OLD age catches up with us all but it can be particularly serious, and often go unnoticed, in dogs. As dogs age, they become more susceptible to disease and as a result it becomes more important to identify any problems quickly so treatment can be started and the dog can maintain a high quality of life. In wake of this, North Park Vets, in North Tawton, are offering free nurse check-ups for senior dogs. Each appointment lasts for around 20 minutes and involves discussing the dog, checking them thoroughly, taking their blood pressure and performing a urine and eye test. Bryony Herrod-Taylor, of North Park Vet Group, said: 'As our dogs age, they are more susceptible to many diseases, some of which are more obvious than others. 'Hormonal changes can be subtle but cause serious problems, kidney damage may not be obvious early in the disease and heart disease can also start as mild signs that sometimes develop really quickly. 'Other diseases, such as arthritis, in older dogs are usually easy to see and can reduce the quality of life for some pets.' North Park Vets is on Fore Street, North Tawton and can be contacted on 01837 82327.
