Senior Pet Talk is your whole medicine approach guide to becoming the most prepared and informed advocate for your senior pet. Bring what you learn here into every vet visit, every care decision, and every stage of the journey ahead.
Every week, integrative veterinarian Dr. Amanda Steffen — founder of Floyd's Tale Mobile Veterinary Services, creator of the Senior Pet Roadmap, and certified veterinary acupuncturist with over a decade in senior pet care — breaks down the science of aging in plain language so you can recognize changes sooner, understand your options, and advocate confidently for the pet you love.
Her approach blends western medicine and eastern wisdom — acupuncture, Chinese herbs, rehabilitation, palliative care, nutrition, and more — because the best care plan uses every tool available.
You'll learn to tell normal aging from what needs attention, recognize hidden pain, understand integrative medicine, and navigate this chapter with clarity and grace — covering everything from dementia and kidney disease to nutrition, acupuncture, quality of life, and end-of-life planning.
Solo episodes, expert interviews, and real stories from pet parents living this right alongside you.
Everyone is doing the best they can with the information they have. This show gives you more of it.
Follow Senior Pet Talk and find Dr. Amanda on Instagram at @dr.amanda.vet (https://www.instagram.com/dr.amanda.vet/).
24. The Grief All Pet Parents Face with Special Guest Dr. Jenn of Sage Paws
Have you felt sad about losing your pet while they're still here? That's what Dr. Amanda and her special guest, Dr. Jen, a veterinarian and expert in end-of-life pet care, dig into today. They cover anticipatory grief, how pet parents can recognize it in themselves, and ways to stay present and support their pets through this difficult time.
Their discussion focuses on:
What anticipatory grief is, and how it differs from post-loss grief
Signs pet parents can recognize in themselves that they're grieving
Tools and techniques to stay present with your pet
The importance of creating a plan for end-of-life care and aftercare
Cultural and personal beliefs about death, and how they shape pet care decisions
Supporting family members and partners through pet loss
The role of community and support networks in grief management
This episode is for anyone caring for a senior pet or facing end-of-life decisions.
LINKS
Connect with Dr. Jenn on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/_sage_paws) or on her website https://www.sagepaws.com/ (https://www.sagepaws.com/)!
Sign up for Dr. Steffen’s email list and grab the freebies here: http://www.seniorpetconnection.com/freebies (http://www.seniorpetconnection.com/freebies)
Follow Senior Pet Talk and find Dr. Amanda on Instagram at @dramandasteffen (https://www.instagram.com/dramandasteffen/).
Website: http://seniorpetconnection.com (http://seniorpetconnection.com)
Book your personalized virtual consultation: https://bit.ly/SPTConsult (https://bit.ly/SPTConsult)
TRANSCRIPT (https://drive.google.com/drive/u/4/folders/1KDPAMR0EcFxbjyfAw-mLitBNX4RxMgFu)
TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Introduction to anticipatory grief in pets
01:04 - What anticipatory grief is and how it differs from post-loss grief
03:35 - The emotions and uncertainty that come with anticipatory grief
07:13 - Signs you might be grieving before the loss
10:10 - Tools to stay present with your pet
15:12 - The role of rituals and memories
20:35 - Supporting yourself and your pet during end-of-life
27:14 - Planning for end-of-life and aftercare
33:59 - Personal beliefs and cultural perspectives on death
43:44 - Creating a meaningful goodbye
Disclaimer: Senior Pet Talk is not a substitute for professional veterinary care or the clinical judgment of a licensed veterinarian. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or make medical decisions for your pet. Always consult your veterinarian regarding your pet's specific health needs.
1 Oct 2026
23. Diet for Brain Health in Senior Pets
Did you know that 28% of dogs and cats over the age of 11 have dementia? That's what Dr. Amanda is talking about today, focusing on nutrition and supplementation as practical ways to support brain health.
