Glossary

Senior wellness

A preventive care plan for aging dogs, with more frequent exams and screening tests to catch age-related disease early.

Also called: senior dog care, senior dog exam, senior screening, geriatric exam, older dog checkup

Senior wellness means adjusting care as a dog ages. Dogs are generally treated as seniors around seven years old, but giant breeds count as senior at five or six, while small dogs often reach it later. At this stage vets usually recommend exams every six months, because a year is a long time in an old dog's life.

Typical extras include a blood panel, urine test, blood pressure check, thyroid test, dental exam and a close look at joints, weight and mobility. They aim to catch kidney disease, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and cancer early.

At home, watch for thirst, appetite, weight changes, lumps, stiffness, accidents, sleep changes and confusion, and write them down for visits. Early notice often gives more options and more comfortable years. Your veterinarian can tailor the plan to the dog.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Wellness exam A routine, nose-to-tail check-up of a healthy dog that updates vaccines, screens for hidden problems and tracks weight over time. Blood panel A set of blood tests that counts blood cells and measures organ-related chemicals, used to screen healthy dogs and investigate illness. Osteoarthritis A long-term, painful wearing down of joint cartilage that causes stiffness and reluctance to move, common in older and overweight dogs. Canine cognitive dysfunction A brain aging disorder in older dogs, similar to dementia, that causes disorientation, sleep changes and loss of learned habits.