Special-needs care
Special-needs pet care that follows your vet's plan
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Special-needs care on Petym is for puppies, senior pets, pets on daily medicine and pets recovering from surgery. The sitter follows your vet's written instructions exactly, logs every dose and meal as it happens, and calls you when anything changes. A sitter never chooses or changes a dose, and gives injections only when agreed and trained.
Petym is not taking bookings yet. A city opens when its sitters have passed Petym's checks: PAN identity, pet first-aid training before the first booking, a named 24-hour vet within reach and, for sitters who host pets, a video walk-through of the home and the housing society's permission.
This page is general information, not veterinary advice. Your vet decides what your pet needs; the sitter's job is to carry out that plan carefully, keep a record, and get your pet to a vet fast when the plan says to or something looks wrong.
FromRs 2,299a night of overnight careRs 2,799 in Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Bengaluru. All prices
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
What’s included
- Your vet's written plan, followed exactlyMedicines, feeding, rest and exercise are done as your vet wrote them, never from memory or a phone call alone. If the plan is unclear, the sitter asks you or your vet before acting.
- Every dose logged as it is givenThe time, the medicine as named on the label, and anything worth noting, such as a refused tablet or a meal left. You see the log in the daily update. US Food and Drug Administration
- A meet and greet that includes the medicinesAt the free meet and greet you show the sitter each medicine, how your pet takes it, and any device such as an oral syringe or an eye dropper.
- Medicines kept in their original labelled containersKept away from human medicines, and never shared between pets unless your vet says so. Mix-ups are a known cause of medication errors. US Food and Drug Administration
- A pace that suits an older petShort, regular walks rather than one long one, anti-slip mats on smooth floors and a soft bed, as vets advise for dogs with arthritis. PDSA
- A puppy's schedule keptSeveral small meals a day and toilet trips after meals, naps and play, the way Merck sets out puppy care. Merck Veterinary Manual
- Rest and checks after surgeryConfinement in a small, quiet space as the vet asks, the protective collar kept on as directed, and the wound looked at every day. American College of Veterinary Surgeons
- A daily photo updateEvery day of the booking, with the log of medicines, meals, toilet and mood, and a photo of the wound if your vet asked for one.
- A sitter trained in pet first aidEvery sitter completes pet first-aid training before the first booking, and has a named 24-hour vet within reach.
- A call the moment something changesA missed meal, a refused tablet, a new limp or a change in breathing is a phone call to you, not a line in the evening update. In an emergency the sitter takes your pet to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list.
What’s not included
- No dose decisions A sitter never starts, stops, skips, doubles or changes a medicine. If a dose is missed or refused, the sitter follows your vet's written instruction for that case, or calls your vet.
- No injections unless agreed and trained Insulin and other injections are given only when you, your vet and the sitter have agreed it, and the sitter has been shown how by your vet. Otherwise it is not part of the booking.
- No diagnosis or treatment A sitter notices and reports. Deciding what a symptom means, or what to do about it, is your vet's job.
- No hospital-level nursing Drips, drains, catheters, oxygen and round-the-clock nursing belong in a vet hospital, not a home booking.
- No human medicines A sitter never gives a pet a human painkiller or any human medicine. Merck warns never to give human medicines to pets without your vet's approval.
- No physiotherapy or rehabilitation Exercises your vet or physiotherapist has shown you can be part of the written plan. Designing or progressing a rehab programme is not.
What does a day of special-needs care look like?
Every day follows the written plan. This example is for a senior dog with arthritis who takes a morning and an evening medicine.
