A dog becomes a senior gradually, and the change is easy to miss. One day it hesitates at the stairs. A few weeks later it sleeps a little longer. None of these changes alone seems urgent, yet together they can signal pain, dental disease, failing eyesight or an illness that needs treatment. This free checklist helps you review your senior dog once a month, covering mobility, vision, hearing, teeth, diet, sleep, toilet habits, skin and vet visits. A monthly review catches slow changes while they are still easy to treat.
The tool starts with a simple question: is your dog a senior yet? Enter the age in years and the size. Small dogs usually count as senior from around ten years, medium dogs from around nine, and large dogs from around eight, because larger breeds age faster. Press the button and the tool tells you whether your dog meets that rule, then shows the checklist. Tick each item as you review it, and watch the percentage rise. A completed checklist is not a test you pass. It is a habit that keeps you observant.
Here is a worked example. An eleven year old small dog counts as senior, because the threshold for small dogs is ten. Its owner works through the checklist and notices two things: the dog now hesitates before jumping into the car, and its breath has worsened over the last month. Neither item alone would have caused a vet visit, but together they justify one, and the vet finds early dental disease and mild arthritis. Both are treatable, and both would have worsened quietly without the monthly review. That is the whole point of the checklist.
Mobility deserves close attention. Stiffness after rest, difficulty with stairs, slipping on smooth floors and reluctance to walk as far as before can all signal joint pain. Rugs on slippery floors, a ramp for the car and a bed that is easy to step into all help, but they do not replace treatment. Never give a dog human painkillers, because some are dangerous for dogs. If mobility changes, ask the vet about safe pain relief, weight control and gentle exercise. A dog in less pain moves more, and movement itself keeps joints healthier.
Dental health is the most commonly missed item. Bad breath, dropping food, chewing on one side and red or bleeding gums all point to dental disease, which is painful and can affect the heart and kidneys over time. Check the mouth monthly, even if your dog dislikes it, and ask the vet about cleaning when needed. Diet also needs review: senior dogs often need fewer calories but good quality protein, and some need a special diet for kidney or joint problems. Any diet change should come from the vet, not from a guess.
Sleep and toilet changes also tell a story. A senior dog that paces at night, seems confused or has accidents after years of reliability may be showing early cognitive change or a medical problem such as a urinary infection. Do not punish accidents, and do not dismiss confusion as just old age. Both deserve a vet conversation, because some causes are treatable. Vision and hearing loss also change behaviour: a dog that startles when touched or ignores calls may simply not have heard or seen you. Approach such dogs from the front and use touch signals gently.
Keep the checklist as a monthly ritual. Pick one day, such as the first Sunday of the month, and spend ten minutes on it. Write down anything new, even if it seems small, and take that note to the next vet visit. Senior dogs usually benefit from vet visits every six months rather than once a year, because problems develop faster at this age. A dog that is reviewed monthly and seen regularly can enjoy its senior years in comfort. Old age is not a disease, but it is a stage when attention pays off more than at any other time of life.
Spanish version: Lista de cuidados para perros senior – Revisión mensual imprimible
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