CARING FOR A SENIOR DOG

My Husky Icy is nearly 15 years old, so at this point we've been dealing with caring for an old dog. I guess she's been considered a "senior dog" for the last few years, but until very recently it really hadn't been a concern at all to deal with caring for a senior dog.

Caring for an older dog

In the last year or so Icy has "aged" very noticeably. Her three biggest issues have been pretty advanced arthritis, dog dementia symptoms, and the fact that she's lost a considerable amount of weight in just a few months. 

Caring for My Senior Dog

During Icy's regular twice yearly wellness Vet visit, we wanted to discuss her advancing arthritis symptoms and some dog dementia symptoms she started experiencing. 

However, our Vet was most concerned that she had dropped several pounds in just a few months. So, in addition to Icy's scheduled bloodwork, the Vet wanted to take x-rays to see if anything was present that could account for Icy's rapid weight loss. Because of these three health problems, our Veterinarian sent us home with a few medications to help keep our senior dog more comfortable. 

The Vet gave us 4 medications for Icy:

> For her arthritis pain the Vet gave us two medications; Gabapertin for pain and Galiprant for inflammation. 

> Because Icy has been experiencing some dog dementia symptoms, which is a common older dog mental health problem, we were given Anipryl.

> The icing on the cake was that totally unbeknownst to us, my sweet dog apparently had an infection! It didn't show up in the bloodwork and she showed no symptoms of infection that we could see. 

Our wonderful, astute Vet noticed that as she was taking x-rays of Icy, some discharge was visible while she was being manipulated on the x-ray table. Because of this, our Vet also gave us an antibiotic to fight the infection. It worked like a charm! My poor dog's appetite had really diminished for no apparent reason. We though it was just an old dog thing, but 4 days after taking the antibiotic her appetite returned!

Now the infection is cleared up and we're left with three of the medications, which Icy will need to continue long term. She also gets monthly Flea/Tick/Heartworm medication. We regularly give her a number of supplements and a probiotic as well.

Whew! Old dog care can be a lot to manage! I'm not used to giving my dog many supplements and medications, but it's increased significantly since she's aged. In fact, the very first day I had to give her all 4 of the medications I really messed up!

The writing on those darn medication bottles is so small! Am I right about that?! I read them all and was sure I had it right - but nope! Each medication's instructions is a bit different and I'm embarrassed to say I messed it up. 

One of the pain medications is given once a day, but the pill needs to be broken in half! I sort of missed the breaking in half part and I gave Icy the whole pill. I quickly realized my mistake and called my Vet's office in a panic!  They said to just keep an eye on her and call them if she experienced any adverse effects. Not a great way to start off my dog's new medication regiment! Don't worry, she was fine.

After that I decided to write out all of the medications and their doses and instructions.  It didn't work out so well, small pieces of paper are easy to misplace. And once I put the instructions on the kitchen counter, which turned out to be wet - LOL!  I wanted a better way to track all the medications and supplements I need to give Icy so I created a tracker to help me keep it straight and keep everything in one place.

It worked out so well for me, I decided to expand upon it and create a Complete Pet Health Tracker and offer it for sale in my Etsy shop. I'm really proud of it and I hope it will help others stay on top of their pet's health. It's perfect for both dogs and cats.

Complete Pet Health Tracker

My easy to use Pet Health Tracker helps pet owners keep track of their pet's healthcare including Vet visits, Pet medications and preventatives, Pet vaccinations, and Pet allergies. All the details can be organized and kept in one document.  

Both a Printable and Digital format are included in the low price of $2.45. The price is actually $3.50 but I'm running an introductory 20% Off sale. I'm also giving away a really useful Free Gift with Purchase! 

The tracker is an instant download product, so upon purchase you'll have access to the files. Visit my Etsy Shop and check it out!

Here's a preview of what you get in the Pet Health Tracker: 

Fortunately, Icy is doing well with her medications and supplements, and I haven't screwed up any more of her medications! 

We are so relieved that once her infection cleared up she started eating again. She's eating almost as much as she did before the infection was detected, so I hope she can gain back some of the weight she's lost. We'll be back at the Vet in a few more weeks for a re-check. I'm anxious to see if she puts some weight on. Stay tuned!

Icy splashing through the river on our hike!

We had been so worried that Icy wouldn't be able to make our trip up to the Blue Ridge Mountains in August, but she did great! We had a wonderful vacation. I'll be posting more about that trip very soon, but you can see my post about a few of the dog friendly coffee shops we visited there. I'm so happy she was well enough to go on this vacation, and thoroughly enjoy it! 

How do you keep track of your pet's health care? Leave us a comment and share!