Your sitterAn example day, not a real conversation
- A slow toilet break in the garden or the society compound, with a harness for support on the stairs if needed.6:30 am
- Breakfast measured as the plan says, then the morning medicine given as written on the label. Both are logged with the time.7:00 am
- A short, gentle walk before the heat, on a route without steep slopes or broken pavement.7:30 am
- Rest on a soft bed, on an anti-slip mat, in the coolest room of the home.10:00 am
- A toilet break and fresh water. A note of drinking and appetite goes into the log.1:00 pm
- Gentle company: brushing if your dog enjoys it, a sniff game, or the exercises your vet showed you.4:00 pm
- A second short walk once it has cooled, with a check for stiffness, limping or new lumps.6:00 pm
- Dinner and the evening medicine, given as written and logged. Then the daily photo update with the day's log.7:30 pm
- A last toilet break, then bed in its usual place, close to people.10:00 pm
Which pets need special-needs care?
Any pet whose day depends on a schedule a busy household cannot keep: medicines on time, small meals often, or rest that has to be enforced.
- Your pet takes medicine at set times every day
- Your pet is a senior and slower, stiffer or confused
- Your puppy or kitten is too young to be left for long
- Your pet is recovering from surgery and must rest
- Your pet has a long-term condition such as diabetes or kidney disease
- You are travelling and your pet cannot travel with you
Pets it suits
- PuppiesMeals, toilet trips, sleep and training kept going while you travel.
- KittensA few hours alone at most: visits, overnights, vaccines and kitten-proofing before you travel.
- Senior dogsA steady routine, medicines on time and gentle walks while you travel.
- Senior catsOlder cats cope badly with change: home care, more checks, medicines and the signs a sitter must report.
- DogsWalks, meals and company on your dog's usual times while you travel.
- CatsHow long a cat can be alone, how often a sitter should visit, and what to leave in an Indian flat.
Breeds it often suits
How much does special-needs pet care cost?
These are Petym’s launch prices for special-needs pet care, for one pet. You pay through Petym, with no booking fee on top, and the care plan estimator prices your exact dates. Extras such as a puppy, injections or festival days are on the rate card.
| For one pet | Big cities | Other cities | Each extra pet |
|---|---|---|---|
| A night of overnight care | Rs 2,799 | Rs 2,299 | + Rs 500 (Rs 400 in other cities) |
| A 60-minute care visit | Rs 1,199 | Rs 999 | + Rs 250 (Rs 200 in other cities) |
| A night of care in a sitter's home | Rs 2,199 | Rs 1,799 | + Rs 1,099 (Rs 899 in other cities) |
Included: A sitter experienced with medicines and older or recovering pets; Medicines given exactly as your vet wrote them, and logged; Closer watch on eating, toilet and mobility; A photo update every day.
What changes the price
- How many medicines, how often
- A single morning tablet and four medicines across the day ask very different things of a sitter's time and attention.
- Injections
- Where an injection is agreed and the sitter trained for it, the booking is planned around exact times, which changes it.
- Where care happens
- In your own home, or in a sitter's home, and whether the sitter stays overnight or visits at medicine times.
- Length of the booking
- A few days of recovery after surgery is planned differently from two weeks with a senior pet.
- Number of pets
- A second pet in the home, with its own routine, adds to the day.
- How closely your pet must be watched
- A puppy or a pet after surgery may need someone nearby almost all day, which limits what else a sitter can take on.
How are Petym sitters checked?
Every sitter passes these checks before Petym lists them. Petym does not claim more than it checks.
- PAN identity check. Identity verified with PAN before listing.
- Home walk-through. A video walk-through of the home by Petym, for sitters who host pets.
- Society permission. The housing society's permission for paid pet sitting, for sitters who host pets.
- Pet first-aid trained. Pet first-aid training before the first booking.
- 24-hour vet named. A named 24-hour vet within reach of where the pet stays.
- Pet limit per home. A limit on how many pets a home may take at once.
Trust and safety in full, including what happens if your pet falls ill.
What should you prepare?
- Ask your vet for written instructions: what each medicine is for, when it is given, and what to do if a dose is missed or refused. US Food and Drug Administration
- Keep every medicine in its original labelled container, with the prescription. US Food and Drug Administration
- Write a full list of what your pet takes, including supplements and over-the-counter products. US Food and Drug Administration
- Ask your vet to show you, and the sitter if possible, how to use any oral syringe or measuring device. US Food and Drug Administration
- Show the sitter how your pet takes tablets: in food, in a treat or by hand. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
- For a cat, show how you give medicine and how your cat likes to be held. International Cat Care
- Pack enough of each medicine for the whole booking, plus a few spare days.
