Senior Pet Care in Mansfield, TX, From Your Local Vet

Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Mansfield is a vet in Mansfield, TX, that cares for older dogs and cats with twice-a-year checkups, screening blood work and help for stiff joints. Most cats and small dogs count as seniors at about 7 to 10 years old, and large dogs a bit sooner.

Older pets hide pain and slow down so gradually that it's easy to miss. Senior visits are built to catch those small changes while there is still a lot you can do.

Call (817) 241-2355 or book online. The clinic is open weekends.

When is my pet a senior?

At Petfolk Mansfield, the vet usually starts senior care at about 7 years for most cats and dogs. Giant breeds like Great Danes age faster and may start at 5 or 6. Age is only a guide: a pet who is slowing down, losing weight or drinking more is ready for a senior workup whatever the birthday says.

What does a senior checkup add?

A senior visit at Petfolk Mansfield includes the full nose-to-tail exam plus a closer look at the things that change with age:

1. Weight trend. A slow loss in an older cat can point to kidney or thyroid disease.

2. Blood and urine tests. These screen kidneys, liver, thyroid and blood sugar. Many run in the clinic's own lab, so results often come back the same day.

3. Teeth and gums. Dental pain is common and often silent.

4. Joints and muscle. The vet watches your pet walk and checks for stiffness.

5. Eyes, heart and lumps. New lumps get measured and, if needed, sampled.

Across Petfolk clinics from October 2025 to September 2026, senior cats were about twice as likely to get blood work at a wellness visit as younger adult cats. That gap exists because kidney and thyroid problems often show up in cats before any sign at home.

How often should a senior pet see the vet?

Every 6 months is the usual advice for senior dogs and cats at Petfolk Mansfield. A year is a long time in an older pet's life, roughly like several human years, so twice-yearly visits catch changes sooner. Pets on long-term medicine may need checks more often.

Small changes worth a visit

Bring your pet in if you notice any of these:

• Drinking or peeing more than usual

• Trouble getting up, slipping on floors or skipping stairs

• Bad breath, dropping food or chewing on one side

• Weight loss even though they still eat

• Pacing or seeming lost at night

• A cat who stops using the litter box

Making visits easier for older pets

Fear Free, gentle handling matters most for seniors with sore joints. The team works on the floor or on a soft mat when that's easier, and gives a stiff dog extra time to settle.

One of our cats gets really scared at the vets office and the Petfolk vets and techs are so understanding and do everything they can to make the experience easier on him.

Charlotte D., Google review

Costs and the PetfolkCare plan

A wellness exam at Petfolk Mansfield starts at $99, and PetfolkCare membership starts at $199 a year. You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit.

Keeping an older dog cool

Senior dogs handle North Texas heat poorly, especially breeds with flat faces and dogs with heart or airway disease. Walk early, carry water, and check your hand on the pavement first. If an older pet collapses, struggles to breathe or can't stand, go to a 24-hour emergency hospital such as Thrive Pet Healthcare Specialists on U.S. 287 in Mansfield.

When it's time to talk about quality of life, the team can help. See pet euthanasia in Mansfield for how that conversation works, and blood work and lab testing for what the tests look for.

Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Mansfield, or see all veterinary services in Mansfield.