Frequently asked
Eight questions, answered.
01
Isn't this just a diary?
A diary remembers the feeling. This remembers the facts — dates, changes, patterns — in the form a vet can actually use. The same impulse to record, an entirely different purpose.
02
When is my pet a “senior” — and which journal fits?
Sooner than most people expect. For dogs it depends on size; for cats it begins around eleven.
Dog · by weightSenior from
under 10 kg10–12 years
10–25 kg8–10 years
25–40 kg7–8 years
over 40 kg5–7 years
Catfrom about 11 years
Once you're there, the journal follows the animal. The main journal covers three months — enough time to test whether the system fits and is actually used. After that, extensions are available to continue the established practice:
An older dog→ The Gentle Hound
An older cat→ The Graceful Cat
After the main journal — to continue the practice→ Extension Journal
The thinking behind all of it→ Veterinary Mindset — the book
Most people start with one animal and one season. The whole shelf is not needed.
03
Will the vet actually find this useful?
Often more than the fifteen minutes in the room. A vet sees a snapshot. The owner holds the timeline. A clear note of when, how often and what else changed is exactly what turns a guess into a direction.
04
How do I prepare for a vet visit?
The key is a timeline, not a feeling. Recording when the change started, how often it happens, and what else shifted around it — eating, drinking, energy, sleep. That short record turns a guess into a direction, and is exactly what the journals are built to hold.
A free download of the vet-visit preparation checklist is available as a PDF.
05
What's the difference between the book and the journals?
Veterinary Mindset teaches how to read a symptom. The journals are where one records it. The book is the thinking; the journal is the evidence. Each stands alone — together, they become a habit.
06
Is this veterinary advice — and who writes it?
No, it is not advice: nothing here diagnoses or treats. It helps to observe and describe, so the diagnosis — which belongs to the veterinarian — has more to work with. Written by a veterinarian (published under the name T. Abend), grounded in international guidelines. Anything concerning: contact a vet.
07
Is it a good gift idea?
Yes — and a very meaningful one. People with an ageing dog or cat rarely buy this kind of thing for themselves. That is what makes it a good gift: it says gently that the animal's age was noticed.
08
Where can I buy it — and in which language?
Everything is on Amazon. Veterinary Mindset is currently in German on amazon.de, with an English edition in preparation; the journals are on Amazon in English and German. From this site, each link leads straight to the right Amazon page — ordering, shipping and delivery are handled by Amazon.