The Holistic Pet, featured column by Dr. Shawn P. Messonnier,
in association with Amazon.com

Q: Dear Dr. Shawn: ”I have a 17-year old female cat that appears to be in perfect health. I take her in annually for a checkup and booster shots for cat distemper, calici virus, rabies, and herpes virus. For the past several years her doctor has recommended a complete physical including blood tests, a urinalysis and X-rays to screen for heart and abdominal disease. However, the cost is $250 not including the boosters. My question: should I continue giving her the recommended boosters? And, do you advise giving her a complete physical? She is primarily an indoor cat and only goes out on my rear patio for brief periods; she does not leave the backyard nor do any other cats and dogs enter.” ”

A: ”I get this question a lot. As pets age, the incidence of infectious diseases decreases dramatically. However, the incidence of chronic, degenerative diseases increases dramatically. The most common chronic, degenerative diseases I try to prevent and treat when they arise include periodontal infections (the most common disease in dogs and cats,) heart disease, kidney failure, various cancers, thyroid disorders, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease. The only way to diagnose these disorders is through regular physical examinations and laboratory testing, such as those tests you mentioned. Here’s what I do in my practice for older dogs and cats.

First, instead of vaccines, I run a blood antibody (titer) test to determine if vaccines are even necessary. If the titers are low and there are no diseases present, we decide if vaccines are really needed and then vaccinate only for those disorders indicated by the blood titer testing. For owners open to homeopathy, we also use homeopathics (for pets of any age) following immunization to decrease vaccinosis (diseases caused by vaccines.) Second, for older normal pets, we do an annual physical and blood/urine testing; pets with chronic diseases usually require evaluation every 3-4 months to monitor their disorders.

Finally, to decrease costs, any time one of our healthy patients (of any age) is anesthetized for a procedure (usually a dental cleaning or wart/tumor removal,) we do an EKG, urinalysis, and X-rays for $45. By doing these tests when the pet is already asleep, we can keep the costs low for pet owners and get a lot of health information in return. Finally, make sure your doctor prescribes the correct diet based upon your cat’s health and age. I hope this helps. You’ve obviously done a good job to get your cat to live 17 years, so keep up the good work. By taking the holistic approach I’ve outlined, you’ll only do those procedures absolutely necessary based on your cat’s age and lifestyle.”

Dr. Shawn Messonnier is the author of the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. Please address questions to him at Paws & Claws Animal Hospital, 2145 W. Park Blvd., Plano, Tx, 75075, call him at 972-867-8800, or email him at:
Dr. Shawn Messonier

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