- Fill in Petym's medication schedule so every dose has a tick box.
- Write the signs your vet says mean an urgent call, such as not eating, a swollen or leaking wound, or weakness.
- For a puppy, write its vaccine dates and the date of its next vaccine. Merck Veterinary Manual
- After surgery, send the discharge sheet, the protective collar and the date of the recheck. American College of Veterinary Surgeons
- For a senior, list what has changed lately: stairs, appetite, drinking, sleep, toilet habits. International Cat Care
- Give your vet's name and number and tell your vet who the sitter is.
- Send bedding, anti-slip mats or a ramp your pet already uses at home.
Put it all on one page: make a free pet care sheet for your sitter.
How does a sitter keep a medication log?
Every dose is written down when it is given, against the time it was due, with the medicine named exactly as on its label. This is an example of how a day's log reads; your vet's plan fills in the medicines.
| Due | Given | Medicine (as on the label) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 8:00 am | 8:05 am | Medicine 1, with breakfast as the label says | Ate the full meal; took the tablet in a treat |
| Midday | 1:00 pm | 1:00 pm | Eye drops, left eye | Some redness; photo sent to owner |
| Evening | 8:00 pm | 8:20 pm | Medicine 1, with dinner | Ate half; owner called as the plan asks |
| Night US Food and Drug Administration | 10:00 pm | Not given | Medicine 2 | Spat out twice; vet called; instruction written in |
The FDA advises keeping a list of every drug a pet takes, keeping medicines in their original labelled containers and away from human medicines, and asking your vet to show you how to use any measuring device.
What will a sitter do, and never do, with medicines?
A sitter carries out your vet's plan. A sitter does not make medical decisions, and gives injections only when that has been agreed and the sitter trained for it.
Do
- Give each medicine exactly as written on your vet's prescription. Merck Veterinary Manual
- Keep medicines in their original labelled containers, apart from human medicines. US Food and Drug Administration
- Log each dose at the time it is given.
- Follow your vet's written instruction for a missed or refused dose.
- Finish the whole course, even when your pet seems better. American College of Veterinary Surgeons
- Call you, or your vet, before doing anything not in the plan.
Don’t
- Never change, skip, double or stop a dose.
- Never give a human medicine to a pet. Merck Veterinary Manual
- Never give one pet's medicine to another unless your vet says so. US Food and Drug Administration
- Never give an injection that has not been agreed, or without training from your vet.
- Never guess at a symptom; report it and let your vet decide.
What changes when a sitter cares for a senior pet?
Older pets need a slower day, a body watched for small changes, and a routine kept the same. AAHA's senior care guidelines start from the idea that old age is not a disease.
Merck counts dogs as seniors from about 7 to 8 years old, earlier in big breeds. International Cat Care calls cats mature from 7 and senior from 11 to 14, and notes that older cats do not cope well with changes to their routine. For a senior cat, staying at home with a sitter is often kinder than any move.
Arthritis shows as stiffness after rest, reluctance to jump or climb stairs, slowing on walks and licking at sore joints. PDSA advises regular short walks each day rather than a sudden long one, rugs or anti-slip mats on smooth floors, a soft or memory-foam bed, and keeping the dog slim. Many Indian flats have polished marble or vitrified tiles, which is where a mat matters most.
Heat is a bigger risk with age: in a large UK study, dogs aged 12 or older had the highest odds of heat-related illness. Senior cats are at greater risk of dehydration, and drinking more than usual is a reason to call the vet. So a sitter logs drinking, appetite and toilet habits, and tells you about any change.
