Care for Older Animals

Old age is not a disease, but it is the period in which disease appears. The aim in this stage is less to extend life than to make the time that remains comfortable and free of pain.

The six monthly check

In older animals we recommend a check every six months rather than annually. Alongside the physical examination we run a blood count, biochemistry and urine test; in cats a thyroid value and a blood pressure measurement are added.

Kidney failure is the clearest example. By the time signs appear, most of the kidney tissue has already lost its function. Yet the blood and urine values begin to shift while the animal still looks well, and at that stage adjusting the diet can slow the progression.

Pain and joints

Arthritis is common in older cats and dogs and usually goes unnoticed, because the animal does not limp; it simply moves less. A cat that has stopped jumping onto the sofa has not stopped because it is old. It has stopped because it hurts.

Pain management runs alongside weight control and changes at home: non slip flooring, a litter tray with a low entry, a step up to favourite high places, and a soft warm bed.

Physiotherapy and rehabilitation

For patients who have had a stroke or paralysis, who have spinal or joint disease, or who have lost mobility after surgery, we run an exercise programme. The aim is to preserve muscle mass, maintain the range of movement in the joints, and return the animal to standing and walking on its own.

The programme is built around what the animal can tolerate and is reviewed regularly. We show you the exercises to do at home; most of the recovery happens there rather than at the clinic.

Quality of life

What owners of older animals ask most often is whether it is time. We treat having that conversation openly with you as part of our job. We assess it together, on appetite, pain, mobility, continence and interest in the world around them. The decision is yours. Our job is to show you the real position while you make it.