Be sure to allow your dog out immediately after eating and drinking and before bedtime. Older dogs often require trips outside every few hours. Doggie diapers and floor mats can help your dog ease into old age more gracefully. Older cats should be given several litter boxes in various areas of the house to accommodate their needs. Any unusual lump deserves your vet's attention.
Lumps can be cancer, infection or a warning sign to several other disorders.
If your cat or dog often appears short of breath, she should be taken in at once. Heart problems often present themselves this way initially. Kidney failure, the flu and several other disorders may become apparent through your pet's eating habits. Pets who do not feel well, generally don't eat. Although pets do commonly lose weight as they age, any dramatic weight loss should be brought to your vet's attention.