Sharing is Caring If you enjoyed this post, please share it on your social media! ❤️

3 GREAT DOG FRIENDLY COFFEE SHOPS IN THE NORTH CAROLINA BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS

Whenever we travel, we bring our dogs along. They deserve a vacation as much as we do! Dog friendly travel is a priority for me, I'm always searching for pet friendly hotels and destinations with fun activities for dogs too. We fell in love with the dog friendly Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina last year, so we went back again this Summer. The beautiful hiking and fresh mountain air are fantastic, but after you hike, kayak, and fish all day you need to relax! I want to share 3 great dog friendly coffee shops in the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains. 

Relaxing at the Local Lion dog friendly cafe, Boone NC

We spent quite a bit of quality time relaxing and chilling with our dog at these charming dog friendly cafes in the Boone area of the Blue Ridge Mountains! 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT DOG BOARDING FACILITY FOR YOUR DOG

Dog boarding is a service I hadn't used in a long time. Years ago, when Icy was young we used to board her when we went on vacation. We used the PetSmart near our home and it was fantastic. They had trained her since she was 16 weeks old, and she went to doggie daycamp 3 times a week for years. All the staff there knew her and loved her. We trusted them completely and we really liked them so much as people. They became like family. But when we moved, it was challenging to choose the right dog boarding facility for our dog.

I want my dog to be safe and comfortable in a dog boarding facility

Fast forward two moves across the country and several years later, we no longer had a pet boarding facility we could trust with our dogs. It hadn't been an issue since we began road tripping with our dogs about 10 years ago. We no longer needed to send our dogs to a boarding kennel. But that changed last month.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT DOG BOARDING KENNEL

If you follow the blog or our social media accounts, you probably know that Icy, our nearly 15 year old Husky, has been experiencing some common senior dog health issues. We have had to pay very close attention to her health needs and make quite a few accommodations for her. 

We had planned a Summer vacation in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which we took our dogs to last year. But we felt torn. We felt strongly that Icy should have another fabulous road trip, possibly her last one due to her advancing age and growing limitations. Our other dog Jessie, who we adopted 2 years ago, is much younger and super energetic. They are not exactly close, unfortunately. Jessie is fearful of other dogs, something we didn't know when we adopted her. The rescue organization wasn't entirely forthcoming about her many "quirks", which is why it's so important to thoroughly research the animal shelter or pet rescue organization you adopt a dog from.

Because of the less than ideal dynamic between Icy and Jessie, and Icy's advancing age and special needs we decided not to bring Jessie on the trip. That may seem unfair to some of you. Traveling with two dogs can be a lot of work as it is. But when you throw in dogs with special health needs or incompatibilities, it is that much more unpredictable. 

We moved here during the Pandemic and have very few family or friends living here. I'm not fortunate enough to have family or friends who are able (or willing) to dog sit for more than a weekend. None of my family or neighbors could take Jessie for the 10 days we would be away, so we looked for a dog boarding facility that could care for her while we traveled with Icy. I looked at several places and finally decided on one that met all my requirements and more.

🐾They provided a full tour of the facility well in advance, and answered all my questions

🐾They offered one free day of day camp or boarding so we could check out the facility and see how Jessie would do there. She did very well!

🐾They have a couple of different room choices for the dogs

🐾They provide two play sessions daily, both indoor and outdoor play areas 

🐾They have veterinary care on site just in case it's needed

🐾And here was the clincher for me - they have Live Web Cams! I could go online and check in on all the play areas during the day. Rather than have to call them every day to see how Jessie was doing, I could pop into the web cam and see her myself. Ok, so I did call them a couple of times just to get the full report on how she was eating, pooping, and overall getting along. I'm a Dog Mom, of course I went on the web cam every day and called a few times! 

I feel confident that I did the research and made the right choice of a boarding facility for Jessie. If you need to board your dog, be sure to thoroughly check out the facility well in advance.

Visit my Etsy store, Nature and Critters for pet and animal inspired digital and printable cards, gifts and other products! 

I had thought about a pet sitter, but I felt safer having Jessie in a secure facility where she had supervision 24/7, and veterinary care available on site if needed. There are some amazing pet sitters, and they are a great fit for many pets but I felt a facility was the right choice for Jessie.

If you want to board your dog, in addition to what the facility has to offer they will have requirements for you to meet as well.  Make sure you know all their requirements, restrictions, etc. well in advance of booking.

DOG BOARDING REQUIREMENTS

Requirements for dog boarding usually means that your dog must be current on the following vaccinations. This is to protect your dog as well as other dogs at the facility that may come in contact with your dog. 

