naturalpet
LONG-LIVED PETS
Anti-Aging Care Aids Youthful Vigor by Dr. Shawn Messonnier
I
n human health care, naturopathic doctors offer a specialty called anti- aging medicine. The goal is to restore optimal health to those at midlife and older that seek to prevent or reduce the incidence of diseases often associated with aging. But when it comes to aging pets,
most veterinary doctors fail to focus on the necessary specialized care. In fact, some traditional vets may decline to treat older pets at all. Often, these animals are suffering from chronic diseases and when they are treated, prescriptions may include numerous drugs. As many know, drugs can entail serious, even debilitating side effects, further deteriorating the prospects for sustained health. Owners may thus find themselves spending a lot of money maintaining their pets in a chronic state of ill health with little hope for improvement. Animals that might benefit from surgery for problems ranging from dental disease to tumors may not receive ameliorating care when the family vet simply considers them “too old” to invest in or pull through surgery.
34 Natural Awakenings San Antonio
A Better Alternative For an enlightened holistic vet, no pet is too old to warrant and benefit from proper health care. By instituting the correct care and focusing on anti- aging efforts, health can be improved and often restored, with the added advantages of reducing unnecessary medications and increasing their lifespan.
As an example, most doctors expect larger breeds of dogs to live 10 to 12 years, but with informed care, these same dogs can typically live 15 to 16 years. Smaller dogs and cats typically have a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years; using an anti-aging approach, such pets routinely live 18 to 20 years or longer, in good health and with a good quality of life.
Exemplary Treatment Here’s how the team at Paws & Claws Animal Hospital, in Plano, Texas, successfully approaches anti-aging medicine.
Beginning at 5 years of age, all
pets—including dogs, cats, other small mammals, birds and reptiles—are
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