early sign of hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, cancer, or dental pain.
Senior-specific diets are formulated to support aging kidneys, joints, and immune function. During senior visits, we review what your pet is eating, how much, and whether their current diet is still the right fit for where they are in life.
Helping senior pets stay healthy and comfortable
At Horse Heaven Hills Pet Urgent Care & Veterinary Center, we understand that your senior pet is not just a patient. They are a member of your family with years of history behind them. Our team brings the same care and attention to every senior visit, whether it is a routine biannual checkup or an appointment to address a new concern.
We see patients from Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, Badger, and across the greater Tri-Cities. If your dog or cat is entering their senior years, or if it has been a while since their last checkup, call our team or book online to schedule a senior wellness visit.