fbpx

There is nothing that makes us happier than meeting a senior pet in our service area. Our silver muzzled friends are proof that dogs truly are man’s best friend. Proof that residents in our service area love their pets, and that these pets have lived long, happy lives next to the people that adore them. And our hope is that they live many, many more years together.

Our spay/neuter services extend to senior pets, and are even more impactful in certain cases. But unfortunately, our senior pets do cost our program a little more than your average pet. Each pet over seven years old requires additional bloodwork to ensure they are healthy enough to undergo anesthesia. In many cases, pets are healthy enough to move forward with surgery and they are worked into our regular spay/neuter program. Sometimes, however, we find that the pet is not a candidate for surgery at a high volume clinic and requires a full-service vet, which adds to that pet’s surgery expense.

In some cases, our senior pets require services in addition to their spay/neuter surgeries. For example, Nikki is a beautiful akita that went into the clinic for bloodwork. The vet discovered mammary tumors on her belly, and she wasn’t a candidate for surgery. Instead, we worked her into a full-service vet, who was able to remove those tumors during her surgery. Because she was spayed and had those tumors removed in the process, she is now happier and healthier than before!

And this adorable little girl is Tiny. Tiny’s owners have no idea how old she is–they just know she’s spent over seven years living with them and she’s loved every minute of it! Tiny had a mass on her belly that appeared a few years ago. Her family was worried, but unable to afford vet care, especially if the mass was that dreaded word–cancer. In truth, we were worried when we found this mass because we weren’t sure we could help. But we thought, why not work her into our full-service vet to see what is possible?

Tiny went into the vet and had x-rays. Those x-rays told us that the mass hadn’t metastasized yet, and could easily be removed when they went in for her spay surgery! Here is Tiny and her beautiful family helping her recover from surgery.

In these two situations, our spay/neuter services, as well as additional support from our veterinary partners, helped improve the quality of life for these seniors. Our hope is that removing these masses and tumors will help Nikki and Tiny live longer, happier lives with their owners who love them. Senior pets do require additional expenses in our Spay/Neuter Program, but we are committed to helping these pets and their families.

Learn more about our Spay/Neuter Program, and consider donating to help not only Nikki and Tiny, but the dozens of senior pets we help in the Metro East.

This story was made possible thanks to our Spay/Neuter Program, our veterinary partner Hillside Animal Hospital, and financial support from supporters like you!