Senior pet health diary

Why older pets need a diary

Many of the conditions common in older dogs and cats — kidney disease, thyroid problems, diabetes, arthritis, dental disease, cognitive decline — start quietly. A cat drinks a little more each month; a dog takes the stairs a little slower. Seen every day, none of it stands out. Written down once a week, a trend becomes visible, and it can be shown to a vet months earlier than it would otherwise be noticed.

What to note each week

• Weight. The most useful single number. Weigh on the same scale, at about the same time, once a week or at least once a month. Small pets can be weighed in a carrier, minus the carrier's weight. Unplanned weight loss in an older pet is always worth mentioning to the vet.
• Appetite. Eating as usual, less, more, or picky about food it used to like.
• Water. Drinking more than usual is one of the earliest signs of several conditions. Notice whether the bowl empties faster, or the litter clumps are bigger.
• Mobility. Stiffness after rest, hesitation at stairs or jumps, slipping on floors, shorter walks.
• Toilet. Accidents in the house, straining, changes in stool, peeing outside the litter box.
• Sleep and behaviour. Restless nights, pacing, staring at walls, seeming lost in familiar places, new vocalising at night, less interest in people.
• Teeth and breath. Bad breath, dropping food, chewing on one side.

How to use the diary

Choose one day a week — Sunday evening works for many people — and fill in one row. Use simple words: “normal”, “less”, “more”, or a number where you have one. Anything that surprised you goes in the notes. You are not trying to diagnose anything; you are making a record your vet can read.

Before the checkup

Senior pets are usually seen at least once or twice a year. Bring the last few months of the diary. A vet who can see that weight dropped 300 g since spring and water went up in the summer has something specific to examine and test, rather than a general impression that “he's slowing down”.

Questions owners ask

At what age is a pet “senior”?

It depends on the animal. Cats and small dogs are often considered senior from around 10–11 years, large dogs from around 7–8 and giant breeds even earlier. Your vet can tell you when to start more frequent checkups for your pet.

How do I weigh a cat or small dog at home?

Weigh yourself, then weigh yourself holding the pet, and take the difference — or weigh the pet in its carrier and subtract the empty carrier. A baby scale or a kitchen scale for very small pets is more precise. Whatever you use, use the same one each time.

How do I know if my pet is drinking more?

Fill the bowl to a mark or with a measured amount and note how much is gone after a day, a few times a week. For cats, bigger or more frequent litter clumps are an easy clue.

What if nothing changes?

Then the diary has done its job too. A record of stable weight and normal habits is reassuring evidence for your vet, and the baseline that makes a future change obvious.

The same log, on your iPhone

Petwellio turns a few taps a day into weight, appetite and water trends you can see on a chart — and a report that shows your vet the last month or the last year at once.

This page is general information for pet owners, not veterinary advice. Your own vet knows your pet and its history; follow what they tell you, and call them whenever you're worried.