Old age is not a diagnosis.
Senior pet care focuses on catching age related disease early and keeping your pet comfortable. That means twice yearly exams, bloodwork that tracks trends rather than single snapshots, and honest attention to pain and mobility. Most pets who slow down are not simply old, they hurt.
Twice yearly exams · pain and mobility support · Fear Free handling
Slowing down is usually pain, not age
Arthritis is the most under treated condition in older pets and the most rewarding to fix. Dogs and cats almost never cry about it. They just quietly stop doing the things that hurt, and we read that as getting old.
Owners regularly tell us their dog acted years younger once the pain was properly managed. That is the whole reason this page exists.
When does a pet become senior?
Size and species matter more than a birthday. These are starting points, not rules, and we will tell you when it is actually time to change the plan.
Large and giant breed dogs
6 to 7 years
They age fastest, so the plan changes soonest.
Medium breed dogs
7 to 8 years
Watch for stiffness after rest and slowing on walks.
Small breed dogs
around 10 years
Often still bright, but organs and teeth need watching.
Cats
around 10 years
Kidney and thyroid disease are common and quiet.
What changes in a senior visit
The exam is the same nose to tail check. What changes is what we look for and how often.
Pain and mobility
Arthritis is the most under treated condition in older pets, and the most rewarding to fix.
Organ screening
Kidney, liver, and thyroid changes show in bloodwork long before they show in behavior.
Weight and muscle
Losing muscle while gaining fat is common and matters. We track body condition, not just the scale.
Quality of life
Honest conversations about what a good day looks like, and what we can do to give them more of those.
What you can change at home
None of this needs a prescription, and it makes a bigger difference than most owners expect.
Rugs on slippery floors
Hard floors make weak back legs slide, and one bad slip can set a dog back weeks. Runners along the routes they use most do more than any supplement.
A ramp or a step
To the sofa, the bed, the car. Removing the jump removes the impact that hurts, and lets them keep the habits they like.
Raised food and water bowls
Helpful where neck or elbow pain makes reaching down uncomfortable. Not right for every pet, so ask us first.
Keep the weight down
The single most effective thing you can do for aging joints. Every extra pound is load on a joint that already hurts.
Laser therapy for comfort and mobility
A gentle, drug free way to ease arthritis and speed healing.
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Senior pet questions owners actually ask
When is my pet considered senior?
It depends on size and species more than a birthday. Large breed dogs age faster and are often senior by six or seven, small dogs and cats closer to ten. We will tell you when it is time to change the plan.Why twice yearly visits instead of once?
Because a year is a long time at that stage of life. Six months can be the difference between catching kidney disease early and managing a crisis, and trends in bloodwork are far more useful than a single snapshot.Is slowing down just old age?
Old age is not a diagnosis. Most dogs who slow down are in pain, usually from arthritis, and that is treatable. Owners regularly tell us their dog acted years younger once pain was properly managed.How do I know if my old pet is in pain?
Rarely by crying. Look for reluctance on stairs or jumping, difficulty getting up, stiffness after rest, licking a joint, irritability, or sleeping in a different place because the old spot is now hard to reach.What does senior screening actually check?
Bloodwork and urine testing for the kidney, liver, and thyroid changes that are common with age, blood pressure where relevant, plus a careful look at weight, muscle, joints, teeth, and heart.My cat is old and hates the carrier. Is the visit worth the stress?
Yes, and we can make it much easier. Fear Free handling, examining your cat in the bottom half of their carrier, and calming medication given at home beforehand all change the experience considerably.Do you help with end of life decisions?
We do, and we will be honest with you about quality of life rather than leaving you to guess. It is one of the hardest conversations in this job and we do not rush it.What can I change at home?
Rugs on slippery floors, a ramp or step to favorite furniture, raised food bowls where it helps, and keeping weight down, which does more for aging joints than any supplement.
Give your old friend a comfortable year.
Book a senior exam and we will look properly at pain, mobility, and what is changing under the surface.