Companion animals in their senior years require specialized veterinary care, pain management, and humane end-of-life decision-making from responsible owners.
Senior companion animal welfare requires proactive rather than reactive care. Pain from arthritis, dental disease, and cancer is common and often under-recognized. Regular veterinary assessment including quality-of-life scoring helps owners identify when intervention is needed. The availability of euthanasia as a welfare option means that prolonging life beyond the point of acceptable quality is an ethical choice that deserves careful consideration.