Getting older isn’t for sissies, as they say. And it’s true, as we grow older each year, our bodies handle things differently. Well, the same goes with our pups. My older dog, Cody will be turning 13 years old next month! Here are 4 things I do to keep my older dog comfortable. Make sure to read number 3!
He will be 13 years old on February 7, 2022!
1. Make sure to feed your pet their prescription food, if prescribed any.
This may sound like a no brainer, but, firstly, prescription food is expensive which may shy some people away for committing to it. And, secondly, dogs that live with other dogs want what the other is eating.
When I feed Cody, I have to separate our younger dog by putting Hudson outside or in his play yard. I do not know what it is, but Hudson ( and Tyson, too, when he was with us ) is OBSESSED with Cody’s prescription food. Cody also wants the normal dry food that Hudson is eating. So, as long as Cody has eaten his prescription food, I allow Cody to snack on the normal food here and there.
DISCLAIMER: Always check with your vet what is okay for your pet to eat and not eat if on a prescription diet. Cody is on prescription food for his pancreatitis and his heart condition to keep his pancreas happy and to keep weight on his body. So if he eats more, it is okay for HIS health conditions ( as long as it is not too high in fat ) because his body is burning a crazy amount of calories even just laying down.
2. Give your pet their prescribed medications, as directed by their vet.
Most pet owners take this seriously, but there are some that do not. If your pet is prescribed a highly recommended medication, chances are it really might improve your pet’s health condition. And if you decide to go the vet prescribed medication route with your pet, then commit to the medication doses and frequency of administering it as prescribed by your vet.
As I mentioned above, Cody has a heart condition. He has a stage 6 heart murmur. For this, I administer his medication twice a day, 12 hours apart. Some days it may be 11 or just over 12 hours, but I do my best to keep it consistently 12 hours. I have noticed that Cody does best when I am consistent with his medication times.
and able to get good rest when he needs it.
3. Adjust your pet’s sleeping environment for optimal rest.
This one probably seems silly to most people, but I have personally done this for Cody and it has made a big difference.
After Tyson passed early last year, we began letting Cody sleep with us so he would not be alone as he had always slept with Tyson for his whole life of 12 years at that point. With Cody’s heart murmur, he gets hot quite easily and with moving to the upstairs, it was getting to warm for him at night as we were going into mid spring at the time.
What did I do?
- I purchased this cooling pad to lay down on. I bought one for his kennel and one for the upstairs bed. This was so helpful for him! No matter if your pet is old or young, I highly recommend buying one of these for the summer.
- I also noticed that he preferred to sleep directly under the a/c air so I skooched our bed over a little to get a good air flow for him. I also purchased this small fan for him. Doing these things has prevented him from heating up at night and panting.
- UPDATE: I recently set up Madison’s baby pack’n’play with the higher newborn netting for Cody to sleep in. He recently had a stroke and my concern with him sleeping with us is that he may fall or roll off the bed if he has one during the night. I placed a comfy bed in there, as well as his cooling pad and he seems to enjoy it just as much. I keep it on my side of the bed so I can hear if he needs want or to go outside.
We’re thankful for each day with him.
4. Keep in mind their energy and health conditions when playing with them.
Cody is OBSESSED with playing fetch. So much so that the word obsessed doesn’t even cover how much he loves it. But over the last few months I have noticed that even though he wants to keep playing, his body isn’t holding up as strong throughout the entire play time. In response to noticing this, I give him about 7 throws and then I make him rest even though he wants to keep going. After about 5 minutes of him resting, if he still would like to fetch, I throw another 3 or so times. After the second or third round he is usually ready for some water and to take a rest.
Is there anything special you do to help your pet be comfortable in their older years? Share what you do in the comments below!
My hopes for this post is to help remind you the importance of basic things, like how consistent eating times, and administering vet prescribed medications can help your older pet feel their best. Hopefully one of the things I do may inspire a new way to help you care for your aging pet.
Soak in these beautiful moments we have with these loving animals we get to call family.
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A VET OR DOCTOR AND DO NOT CLAIM TO BE ONE. IF YOU HAVE ANY HEALTH CONCERNS FOR YOUR PET, PLEASE SEEK YOUR VET’S EXPERT AND PROFESSIONAL OPINION. THESE ARE ALL MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND WHAT WORKS WITH MY OLDER DOG AND WITH HIS HEALTH CONDITIONS. EACH PET’S HEALTH AND PERSONALITY IS DIFFERENT. WHAT WORKS FOR ONE PET MAY NOT WORK FOR ANOTHER PERSON’S PET.
