About Best Dog Years

Not a substitute for your veterinarian

If your dog collapses, struggles to breathe, or seems suddenly unwell or in pain, contact your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic right away. Nothing on this site can assess an individual dog.

What we cover

We write about the practical side of living with an older dog: mobility and comfort, home setup, daily care, vet visits and enrichment. We aim to explain what to notice, what you can reasonably try, and when it is time to ask your veterinarian.

What we do not cover

We do not give advice on diagnosis, doses, medication, emergencies, or end-of-life decisions. Those questions belong with a veterinarian who can examine your dog.

How we check our guidance

• Factual and health-related statements are traced to a source, and the strength of the wording follows the strength of the evidence.
• Where something is uncertain or varies from dog to dog, we say so rather than smooth it over.
• We do not describe tests, reviews or results that did not happen.
• We keep to everyday, practical topics and send you to your veterinarian for anything that needs an examination.

Veterinary review

Our articles are not currently reviewed by a veterinarian, which is one reason we keep to everyday, practical topics. If that changes, we will say who reviewed what, on the page itself.

Images

Some images on this site are generated or illustrative. They are not photographs of the specific dogs or owners described, and they are not evidence of any individual case.

How the site is supported

Some pages may include links to products or services. Where a link earns us a commission, we label it. See the affiliate disclosure for details.

Corrections

If you spot something that looks wrong or out of date, please tell us through the contact page.