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| When a dog is senior | From about 7 to 8 years, earlier in large breeds. | Merck Veterinary Manual |
| When a cat is senior | Mature from 7 years, senior from 11 to 14. | International Cat Care |
| Arthritis signs | Stiffness after rest, not wanting stairs or jumps, slowing on walks. | PDSA |
| Pain signs | Eating less, restlessness, trouble getting comfortable, hiding, licking a sore spot. | Merck Veterinary Manual |
| Heat | Dogs aged 12 or older had the highest odds of heat-related illness in a UK study. | Scientific Reports (2020)study |
| Drinking | Senior cats dehydrate more easily; drinking more is a reason to call the vet. | International Cat Care |
| Litter tray | Lower sides make it easier for a stiff cat to get in and out. | International Cat Care |
What does a puppy need from a sitter?
Small meals often, frequent toilet trips, safe new experiences and protection from infection until its vaccines are done. That is a full-time job.
Merck sets out puppy feeding as four meals a day from 6 to 12 weeks, three from 3 to 6 months and two from 6 to 12 months. House-training means taking the puppy out first thing in the morning, last thing at night, after meals, after a big drink, after naps and after play. A sitter keeps to your schedule so house-training does not slip while you are away.
Puppies need vaccines every 2 to 3 weeks until they are about 4 months old, and should be kept away from unvaccinated dogs and dogs of unknown vaccine status until then. WSAVA and AAHA advise the last core puppy dose at 16 weeks or older. Indian cards often show this as a DHPPi series with rabies, and some Indian schedules differ, so follow your vet's dates.
The first three months are the key window for socialisation, says the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior: new people, sounds and places, met safely and without overwhelming the puppy. For an unvaccinated puppy, a sitter in your own home, with calm visitors and household sounds such as the pressure cooker and the doorbell, gives that without the infection risk of busy places.
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 6 to 12 weeks | Four meals a day. | Merck Veterinary Manual |
| 3 to 6 months | Three meals a day. | Merck Veterinary Manual |
| 6 to 12 months | Two meals a day. | Merck Veterinary Manual |
| Vaccines | Every 2 to 3 weeks until about 4 months; the last core puppy dose at 16 weeks or older. | WSAVAstudy |
| Until vaccines are done | No unvaccinated dogs or dogs of unknown vaccine status. | Merck Veterinary Manual |
| Socialisation window | The first three months of life. | American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior |
| Parvovirus | Commonly affects puppies aged 6 weeks to 6 months; the virus can survive in the environment for months to years. | Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine |
How should a home be set up for a pet with poor mobility?
Small changes make a stiff, old or recovering pet safer. A sitter keeps to the set-up you use at home, and checks it at the meet and greet if your pet is staying in the sitter's home.
- Rugs or anti-slip mats on smooth floors, especially the routes your pet uses most. PDSA
- A soft or memory-foam bed, with the choice of a flat mattress or an enclosed bed. PDSA
- Short, regular walks each day, never a sudden long one. PDSA
- Meals measured as your vet advises; extra weight puts pressure on joints. PDSA
- A litter tray with lower sides for a stiff cat. International Cat Care
- Secure, wide surfaces for a senior cat to sleep on, rather than high narrow ledges. International Cat Care
- Water bowls in more than one room, so drinking is easy.
- The lift used instead of stairs where the society allows it.
- Balcony doors closed, so a confused senior pet cannot wander out.
- A harness that supports your pet, if your vet has advised one.
How does a sitter care for a pet after surgery?
By following the discharge sheet to the letter. Recovery depends on rest, a protected wound and medicines given exactly as directed.
The day you come home
Read the discharge sheet together with the sitter. Eating less or skipping a meal in the first 24 hours is common. American College of Veterinary Surgeons
Throughout recovery
Your pet stays in a crate or small quiet room, as your vet says, so it cannot run, jump or play unsupervised. American College of Veterinary Surgeons
All the time, unless told otherwise
The protective collar stays on as your vet directed: licking or chewing at a wound can slow healing and cause infection. American College of Veterinary Surgeons
Every day
The sitter looks at the wound and reports redness, swelling, heat, discharge, a bad smell or any opening. A photo helps your vet see change. American College of Veterinary Surgeons
At each dose time
Pain and other medicines given exactly as directed and logged. Skipping or stopping early can slow recovery. American College of Veterinary Surgeons
Until your vet clears it
No baths or swimming, and the wound kept clean and dry, which in the monsoon means short, covered toilet trips. American College of Veterinary Surgeons
At the first worry
The sitter calls you and your vet rather than waiting for the recheck.
