Senior dogs require specialised welfare assessment and management as multiple age-related conditions accumulate and quality of life assessment becomes increasingly important.
Senior dogs accumulate concurrent age-related conditions that individually may be mild but together create significant welfare burden. Arthritis, cognitive dysfunction, dental disease, and organ decline often coexist. Each condition contributes to reduced quality of life that owners may adapt to gradually without recognising the cumulative decline. Regular quality of life assessment using validated tools enables objective monitoring and informs decisions about treatment escalation and end of life. The welfare priority for senior dogs is identifying and managing pain, maintaining mobility, and supporting cognitive function.