Our Methodology
How we generate reports, what sources guide them, and the limits of what we can tell you.
How reports are generated
When you complete the intake form, your responses are used to match your pet's profile against a knowledge base built from peer-reviewed veterinary literature. The system evaluates your pet's species, breed, age, weight, body condition, known health conditions, behavioral changes, and owner-reported concerns.
Each of the 8 report sections draws from condition-specific and breed-specific literature. For example, the cardiac section for a Maine Coon draws from research on feline HCM and the MYBPC3-A31P mutation — that breed's specific risk factor. A Labrador Retriever at the same age gets cardiac guidance informed by that breed's risk profile instead.
The result is a document that reflects what the veterinary literature says about a pet with your pet's specific characteristics — not a generic senior pet pamphlet.
Primary data sources
AVMA Senior Care Guidelines
American Veterinary Medical Association
The AVMA publishes comprehensive guidelines for senior pet care covering recommended screening timelines, common age-related conditions, and preventive care protocols for dogs and cats.
AAHA Senior Care Guidelines
American Animal Hospital Association
The AAHA publishes evidence-based aging consensus documents that establish best practices for senior pet wellness exams, including life-stage definitions and recommended diagnostics.
AAFP Senior Care Guidelines
American Association of Feline Practitioners
For feline-specific content, we reference AAFP guidelines on senior and geriatric cat care, including cognitive dysfunction screening, dental disease progression, and hyperthyroidism monitoring.
Peer-reviewed veterinary journals
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine and others
Breed-specific risk data, condition prevalence by age, and emerging research on topics such as osteoarthritis in cats and cognitive dysfunction syndrome draw from published research studies.
How we use language
Our reports use phrases like "may indicate," "is often associated with," "warrants veterinary evaluation," and "is consistent with." This is deliberate.
Medicine — including veterinary medicine — is probabilistic. A behavior or symptom may indicate several things or nothing at all. We do not know which. Your veterinarian, who can physically examine your pet and order diagnostic tests, is the right person to move from "may indicate" to "this is what's happening."
We will not tell you your pet has arthritis. We will tell you that the behaviors you've described are often associated with early joint discomfort in cats of this age and breed, and we will tell you what to watch for and when to bring it up with your vet.
What we do not do
- We do not diagnose. We are not veterinarians and do not review individual pets.
- We do not prescribe medications, supplements, or treatments.
- We do not provide urgent or emergency medical guidance.
- We do not substitute for a physical veterinary examination.
- We do not access or interpret medical records, lab results, or imaging.
- We do not provide advice that requires knowing your pet's individual medical history.
Updates and accuracy
Veterinary guidelines are updated periodically. We review our source material to incorporate changes in consensus recommendations. Reports generated in the past may not reflect the most recent guidelines.
If you believe information in your report is inconsistent with current veterinary guidance, contact us. Accuracy is core to what we offer.