The right schedule depends on species, expected lifespan, current health and medications; there is no universal birthday that makes every pet “senior.” Many older pets benefit from more frequent review than healthy young adults. Ask your veterinarian to set the interval and screening plan, and do not wait for the next routine visit when a change is new, persistent or worsening.
When is a dog or cat considered senior?
Size, breed, species and expected lifespan all matter. AAHA describes senior dogs in relation to the last portion of expected lifespan rather than one age for every breed, while feline guidance uses different life stages. The practical point is to plan before problems become obvious.
A senior pet care visit can establish what is normal for your pet now. That baseline makes later weight, muscle, mobility, blood pressure, laboratory or behaviour changes easier to interpret.
Which changes should I write down?
- Weight loss or gain
- Less interest in food or difficulty chewing
- Drinking or urinating more
- New accidents in the house
- Slower rising, stairs or jumping
- Stiffness, limping or reduced grooming
- Night waking, pacing or confusion
- Hiding, irritability or altered social contact
- Coughing, panting or changed breathing
- New lumps, wounds or skin changes
- Bad breath, drooling or dropping food
- Changes in vision or hearing
Short videos of walking, stairs, coughing or unusual episodes can help. Record timing, duration, appetite, medication and whether the sign is progressing.
What happens at a senior wellness visit?
The veterinarian reviews the history and medications, examines the mouth, eyes, ears, skin, heart, lungs, abdomen, joints and neurologic function, and assesses body and muscle condition. Screening tests may be recommended even when a pet seems well because chronic disease can develop gradually.
Testing is individualized. It may include blood, urine, blood-pressure or other diagnostics based on examination findings and risk. Results are most useful when interpreted together and compared with earlier values. A general wellness examination is a good place to build that plan.
How can I make home safer and more comfortable?
- Add non-slip runners or mats on smooth floors.
- Use stable ramps or steps where jumping has become difficult.
- Provide padded bedding in an easy-to-reach, temperature-comfortable place.
- Use lower-sided litter boxes when a cat struggles to climb in.
- Place food and water where stairs are not required.
- Add night-lights for pets with reduced vision or nighttime confusion.
- Keep nails and paw fur managed so traction is not further reduced.
Do not give human pain medication. Many common products can seriously harm dogs or cats. Pain plans must account for kidney, liver, gastrointestinal and other health factors.
How should Edmonton winters change the routine?
Ice and deep snow increase effort and slip risk. Choose cleared routes, shorten outings in severe cold and check paws after walks. Indoor scent games and gentle food puzzles can provide engagement when outdoor time is limited. Continue comfortable movement instead of stopping all activity unless your veterinarian recommends rest.
During warmer spells, senior and medically fragile pets can also overheat more easily. Use shorter, cooler outings and monitor recovery when planning summer activity.
When is a senior-pet change urgent?
Book a review
Gradual stiffness, mild sleep change, slowly changing weight, dental odour or reduced activity.
Call today
Not eating, repeated vomiting or diarrhea, marked pain, sudden behaviour change, new weakness or increased thirst and urination.
Emergency now
Breathing difficulty, collapse, seizure, uncontrolled bleeding, a swollen abdomen, inability to urinate or sudden paralysis.
How can I track quality of life?
Write down a few activities your pet values—eating, greeting family, resting comfortably, toileting, walking to a favourite place or grooming. Note good and difficult days and take regular short videos. Trends are often clearer than memory during a stressful week.
Quality-of-life conversations are not limited to the final day. They can guide pain control, mobility support, nutrition, dental care, palliative planning and decisions about when a treatment is helping. Bring every family member’s observations so the plan reflects the pet’s daily life.
Sources and further reading: AAHA: 2023 Senior Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, AAHA: Evaluating the unhealthy senior pet, WSAVA: Principles of Wellness.
Medical note: This article provides general education and does not replace an examination, diagnosis or individualized veterinary advice.