We are open M, T, W, F
8am-1:30pm
and 2:30pm-6pm

Thursday & Saturday 8am-noon

Doctor's hours are by appointment.

To make an appointment, please call
805-646-5555



1120 Maricopa Hwy.
Ojai, CA 93023

 
Senior Pet Health and Wellness - Old Age is Not a Disease

Is Your Pet Doing Any of These?
Please indicate if your pet is experiencing any of the signs below and review these symptoms with Dr. Shouse.

Just not himself/herself Yes No
Less interaction with family Yes No
Decreased responsiveness Yes No
Change in behavior/activity level Yes No
Difficulty climbing stairs Yes No
Difficulty jumping up Yes No
Increased stiffness or limping Yes No
Increased thirst Yes No
Increased urination Yes No
Altered appetite Yes No
Noticeable weight change (may be gain or loss) Yes No
Loss of housetraining Yes No
Changes in sleeping patterns Yes No
Confusion or disorientation Yes No
Itching Yes No

Two Easy Steps to Better Health
Age Pet's Weight (in Pounds)
0-20 21-50 51-90 90+
5 36 37 40 42
6 40 42 45 49
7 44 47 50 56
8 48 51 55 64
9 52 56 61 71
10 56 60 66 78
11 60 65 72 86
12 64 69 77 93
13 68 74 82 101
14 72 78 88 108
15 76 83 93 115
16 80 87 99 123
17 84 92 104
18 88 96 109
19 92 101 115
20 96 105 120
Adult Senior Geriatric
     
Relative Age of your Pet in "Human Years"
You are the one who cares for your pet - day in and day out - and therefore you may notice subtle changes in your pet's behavior or physical abilities. Take a few moments to review the age chart (to the right) and complete the checklist above, then discuss them with Dr. Shouse.  What may look like normal signs of aging could actually be early signs of a manageable health condition.


Our senior pets that are 5 years of age or older are at a greater risk of developing disabilities that are associated with the aging process. However, this aging process is NOT a disease. Modern veterinary medicine can now offer a range of therapies to help make the aging process less debilitating for your beloved pet.

Routine annual (for senior pets) or bi-annual (for geriatric pets) examinations alert us to the earliest on-set of age related changes, and allow us to set up the best possible defense strategies.

Senility is a condition seen in a great many older pets. Some of the symptoms are loss of learned behavior (inappropriate urination, bowel movements in the house, etc.), barking for no apparent reason, confusion, behavior changes (aggressiveness), etc. Many of these pets can be helped with medications. A very simple approach is to use a product called Cholodin. This is a dietary supplement comprised of specific vitamins and minerals that, in the amounts and combinations used, helps many pets to overcome their senility symptoms.

A newer and potentially more effective product now available is Anapryl. This product actually helps control a condition called Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome; a disorder that occurs in many older pets and has similar symptoms to those listed above.

Also now available from Hill’s Prescription Diets is a diet called b/d, targeting brain aging and behavioral changes of our older pets. New b/d (available for dogs only) contains an exclusive blend of antioxidants, nutritional supplements, vitamins, carotenoids and flavonoids all aimed at inactivating or limiting the production of free radicals contributing to cell damage in the body.


Find out more about other common conditions affecting senior pets:

• Urine Leaking
• Obesity
• Arthritis