Wellness

Watching our dogs age isn’t easy, and it’s hard to know the best ways to keep them as safe and healthy as we can. Dr. Julie Buzby is an integrative veterinarian with over 20 years of experience caring for aging dogs. In this webinar, she shares her Top 10 Favorite Things for Senior Dogs, to keep them happy, healthy, and safe in their golden years. From comfy beds to health supplements to assistive measures for loss of mobility and dementia, there are plenty of helpful takeaways here to make our seniors’ lives better. 

Dogs of all ages need mental stimulation to feel their best, and senior dogs are no exception. Age-appropriate activities such as puzzle toys, scent games, and teaching gentle tricks can keep your grey-muzzled friend happy, healthy, and thriving in their golden years. In this webinar, Sydney Queen, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, discusses enrichment and training modifications and alternatives for senior dogs.

When it comes to supporting aging dogs, there are many factors to consider. These depend on each dog and their individual circumstances. In this webinar, Dr. Dawn Gleason shares her experience caring for aging dogs and suggests simple changes that can make a big difference in their quality of life.

Dr. Kipp Chapman, DVM, of Philadelphia Animal Hospital has been in veterinary practice and surgery for 20 years. We spoke with Dr. Chapman to get the 411 on questions veterinarians get asked most regarding nutrition.

When it comes to keeping your pet healthy, one of the questions veterinarians get asked most is, “What should I feed my dog?”

The age your dog becomes a “senior” depends on how big your four-legged friend is. Smaller dogs are considered seniors when they’re about 11, while larger-sized pups reach senior status by the time they’re 8.

Grey Muzzle board president Denise Fleck loves to cook for her pups. This is one of her family's favorite dog cookie recipes. These are likely to go fast, so you may want to stock up and make a double batch!

Haiku Fleck's Favorite Pumpkin Sweet Potato Dog Cookies

Ingredients

1½ Cups Brown Rice Flour

½ Teaspoon Cinnamon

1 Cup Mashed Baked Sweet Potato

½ Cup 100% Pure Pumpkin Purée

1 Cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal (dry)

¼ Cup Water

1 Egg

As the winter approaches, now is the prime time that ticks are trying to stay warm. Most ticks will be active while the temperature is above freezing. They can be carriers of Lyme disease, which untreated can lead to kidney, nervous system, and heart problems in your dog. To ensure your dog’s health and safety, here are some easy tips to perform a tick check on your furry friend.

By Denise Fleck

What is fun for us, is not always fun for our pets.  Costumes distort human shapes making them scary.  Loud noises make animals want to dart from the safety of their homes.  Sweet treats for humans are potentially fatal to dogs and cats.  Plan ahead.  Look at this holiday from your pet’s point of view and practice these 5 Pet Safety Tips to ensure a Happy Howl-o-ween for all!

1) NO HOUDINI ACTS

If you’re a smoker, you’ve probably considered the effect that your habit has on your family and loved ones. However, you may never have thought about the effect that second-hand smoke may have on your pets. Yet, if you live with cats, dogs or other animals inside your home, you could find that the smoke that your furry friends are breathing in could be causing them problems.

As our dogs get older and enter their senior years, their bodies change. Their activity levels may drop and new health issues may pop up. One of the key pillars of health is diet - what we feed our dogs is important. So do we need to feed our dogs “senior dog food” to keep them healthy? Is it worth switching them to a different dog food if they’re already eating “adult dog food”? These are the questions we’ll try to answer by comparing senior dog food against other dog food lifestages.