We firmly believe that age is not a disease! However, our beloved pets do need more attention and special care as they age so that they can do so as comfortable as possible. Ageing is heavily influenced by your pet’s breed, lifestyle, overall health status, and diet. So, different pets will be medically considered to be “seniors” at different ages. Especially in dogs, some breeds have a longer life expectancy than others – On average, the smaller breeds live longer than the large and giant breeds.
While problems such as arthritis, behaviour changes and organ dysfunction are not limited to senior pets, they do tend to be seen more commonly in this age group and specific prevention and maintenance care is needed for them. Just as we need to see the doctor more frequently as we age, pets need to have a preventive care exam every six months once they reach their golden years (7 years old) so that we can help them stay as happy, healthy and comfortable as possible.