By Arina Smith
Many people assume that caring for a senior pet is much less intensive than raising a puppy or middle-aged dog. While your aging furry friend may not require as many walks around the park or intensive potty training tactics, an elderly senior dog needs specialized care to ensure they remain healthy and pain-free during old age.
Unfortunately, older canines are prone to arthritis, diabetes, and various cardiovascular diseases that can be difficult to treat and mitigate without the proper resources.
6 Highly Recommended Products For Your Senior Dog
Fortunately, you can keep your senior dog happy and comfortable during their golden years by making frequent visits to the vet and purchasing senior pet products that reduce discomfort and pain.
If you’re unsure which items are worth your money, read on for five highly recommended products that can improve your elderly dog’s quality of life.
1. An Orthopedic Memory Foam Dog Bed
Regardless of your pet’s age, investing in a high-quality, supportive bed is essential to ensure your dog sleeps comfortably and soundly. Though it may seem your senior dog is taking a nap after a nap on the hardwood floor.
Your aging four-legged friend may need more than a few on-and-off hours of shut-eye per day to ensure they remain healthy and happy. Senior dogs especially need a place to lay that is pressure-sensitive, supportive, and temperature regulated to help ease aching joints and avoid overheating.
Fortunately, orthopedic memory foam dog beds are the perfect solution to everyday stiffness and pain as they mold around your dog’s body, offering support and comfort for your aging pup. That way, they’ll wake each morning rested and free from discomfort.
2. Raised Food And Water Bowls
Another excellent product for your senior dog with joint and spine discomfort is a raised bowl unit that allows them to eat and drink without hunching over. Though younger pups have no problem lowering their head during mealtime, bending motions can cause painful flare-ups for elderly dogs, prompting them to refuse food and water.
Thankfully, you can proactively reduce their discomfort by swapping their traditional dishes for ones that sit higher off the ground. The height adjuster is available for the food and water bowls. And along with the height adjuster, you can also try on the stand support to make the eating time more comfortable.
3. Support Harness
For aging pups with weak legs and low mobility, simple tasks like standing and walking can be difficult and painful, causing many elderly dogs to gain weight due to inactivity. Though it may be tempting to brush off a few extra pounds, overweight dogs often experience uncomfortable and dangerous side effects, like joint strain and diabetes.
That said, consider purchasing a lifting harness to aid your senior dog through physically taxing motions. That way, if they’re struggling to lift themselves from the floor, you can simply slip the harness over their heads and help raise them to their feet without straining your back in the process.
4. Ramps
For elderly pups with limited mobility, climbing up and down stairs can be challenging and painful, especially if the steps are steep. Thankfully, you can install pet ramps on small staircases, allowing your aging pup to navigate potentially dangerous steps without straining their joints.
Additionally, if you’re unable to set up a ramp on larger stair units, consider blocking them off with a baby gate to keep your curious canine free from tumbles. Installing the ramps adds more excitement to your senior dog and increases mobility.
5. Joint Supplements
While there are ways to limit your elderly dog’s discomfort, unfortunately, joint deterioration and bone loss are nearly impossible to avoid during old age. That said, by adding supplements to their daily meals, you can help prolong their good health and alleviate aching limbs.
Additives like glucosamine and chondroitin promote cartilage repair and strengthen joints, allowing your dog to remain pain-free long into its golden years. Ask your veterinary practitioners for the right joint supplement for your senior dog.
Parting Thoughts
When it comes to taking care of a senior dog, purchasing products that can take a load off their strained backs are necessary. By investing in a supportive bed, installing ramps, and purchasing high-quality joint supplements, your elderly pup can live a long, happy, young-at-heart life.
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