Senior Pet Care: Helping Dogs & Cats Age Well

When is a pet 'senior'?

Roughly: giant dogs at 6, large dogs at 7, small dogs at 9, cats at 10. Senior status isn't a diagnosis — it's a signal to look closer, because age hides treatable disease behind 'he's just old'.

Slowing down is a symptom, not a fact of life

Most 'old age' changes have addressable causes:

• Stiffness after rest — arthritis responds well to modern treatment
• Night restlessness, confusion, stuck-in-corners — cognitive dysfunction has management options
• Weight loss in old cats — thyroid and kidneys, both manageable when caught early
• Reluctance on stairs, missed jumps — pain until proven otherwise

Comfort engineering at home

Small changes return big dignity:

• Orthopedic beds away from drafts; rugs on slippery floors
• Ramps to sofas and cars; raised food bowls for tall dogs
• Low-entry litter trays on every floor for senior cats
• Shorter, more frequent walks beat one long haul

Twice-yearly vet care pays for itself

Senior pets age the equivalent of several human years between annual visits. Six-monthly checks with basic bloodwork catch kidney, thyroid, and dental disease while they're cheap to manage. Track every result and medication in PetVault AI so trends — the real story — are visible at a glance.