Why does the written plan matter even when a pet looks better?
Word for word
Following discharge instructions, even when your pet appears to be feeling better, helps protect healing tissues
The same is true of every long-term medicine. A sitter who sees a bright, hungry pet on day three does not decide to ease off the rest or the tablets: that decision is your vet's.
When does a sitter call the vet straight away?
When your vet's plan says to, and for any sign of an emergency. The sitter calls ahead, then calls you, and takes your pet to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list.
If Trouble breathing, heavy bleeding, a suspected poisoning or severe pain
An emergency: phone the 24-hour vet on the way and go straight there. Merck Veterinary Manual
If A diabetic pet that is weak, wobbly, vomiting or fitting
Possible low blood sugar: follow your vet's written plan for it at once, and get to the vet. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
If A surgical wound that is opening, leaking or swollen
Call your vet the same day; do not wait for the recheck. American College of Veterinary Surgeons
If A cat that has stopped eating
Call the vet promptly: several days without food can lead to a serious liver disease. University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
If Heavy panting or collapse in the heat
Cool with cold tap water in shade or a cool room and phone the vet straight away. PDSA
If A pet in pain that needs to be moved
Support it on a firm board or folded blanket; muzzle a dog only if safe, and never a flat-faced breed or a dog with a chest injury. Merck Veterinary Manual
Which kind of care suits your pet's needs?
Ask your vet first. Then match the plan to the service.
If Your pet is recovering from surgery and must rest
A sitter who stays in your home keeps it in familiar, confined surroundings. Overnight sitting
If Your cat needs medicine at set times but is otherwise well
Drop-in visits timed to each dose may be enough; ask your vet how strict the timing is. Drop-in visits
If Your senior dog is sociable and settles well away from home
Home boarding with a sitter who keeps a slow pace can work. Home boarding
If Your puppy needs company through the working day
Day care in a sitter's home, with no unknown dogs until its vaccines are done. Doggy day care
If You need to set out every dose for the sitter
Make a printable medication schedule with tick boxes. Pet medication schedule
If Your pet's condition is changing quickly
Talk to your vet about whether it should stay at the vet hospital instead. Signs your pet needs a vet now
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Words on this page, explained
Questions owners ask
What is special-needs pet care?
- Special-needs care is pet care for puppies, senior pets, pets on daily medicine and pets recovering from surgery. On Petym the sitter follows your vet's written instructions exactly, logs every dose and meal as it happens, and calls you when anything changes. The sitter does not make medical decisions.
Can a pet sitter give my pet its medicine?
- Yes, tablets, liquids and drops, given exactly as your vet's prescription says and logged at the time. Send each medicine in its original labelled container, with written instructions. A sitter never changes, skips or doubles a dose, and never gives a human medicine.
Can a pet sitter give insulin injections?
- Only when you, your vet and the sitter have agreed it, and your vet has shown the sitter how. Cornell notes that owners can usually learn to give insulin at home, and many vets advise feeding at the time of each injection. If no trained sitter is agreed, injections are not part of the booking.
What happens if my pet refuses a dose or a meal?
- The sitter follows your vet's written instruction for that case and logs it. If there is no instruction, the sitter calls you or your vet before doing anything. Ask your vet to write down what to do about a missed or refused dose before you leave.
Is it better for a senior pet to stay at home?
- Often, yes. International Cat Care notes older cats do not cope well with changes to their routine, and many old dogs are calmer on their own floors and smells. A sociable senior dog may still settle in a calm sitter's home. Ask your vet.
