A senior pet can vary from breed and species. In general, cats start to become a senior (geriatric) around the age of 8 years. The geriatric age among dogs is a little different. A large breed dog, such as a Great Dane, is considered geriatric by age 5. However, this age is still considered young among smaller breed dogs such as a Chihuahua. So in essence, the larger the breed the sooner they become geriatric.

• Diagnostic urinalysis and blood work-up: This is a very important part of monitoring your pet's health. Even though your pet may seem healthy on the outside, many unforeseen complications could be taking place inside the body. Blood testing can help find underlying problems with the kidneys, liver, glucose, protein factors, and red and white blood cells. These are just to name a few. Discovering if there are any problems before your pet shows symptoms of being sick can save you money, the stress of seeing your pet sick and may even save your pet's life.
• Radiographs: Internal pictures of the body can help to identify anything that is out of the ordinary. A chest x-ray will be inspected for any abnormal size of the heart, lung problems, growths, any fluid build-up, and any problems with the throat. An abdominal x-ray will be observed for abnormal growths, proper size of organs, bladder stones, fluid build-up, and anything else that may seem suspicious.
• Examination: This is the simplest of all procedures and the most important. It is during an exam that a veterinarian is likely to notice something out of the ordinary even if you think your pet is as healthy as can be. Some items the veterinarian may notice are; irregular heartbeats and respirations, dehydration, skin problems, eye problems, anemia, depression, unusual chest sounds, pain, abnormal feel of internal organs, fever, and more.