Aging pets

Aging pets are senior dogs and cats whose bodies and behavior gradually change with age, often affecting mobility, comfort, sleep, appetite and cognition.

Most veterinarians consider dogs senior at around seven years of age, earlier for giant breeds, and cats senior at roughly ten, though individual animals vary widely. Typical changes include slower rising and stair climbing, graying fur, cloudier eyes, altered sleep-wake patterns, reduced hearing and increased vocalization or confusion at night. Many of these signs trace to specific, diagnosable conditions such as osteoarthritis, dental disease, kidney decline or cognitive dysfunction syndrome rather than to age itself.

Senior wellness exams, typically recommended twice a year, use physical examination, bloodwork and sometimes imaging to separate normal aging from disease. Cannabidiol research in companion animals is better developed for specific problems, especially canine osteoarthritis, than for aging in general, and any decisions about a senior pet's care belong with a veterinarian.