She covers:
Prescription diets for dogs, including Hill's Brain Diet and Purina Pro Plan NeuroCare
Which ingredients matter most
Research showing improvements in learning, memory, and dementia-related signs, while noting results aren't identical for every pet
For cats, the more limited brain-diet options available
Why cats have different nutritional needs, and why home-cooked diets for cats require careful formulation and veterinary guidance
A review of common supplements used for cognitive support
Listen in for more on nutrition and diet as it relates to brain health for your pet.
LINKS
Want to learn more about DISHAALV? Listen to the episode! (https://pod.link/6783459182/episode/YmVmNjgxMjktYTQzMy00MzRhLWJkMjAtOWEzMmVlZGRjNGY4)
Sign up for Dr. Steffen’s email list and grab the freebies here: http://www.seniorpetconnection.com/freebies (http://www.seniorpetconnection.com/freebies)
Follow Senior Pet Talk and find Dr. Amanda on Instagram at @dr.amanda.vet (https://www.instagram.com/dr.amanda.vet/).
Website: http://seniorpetconnection.com (http://seniorpetconnection.com)
Book your personalized virtual consultation: https://bit.ly/SPTConsult (https://bit.ly/SPTConsult)
TIME STAMPS
0:00 - Brain health in senior pets
1:18 - Nutrition for senior minds
5:16 - Prescription brain diets
8:29 - Key ingredients in brain diets
18:41 - Fresh food and what the research shows
21:58 - Cognitive diet options for cats
25:15 - Supplementing senior brain health
29:59 - Omega-3s and MCT support
33:26 - CBD, milk thistle, and more
36:02 - Tailoring care to each pet
Disclaimer: Senior Pet Talk is not a substitute for professional veterinary care or the clinical judgment of a licensed veterinarian. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or make medical decisions for your pet. Always consult your veterinarian regarding your pet's specific health needs.
24 Sept 2026
22. 7 Reasons I'm Wary of "Longevity Medicine" and What to Ask Instead
If someone said they could scan your 11-year-old pet, hand you a "biological age," and slow down their aging, would you buy it? In this episode, Dr. Amanda talks about longevity medicine in senior pets, walking through 7 reasons to be careful with anyone using the term "longevity medicine," and 6 questions you can ask instead to get to what will actually help your pet.
She discusses:
Why we should be careful with the term "longevity medicine"
Why the goal should be healthspan, not just lifespan
Why the term itself is unclear
How marketing can move ahead of the evidence, especially when studies get simplified or overstated
The lack of FDA-approved drugs or supplements proven to extend a pet's lifespan
The risk of over-testing and over-treating when age gets treated like a disease
6 questions to ask when you hear a longevity claim
Why it's worth focusing on the basics that actually matter
Listen in for a reminder to focus on giving your senior pet a good life, not just a longer one.
LINKS
Sign up for Dr. Steffen’s email list and grab the freebies here: http://www.seniorpetconnection.com/freebies (http://www.seniorpetconnection.com/freebies)
Follow Senior Pet Talk and find Dr. Amanda on Instagram at @dr.amanda.vet (https://www.instagram.com/dr.amanda.vet/).
Website: http://seniorpetconnection.com (http://seniorpetconnection.com)
Book your personalized virtual consultation: https://bit.ly/SPTConsult (https://bit.ly/SPTConsult)
TIME STAMPS
0:00 - The longevity medicine debate
03:38 - Reason 1: Why healthspan matters more than lifespan
06:25 - Reason 2: There's no clear definition of longevity
08:13 - Reason 3: Evidence trails the marketing
12:28 - Reason 4: Why there's no proven lifespan drug
17:25 - Reason 5: Testing age as a disease
24:15 - Reason 6: Simple tactics you can do
27:08 - Reason 7: The longevity guilt trap
29:06 - 6 questions to ask before buying longevity claims
34:17 - Focus on the basics
Disclaimer: Senior Pet Talk is not a substitute for professional veterinary care or the clinical judgment of a licensed veterinarian. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or make medical decisions for your pet. Always consult your veterinarian regarding your pet's specific health needs.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
14 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
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