How to Track Senior Dog Health
A simple daily routine to follow at home. Check six care signals at about the same time each day. Add medications, weight weekly or every two weeks, and a short note when something's different.
Short answer: track appetite, mobility, pain, mood, sleep, and energy every day. Add medications, weekly weight, and short notes. Use whatever format you'll actually open every day. Buddylio is built around this routine.
The six daily signals
- Appetite: was the meal eaten, half eaten, refused?
- Mobility: getting up, stairs, walks.
- Pain: signs of stiffness or soreness.
- Mood: bright, quiet, anxious, withdrawn.
- Sleep: restful or restless overnight.
- Energy: playful, steady, low.
How to make it stick
The hardest part isn't deciding what to track. It's keeping the routine. Two things help: tie the check-in to something you already do, like the first meal or the last walk, and keep the entry under a minute. The longer it takes, the sooner it falls off.
What to add weekly
- Weight: weekly, same scale, ideally same time of day.
- Walks summary: duration and quality if you didn't already log them.
- Pattern look: open the timeline. Anything new repeated more than 2 times?
When to take it to the vet
Pull the Veterinary Summary PDF before your next visit. Don't wait until you're trying to remember everything at once. Recent notes are easier to discuss than guesses from memory.
Privacy and safety
Notes stay on your phone. No Buddylio account, no Buddylio server.
Buddylio is a tracking and notes tool. It doesn't provide medical advice.
Common questions
How do I track a senior dog's health at home?
Six daily signals, plus medications, weight weekly or every two weeks, and a short note when something feels off.
How often should I weigh an older dog?
Weekly is plenty for most older dogs.
Get Buddylio
Buddylio is available on iPhone. Download it on the App Store. Android is coming soon.