Can a sitter look after my dog after surgery?
- Yes, by following the discharge sheet exactly: rest in a small, quiet space, the protective collar on as directed, medicines on time and a daily look at the wound. Any redness, swelling, discharge or opening is reported to you and your vet the same day.
When is my puppy old enough to be left with a sitter?
- A puppy can be left with a sitter at any age if the sitter can keep its schedule: several meals a day and frequent toilet trips. Until its vaccines are done at about 4 months, keep it away from unvaccinated dogs, so care at home suits best.
What will a sitter never do for a pet with special needs?
- Change or stop a medicine, give a human medicine, give an injection that was not agreed or trained, diagnose a symptom or provide hospital nursing such as drips or drains. Each of those is your vet's decision or belongs in a vet hospital.
What should I leave a sitter for a pet on medication?
- Every medicine in its original labelled container with the prescription, enough for the whole booking plus spare, a written schedule, your vet's instructions for missed doses, a full list including supplements, your vet's number, and the warning signs that mean an urgent call.
What happens in an emergency with a pet on medication?
- The sitter calls the 24-hour vet on the way, takes your pet to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list and calls you. Bring the medication log and the medicines, so the vet sees exactly what was given and when.
How much does special-needs care cost on Petym?
- Overnight care is Rs 2,799 a night in Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Bengaluru and Rs 2,299 in other cities; a 60-minute care visit is Rs 1,199 or Rs 999, and a night in a sitter's home Rs 2,199 or Rs 1,799. Tablets and drops are included.
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Keep reading
- Senior pets and pets on medicationSigns of ageing, a medicine handover a sitter can follow, and when an older pet should stay at home.
- Signs your pet needs a vet nowBreathing trouble, bloat, a blocked cat, poisoning, seizures: the signs that cannot wait till morning.
- Pet first aid basicsBleeding, burns, heatstroke, seizures, choking and poisoning: what to do until you reach the vet.
- How sitters handle emergenciesThe first minutes, first aid that helps, and when to go straight to the vet.
- What to leave for your pet sitterThe full checklist for an Indian home: food, medicines, vet consent, keys, the society and power.
- Puppy and dog vaccination scheduleWhich vaccines, at what age, where Indian and global advice differ, and what to do when a dose is missed.
- Kitten and cat vaccination scheduleThe three core vaccines, rabies for every Indian cat, when FeLV applies, and boosters before a stay.
- Heatstroke in dogsThe signs, how to cool a dog on the spot, when to go to a 24-hour vet, and which dogs are most at risk.
Keep exploring
Other Petym services
Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- US Food and Drug Administration: Medication errors happen to pets, too (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: Arthritis in dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Puppy care (opens in a new tab)
- American College of Veterinary Surgeons: Postoperative care after surgery: what animal owners should expect (opens in a new tab)
- US Food and Drug Administration: Medications for your pet: questions for your vet (opens in a new tab)
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: Giving your dog oral medications (opens in a new tab)
Show all 20 sourcesShow fewer
- International Cat Care: How to give a cat medication (opens in a new tab)
- International Cat Care: Special considerations for senior cats (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: How drugs are given to animals (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Routine health care of dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Recognizing and assessing pain in animals (opens in a new tab)
- American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior: Position statement on puppy socialization (opens in a new tab)
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: Parvovirus: transmission to treatment (Riney Canine Health Center) (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: What to do in a dog or cat emergency (opens in a new tab)
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: Feline diabetes (Cornell Feline Health Center) (opens in a new tab)
- University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine: Hepatic lipidosis: a serious problem when cats stop eating (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: Heatstroke in dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Scientific Reports (2020): Incidence and risk factors for heat-related illness in UK dogs (opens in a new tab)
- WSAVA: 2024 guidelines for the vaccination of dogs and cats (WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group, Journal of Small Animal Practice) (opens in a new tab)
- AAHA (JAAHA): 2023 AAHA senior care guidelines for dogs and cats (abstract) (opens in a new tab)