Mobility ManagementJoint pain, inflammation, and generally having a hard time getting from point “A” to point “B” can come with your pet’s old age as well. As they age, their joints start to get worn out, and arthritis can commonly start to set in. Starting them on a Glucosamine supplement early in their life can help aid their joints and reduce discomfort. Some supplements can have a combination of glucosamine and fish oils that can also help contribute to having a healthy skin and coat, as well as helping their joints. Radiographs can be taken of the entire body, focusing on their elbows, hips, knees and more, looking for any bone changes or inflammation. Patients with more moderate to severe joint pain can sometimes be put on anti-inflammatories, and/or treated with MLS Laser, and in very severe cases can benefit from physical therapy and rehabilitation.
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BloodworkBloodwork is recommended for all of our pets, young and old! However, in our older pets, it’s a good idea to check it a little more often. Running routine bloodwork every 6-12 months can help us maintain an image of your pet’s health in the form of their organ functions, blood count, and urinalysis status. This looks for any concerns for the kidneys, liver, heart, thyroid, and many, many more functions of your pet’s body. Running bloodwork helps us catch any issues or diseases as early as possible in hopes of treatment with a better prognosis. We also run bloodwork for monitoring purposes in pets that are on long-term medications to make sure that their body is tolerating them well. Blood work can be done in-house, or sent to an outside lab for analysis.
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Radiographs Performing radiographs at least once a year, focusing on your pet’s chest and abdomen can help us make sure that all organs look normal, and that there are no negative changes in size or opacity. Radiographs also look for Neoplasia, or tumors. We want to make sure as early as possible that your dog or cat does not have any growths or tumors, especially in the chest or abdomen cavities, that could potentially be cancerous. Tumors, even if benign, can affect organ function. Again, the earlier we can find any abnormalities, the sooner we can diagnose, treat, and resolve them, if possible.
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Jordan Veterinary Hospital |
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