Senior Pets & Pet Loss

Medical care for your pet as they grow older

As your pet enters the senior stage of their life, we can advise on their changing needs and keep track of their health status. Our full-service team is here when you need us the most.

As they get older, cats and dogs have different needs to keep them healthy. Get high-quality emergency and sick care for your senior cat or dog when you need it. We’re with you every step of the way.

Aging pet considerations and resources

We recommend nose-to-tail exams at least every 6 months as dogs and cats get older. Generally starting around 8-10 years of age for cats and 6-8 years of age for dogs.

We recommend baseline metabolic screening and often annual or biannual testing for our pets as they age. Sometimes more frequent if we already have underlying disease conditions.

Why is this recommended? 

• Acknowledges and enhances the human-animal bond
• Promotes early detection of abnormalities
• Promotes optimal and individualized medical care that may enhance the quality of life and promote longevity
• Helps assess and address: weight, orthopedic, behavioral and metabolic changes

Resources on senior pets, quality of life and pet grief:

• Quality of Life Scale – A guide for the aging and chronically ill pet
• Senior Cat Symptom Checklist
• Senior Dog Symptom Checklist
• AVMA senior pet FAQ – American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
• Helping Your ‘Good Old Dog’ Navigate Aging – NPR Interview
• Loving Care for Older Cats – Cornell Feline Health Center
• “How will I know it’s time?” – Lap of Love
• Pet Quality of Life – Lap of Love
• At-home hospice and euthanasia services – Lap of Love