8 Jan 2026
Project said to support preventative care, enable early disease detection and facilitate tailored healthcare planning.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
A veterinary group has developed a new framework to embed pet wellness into routine veterinary practice.
CVS is rolling out the Life Stage Assessment Framework as part of a dedicated clinical improvement project.
The framework will help clinicians assess cats and dogs at every stage of life and promote pet wellness. This includes a preventative, proactive approach to veterinary care focused on maintaining physical, emotional and behavioural health across a pet’s lifespan, supported by regular assessments, client education, and early intervention.
Providing consultation frameworks for age-appropriate recommendations, the framework separates a pet’s lifespan into distinct stages, recognising physiological and behavioural changes over time.
CVS said the framework supports tailored healthcare planning for each life stage and promotes early disease detection and preventative care.
It is said clinicians will be able to make individualised recommendations for their clients and they will have clinical freedom in how they implement the guidelines.
As well as allowing veterinary teams to offer more comprehensive care, it said the framework will also help support client education and decision-making.
To support the framework’s rollout, CVS has created resources for both vet teams and pet owners including life stage assessment tools for cats and dogs, clinical “how-to” guides for each life stage, vet and VN training programmes, a dedicated hub on its Knowledge Hub learning platform and an online discussion forum for colleagues to share insights and collaborate.
Project lead Tara Ryan, CVS’ chief veterinary nursing officer, described pet wellness as “the cornerstone of modern veterinary medicine” and said recognising pets’ evolving requirements throughout their lives is “essential to delivering high-quality care”.
She continued: “Life stage assessments provide a structured way to tailor healthcare recommendations based on a pet’s age, lifestyle, and breed.
“Through life stage assessments, we’re equipping our teams with the tools and knowledge to deliver proactive care that improves outcomes.
“This project empowers veterinary teams to deliver consistent, individualised wellness care that supports the physical, emotional and behavioural health of pets throughout their lives.
“Its collaborative approach strengthens client relationships, supports consistent contextualised care, and fostering team satisfaction via rewarding client interactions.”
