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Our pets are living longer because of progress in veterinary care, diagnostics, and earlier intervention. Even so the key to savoring our "older" pets lies not only in extending their life span, but in being able to help them enjoy their later years to the fullest.

Like people, cats and dogs can be vulnerable to debilitating ailments when they grow older. Renal system failure, heart problems, arthritis, oral problems, cancer malignancy, and cognitive dysfunction can take place during the normal maturing process. Previously, considering that quite a few diseases were not identified until the pet was in the advanced stages, veterinarians could do nothing more than help to make a pet's golden years a bit more comfortable by caring for the symptoms of age-related health issues. If the pet was lucky, the problems might progress slowly. Most pet owners simply just acknowledged the fact that their four-legged pals were just able to live a comparatively brief life, get old, and pass on.

However breakthroughs in technical advancements in today's veterinary medicine, surgery, diagnostics and nutrition, not only do pets survive longer but their quality of life has improved enormously as well.

One example follows human medicine in the refinement and use of the new generation of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs. These prescription drugs assist the aches and pains of numerous geriatric pets while trying to keep side effects to a minimum.

Many age related conditions continue to be viewed as unavoidable, however the perceptions of both veterinarians and pet owners have changed. The belief now is the fact that "age just isn't a disease", and veterinary medicine is placing increased emphasis on senior pet health through preventative health plans.

"The earlier we can intervene, the better, says veterinarian Dr. John Phillips in New York. "We now have greater knowledge, improved diagnostics and better therapeutics all of which mean we can effectively prevent or manage many senior health care issues."

Eighty three year old Sam Edwards was raised on a farm and has had pets almost all his life. He has taken advantage of progress in veterinary medicine to extend the lives of his pets. "As I've gotten older, I'm glad that some of the same medical advancements that have helped me age well are good for my pets, too."

Edwards shares his home with "Niki", a 15 year old cat, and a 16 year old terrier mix named "Bones". "If you had told me twenty years ago that I would be brushing my dogs' teeth, I'd thought you were crazy. But I brush Bones' teeth every night while we watch the news. It's something we both enjoy and my vet says it's one of the most important things I can do to keep the old guy healthy."

When is a pet perceived as a senior? Typically, smaller breeds of dogs live longer than bigger breeds, and cats live longer than dogs. Life spans vary with individuals, and pets, like people, grow older at different rates, some more gracefully than others. A few smaller breeds of dogs, like Bones, are considered geriatric at fifteen. Large and giant breeds like Labrador retrievers and Boxers are considered seniors as soon as seven years old. Cats, especially if they are kept indoors, frequently live to their early twenties and don't reach their golden years until their teens.

The single most crucial step a pet owner might take to keep their pet happy and healthy as long as feasible would be to schedule regular veterinary examinations. As pets age, these exams tend to be more essential than ever, because as with people, quick diagnosis is vital for disease and problem intervention. Young pets will need regular examinations once or twice every year. However as dogs and cats approach middle age, these examinations must be more frequent simply because each year in a pet's life is equal to 5-7 people years.

"Keeping Niki and Bones healthy helps me stay young, too", says Edwards. "All of us have arthritis so exercise is important to stay in shape and keep from getting stiff. Years ago, when my pets got arthritis, I just accepted it as old age and let them lay around. Now, we go for walks, and there are safer medications for arthritis pain. They even get glucosamine and antioxidants in their senior pet foods!"

Veterinarians often recommend routine lab work, electrocardiograms, blood pressure monitoring, and x-rays to look for early conditions like thyroid, kidney, heart, and liver disease. Along with early detection, pets with organ function issues can be treated with medication along with special doctor prescribed diet programs that not only prolong their life span but the quality of their lives. In some cases, health issues is also arrested.

Dr. Leslie Maclean a Tulsa, Oklahoma veterinarian followed the advice she gives her clients and found a hormone issue in one of her own Scottish terriers. "I discovered a rare adrenal gland problem on Brin's first senior wellness exam. He was acting perfectly normal but his lab work picked up a problem. Early detection meant early treatment and easy management of his disease."

In general, many early warning signs that your pet might be developing a problem are:

* increased water consumption and urinating more often or frequently

* urinary incontinence or breaking house training

* frequent vomiting

* halitosis, drooling or difficulty eating
* increased panting or tires more easily

* lumps, bumps, nodules or alterations in areas of skin color, bumps that bleed or are ulcerated
* change in appetite - eating more or less than usual

* alterations in behavior for instance "spacing out" or abnormal whining

* abnormal bowel habits - diarrhea or constipation

* fluctuations in body weight - gaining or reducing weight

Watch pets closely and convey any out of the ordinary behavioral or physical illnesses to your veterinarian right away. Talk with your veterinarian and create a customized senior health and wellness regimen for your pet's unique demands making sure that your precious four legged friend can enjoy aging gracefully.

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