Dogs and cats age incredibly fast compared to people. A dog’s first year is just about equal to a person’s first sixteen years! Generally speaking, we consider a seven-year-old dog a “Super Senior”, while cats of about eight years are considered “Super Seniors”. 

How old is your pooch in people years?
Dog's Age	Under 20lbs.	20-55lbs.	55-90lbs.	Over 90lbs.
6	40	42	45	49
8	48	51	55	64
10	56	60	66	78
12	64	69	77	93
14	72	78	88	108
16	80	87	99	123
18	88	96	109

As dogs and cats get older, their bodies change, even though they may outwardly appear healthy. Some age-related changes such as hearing and mild vision loss cannot be prevented. However, with early detection, the onset of many diseases can be delayed or successfully treated. Among the more common health problems that can be helped are obesity, kidney disease, heart disease, liver disease, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, tooth and gum disease, and behavioral changes.

“Super Senior” exams include a complete, in-depth physical exam, osteoarthritis exam, nutritional evaluation, CBC (complete blood count) - a blood profile assessing 29 organ function tests, and thyroid testing. Chest radiographs (x-rays) are performed to examine heart size and shape as well as showing lung disease. We also run an electrocardiogram (ecg) to determine how well the heart is functioning. We’ll examine a fecal sample, check for heartworms and run a urinalysis to look for unusual changes. We run a urine protein: creatinine ratio, in order to assess protein loss from the kidneys, a sign of major disease. We take several blood pressure readings, and we test the eyes for glaucoma.

Finally, we schedule a 40 minute consultation time with you to go over all of your pet's results, and to make our recommendations.

Many dogs and cats that have had their Super Senior exams have benefited. We have found several tumors of which the owners had been unaware, early kidney and liver failure and even heart irregularities that were not yet clinically evident. Because of early detection, proper diets and medications could be given to prevent critical health problems and improve quality of life.