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Educational Articles

Dogs + Senior Pets

  • Proprioception is the ability to know where your body is in space. This is what helps reduce falls and injury. Proprioception may be lost suddenly through spinal cord trauma, or it may be reduced with age, joint disease (osteoarthritis), or other orthopedic or neurologic disease. Some specific controlled exercises that can improve proprioception are discussed. Any exercise plan needs to be formulated by a veterinary rehabilitation therapist to avoid injury.

  • Regular wellness exams and laboratory testing are designed to detect hidden disease in senior dogs, allowing earlier intervention to manage or slow the progress of the disease. Typical testing in senior and geriatric dogs includes complete blood count (CBC) that assesses the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets; a biochemistry panel that provides information about the organs, electrolytes, blood sugar, and proteins; urinalysis that assesses kidney function and can identify inflammation or infection in the urinary tract; and a thyroid test to screen for hypothyroidism.

Animal Hospital of Livermore

41 South O Street
Livermore, California
94550
Off First Street, across from the Vine Cinema and next to Walgreen's

Ph: (925) 443-1030

Location Hours
Monday8:00am – 6:00pm
Tuesday8:00am – 6:00pm
Wednesday8:00am – 6:00pm
Thursday8:00am – 12:00pm
Friday8:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday8:00am – 2:00pm
SundayClosed