Senior pet wellness exams, with bloodwork done in-house
Most changes that look like old age in a dog or cat are caused by a specific medical condition, and several of those conditions are treatable.
What owners notice
Changes to mention at the visit
These are easy to blame on age, but tell us about them anyway.
- Slowing on walks, stiffness after rest, reluctance on stairs
- Drinking or urinating more than they used to
- Weight change in either direction
- Sleeping more, or restlessness and pacing at night
- Lumps and skin changes
- Bad breath, or eating more slowly
- Cloudy eyes, or bumping into things in low light
Stiffness in particular is usually pain rather than age, and pain in an older animal is treatable more often than owners expect.
What we check
An exam and baseline measurements
Regular check-ups let us detect problems early, before they become expensive or painful. For a senior pet, that means measuring things rather than judging by eye.
- Bloodwork and urine testing, read in our in-house laboratory
- Kidney, liver and thyroid values
- Blood pressure
- Weight and body condition against previous visits
- A full oral examination
- Ultrasound and digital X-ray on site when the exam suggests a problem
What to expect
Results at the visit
Because the laboratory is on site, bloodwork is typically read during the appointment rather than sent to an outside lab. You leave with the numbers and a plan rather than waiting for a phone call.
Younger and senior pets are generally seen more often, and we will recommend a schedule based on your pet rather than apply a rule. As a baseline, senior pets have a wellness examination and screening every six months, with more frequent rechecks when medically indicated.
For cats, see senior cat care: kidney, thyroid and weight changes work differently in cats, and gentle handling matters more.
Common findings
What we most often find
Arthritis, dental disease, kidney and thyroid changes, and lumps.
All four are manageable, and all four are easier to treat before the owner has noticed them. Arthritis in particular gets missed because a dog who is reluctant on stairs looks old rather than sore, and the treatment is often straightforward.
We will not run every available test and hand you a printout. The exam tells us which tests are worth running. We tell you what we found and what the tests cost before we go ahead, and we explain the reason for anything we recommend. Early cancer screening for dogs · Dental pain · Lumps and masses · Limping and stiffness
Common questions
Questions we are asked
When is a pet a senior?
Dogs from roughly seven years old (earlier in giant breeds), and cats from around eleven. The label matters less than starting screening bloodwork before there is a symptom.
Is senior bloodwork worth it if nothing seems wrong?
That is when it is most useful, because it establishes your pet's normal. A result at the edge of the normal range means something quite different when we can compare it with last year's.
How often should a senior pet be examined?
More often than a young adult. Regular check-ups catch problems early, and we will recommend an interval based on age and findings. The baseline for senior pets is a wellness examination and screening every six months, with more frequent rechecks when medically indicated.
Call us or schedule a visit
Call us with your questions, or to schedule a visit for your pet.
- Address
- 6937 Warner Avenue
Huntington Beach, CA 92647 - Hours
- Monday – Saturday, 9 AM – 8:30 PM · Tue to 6 PMSunday: closed.
- Phone
- (714) 274-9305