BSAVA PetSavers-funded research at the University of Liverpool (the Old Age Pets (OAP) research project) aimed to help vets and clients provide the best care for senior and geriatric dogs. The research showed that many owners find it difficult to know what are ‘normal’ age-related changes or whether signs indicate possible disease that would benefit from veterinary advice and treatment. It also suggested that it would be useful to develop standardised tools to assess a senior dog, including the most common signs to look out for, when to seek advice from a veterinary practice and to help guide discussions during consultations.

Key research findings from the in-depth interviews, quantitative surveys and data mining of records in the SAVSNET database were used to develop a checklist for clients to complete as part of a home triage. Answers of ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘maybe’ are coded according to traffic light colours red, green and amber to aid recognition of areas of concern, and clients are encouraged to seek advice from their veterinary practice for any red or amber responses.

This leaflet contains 6 copies of the checklist to encourage clients to work through it at least every 6 months, keeping completed versions for comparison, and also includes information that ties in with the checklist topics and provides a good background about the more common health problems affecting aged dogs. This was made possible thanks to the input of the PetSavers management committee and was launched at BSAVA Congress 2023.

This free leaflet is also available in print format and is supported by a double-sided poster for practice waiting rooms.