Recognize the exact change.
Replace vague worry with a specific behavior, time and routine.
The complete Senior Dog Care Guide
Understand the changes aging dogs face. Know what to check, what to make easier today, and what deserves a faster call.
Call first for a new cough or breathing change.Do not wait for a tracker if signs are severe or worsening. Find urgent care →TRIAGE BEFORE TRACKING
Call first. Track safely.
Call your veterinarian today for a new or repeated cough at rest, new faster breathing, marked weakness, or a sudden worsening change. Go to emergency care now for breathing difficulty, blue, gray or pale gums, collapse, inability to settle, or severe distress. A tracker must never delay care.
Find urgent care →Make today easier.
Use low-risk changes that protect access, traction, rest and dignity.
Know when to call.
Separate useful tracking from signs that should not wait.
Share a useful care summary.
Organize the timeline, records and questions your veterinarian needs.
Six changes. Four clear decisions for each.
What to watch, what to do today, what to share and when to call sooner.
Movement
- Watch
- Watch the first five steps after rest, slipping, stairs and recovery.
- Do today
- Add traction, shorten difficult routes and record one natural rise.
- Track and share
- Save a 10–20 second natural-rise video plus the surface, pause, first five steps and recovery time.
- Call sooner
- Sudden inability to stand, dragging a limb or severe pain.
Sleep
- Watch
- Record wake time, pacing, breathing, toileting and what helps settling.
- Do today
- Keep water, a clear bathroom route and gentle night lighting available.
- Track and share
- If your veterinary team says home monitoring is safe, record wake time, first behavior, bathroom trip, breathing and what helped settling.
- Call sooner
- Breathing difficulty, collapse or severe disorientation.
Eating
- Watch
- Measure what was offered and eaten; note chewing, nausea and weight.
- Do today
- Keep food familiar and bowls easy to reach while arranging care.
- Track and share
- Record food offered, amount eaten, chewing side, dropped food, nausea clues and a dated weight when available.
- Call sooner
- Repeated vomiting, a swollen abdomen or refusing all food with weakness.
Water
- Watch
- Measure one ordinary day; pair thirst with urine, appetite and medicines.
- Do today
- Keep fresh water available and add easier bathroom access.
- Track and share
- Measure one ordinary day's intake and pair it with urination, appetite, medicines and energy changes.
- Call sooner
- Inability to urinate, collapse or severe distress.
Bathroom
- Watch
- Record time, urgency, posture, amount, route and signs of pain.
- Do today
- Offer more frequent access on a short, well-lit, non-slip route.
- Track and share
- Track time, urgency, posture, output, accidents and the exact route your dog must travel.
- Call sooner
- Repeated straining without output, blood with weakness or severe pain.
Daily life
- Watch
- Name the exact routine your dog no longer starts, joins or finishes.
- Do today
- Offer a shorter, lower-effort version and let your dog choose.
- Track and share
- Name the routine that changed, how often it happens, what your dog still chooses and what lowers the effort.
- Call sooner
- Sudden confusion, seizure, collapse or rapid major behavior change.
Seven-day tracking—only when safe
Call first for a new, severe or worsening change. Use this plan only after urgent signs are ruled out or when your veterinary team says home monitoring is appropriate. Stop and call if the sign worsens.
- Day 1 — Set the baseline. Film or note one ordinary routine without prompting.
- Days 2–3 — Repeat at the same time. Look for frequency, effort and recovery.
- Days 4–5 — Change one safe detail. Add traction, access or a shorter route; record the result.
- Day 6 — Connect the systems. Add sleep, appetite, water, bathroom and medicines.
- Day 7 — Write the summary. State what changed, how often, what helped and what is harder now.
Start the vet visit clearly.
A clear way to beginI called when her movement first changed. While waiting for the appointment, I recorded three difficult rises, two hallway slips and new avoidance of the kitchen steps. A runner helps, but the change continues.
- Lead with the most urgent sign and when it began.
- Bring the timeline and short natural videos only when they did not delay care.
- List medicines, supplements and recent changes.
Veterinary-supported guidance you can use.
Notice the pattern, make the day safer and bring a clearer story to the professional who knows your dog.
“Dogs often compensate until changes become obvious. Long-term tracking can give owners and veterinarians more context.”Silvan R. Urfer, Dr. med. vet.Veterinarian & dog-aging researcher · Dog Aging Project
“Pain can be difficult to detect, especially when it is prolonged. Long-term monitoring can help reveal subtle changes.”Dr. Annika BremhorstVeterinarian & canine-pain researcher