With so many articles out there on puppy products and catering for your brand-new pup, the senior pooches among them often get pushed to the back of the queue. When your darling dog starts to enter their golden years, their needs change in the same way that humans needs do. Products for puppies are all the rage, but the products on the shelves for older dogs are often lacking in choice and variety.
With this in mind, you need to think about what your senior dog will need as they age. You should firstly make sure that you have the right pet insurances in place for their changing needs: like with humans, illness in older dogs is more prevalent. There are a lot of things that you need to think about for an older dog that you wouldn’t necessarily worry about for a puppy or younger pet, and we’ve listed some of the considerations you need to make.
Nutrition
Older dogs who have been on the same brand of food for most of their life are often happy enough to stay on that brand. However, the frequency of how you feed your dog may change from one or two portions a day to smaller meals. Some of the ‘senior dog food’ products don’t actually offer much of a benefit to your pup, as they have a very minimal amount of supplements added to them. You’ll of course need to keep your dog on a good level of water every day and always have fresh water available. Keep an eye on how much they are drinking as it’s a good indication of illness if they’re excessively thirsty.
Supplements/Medicine
Unless there is a prescription from the vet, there’s little in the way of medicine you need to give your dog. The standard worming medicine and flea medicine will be something you give seasonally and as needed anyway, and you can read Frontline Plus for dogs reviews and decide if you are using the right brand for your pet. As for supplements, older dogs with joint issues only need supplements if they are not eating a balanced enough diet. Dogs can be picky eaters, just as we can, and so taking advice from your vet about which supplements your senior dog will need is the first thing you should do.
Mobility/Incontinence
The golden years often come with not-so-bright problems and these can include incontinence and mobility issues. Having puppy pads like these in the house and dog diapers like these to hand can be helpful in managing accidents in the home. You can also buy waterproof dog liners, but read this detailed article on what to do if your dog suddenly becomes incontinent. Ramps, dog boots and small steps can help your dog get to the places they are used to going with some help. Your dog could also benefit in a bi-weekly brushing. All it takes is 5 minutes per week to make sure that your pup doesn’t get his/her hair matted and uncomfortable. Check out this list of the best dog brushes on the market if that’s a problem that you and your dog can definitely identify with.
Overall, it’s about comfort for your dog and you should be doing everything you can to make them comfortable and happy, no matter their age.
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