Geriatric Consultation

What is a Geriatric Consultation

providing senior pets with the highest quality of life during their golden years. This specialized consultation focuses on the unique needs and challenges that come with aging, ensuring that our older companions receive the best possible care to maintain their health and well-being.

Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) plays a significant role in our geriatric care strategy. TCVM includes various chapters dedicated to understanding the aging process in pets. It emphasizes recognizing what physical and physiological changes occur as pets grow older, including when and how these changes manifest. By applying the principles of TCVM, we use a combination of herbal formulas, dietary adjustments, and acupuncture to address these age-related issues and enhance the quality of life for senior pets.

In addition to TCVM, regular chiropractic manipulation is an essential component of our geriatric care approach. Chiropractic care helps keep the spine and joints in optimal condition, which is crucial as pets age. Given that pets age much faster than humans, their health needs evolve rapidly. For example, the physical and physiological changes that occur in a human over a 15-year period between ages 65 and 80 can happen in just 2 to 4 years in a pet.

Different breeds and sizes of pets reach their geriatric years at varying ages. Large breed dogs are generally considered geriatric at around 8 years of age, while smaller breeds weighing around 10 lbs may enter their senior years at approximately 12 years of age. Breeds that weigh between 50 to 60 lbs often reach geriatric status by around 10 years of age. Cats, on the other hand, are typically regarded as geriatric from the age of 12, though they can live up to 18-20 years. Unfortunately, conditions like hyperthyroidism and renal disease can cause premature death in cats.

For those with senior pets, we recommend exploring chiropractic care, acupuncture, and other specialized techniques tailored to geriatric animals. These therapies, combined with our comprehensive approach, can significantly improve your pet’s comfort and overall quality of life during their later years.