In a kennel situation, diseases can spread fast so you want your dog to be protected against the most common canine contagious diseases. These vaccinations usually include:

• Rabies Vaccine
• DAPP (or DHPP) Vaccine (Distemper, Parvo, Parainfluenza, Adenovirus)
• Leptospirosis Vaccine
• Bordetella (aka Canine Kennel Cough) Vaccine

Some dog boarding facilities may also require that your dog be vaccinated for Canine Influenza Virus (Dog Flu). I have never had to get my dogs vaccinated for Canine Influenza, but definitely make sure you are aware of all the requirements. 

Be sure to get your dog the required vaccinations in plenty of time for your dog's boarding check-in. I have found that most facilities require pets to be vaccinated about 7 days prior to check-in. You also want to leave some time just in case your dog has an adverse reaction to any of the vaccinations.

Some dog boarding kennels may have additional requirements such as only accepting dogs that are friendly towards people, have no bite history, or other behavioral restrictions. Make sure you know all the requirements and restrictions before making a dog boarding reservation.  

Also be sure you find out all the dog boarding charges you may incur, over and above the daily boarding fee. Know exactly what the daily fee includes. You probably need to bring your dog's food, with every serving pre-measured and packed up separately.

PIN THIS!

Give yourself time to find the right situation for your dog, whether that be a dog boarding facility, pet sitter, family member or friend. Do you vacation with your pet, or do you use a dog boarding facility, pet sitter, family member or friend? Leave us a comment and share!

Sharing is Caring If you enjoyed this post, please share it on your social media! ❤️

You may also enjoy these articles:

 Dog friendly Boone, NC in the Blue Ridge Mountains

 Skin and Ear care for dogs 

CARU PET FOOD HUMAN GRADE STEW FOR DOGS

Dog food has come a long way in the last few decades. Pet Parents are dedicated to feeding their dogs the best dog food they can afford. Many dog owners even cook for their dogs to ensure they are feeding their dogs the highest quality, safest food. I'm a big believer in feeding my dogs high quality, safe food. I read dog food labels incessantly! I was recently given a new dog food that I just love! Caru Pet Food, human grade stew for dogs is a stew made for dogs that contains a balanced blend of meat, poultry, fish, healthy Omega fatty acids, Marine Microalgae oil rich in EPA and DHA fatty acids, vegetables, fruits, vitamins and minerals. They don't just cater to dogs, they make this healthy food for cats too!

As many of you know, my senior Husky dog Icy has become an increasingly picky eater and has lost a lot of weight. After a full exam, blood work and X-rays, our Veterinarian thinks it's largely because of her advanced age, she's 14 and a half, and the fact that she has arthritis and is often uncomfortable and sometimes lethargic. She also had a minor infection that probably contributed to her feeling ill and not eating as much. It's a sad part of dogs aging process.

CARU Stew For Dogs

Getting Icy to eat was becoming such a challenge! She no longer eats many of the foods she once devoured. We are learning what she will and will not eat. One of the changes in preference for her is that she doesn't go for the large chucks of chicken or beef that she used to love. She prefers food that is a bit softer and easier to chew and digest. When she tried Caru's stew for dogs she Loved it!  

The dog stew food comes in 12 ounce cartons versus cans, kind of like a really small milk carton. Caru sent me both the beef and pork stew recipes. I thought Icy would like the beef but I honestly didn't think she would like the pork, but she loved both! I'll definitely get the chicken and turkey flavors too.

I was given complementary samples of Caru Pet stew for dogs to try so that I can share with my readers.

CARU human grade dog food

I'm really glad that this human grade dog food has so many healthy ingredients and none of the scary ingredients I don't even know how to pronounce! I was also super happy that the Caru Stew for dogs can function as both a complete meal, as well as a topper.  I tried it as a topper first and Icy went for it right away. I have since started using it as a complete meal, because it's so healthy and she will eat it with gusto. I'm hoping this might help her put back some of the 7 or 8 pounds she's lost in the last 4 months.

Caru stew for dogs is responsibly sourced with traceable ingredients. It's prepared in small batches with; 

🐾 No grain, wheat, gluten, corn, soy or animal by-products

🐾 No GMOs, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives

PIN THIS!

CARU Stew for Dogs INGREDIENTS AND GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:

Caru stew for dogs ingredients

AS YOU CAN SEE, ICY LOVES THIS DOG FOOD!

Dog food and Cat food are always changing. New and improved products to meet the demand of discerning pet parents are being made all the time. I'm always on the lookout for better healthy dog food. I'm really happy to have found Caru, and I am thrilled that Icy loves it!

Where To Buy Caru Stew For Dogs

You can find Caru pet food online at Chewy, Amazon, and Petco. I had some trouble finding it at Petco stores. It is available in some stores, and they have a store locator on their web site, but I couldn't find any pet stores near me that had it so I have to order online.

Visit Caru Pet Food's web site to learn more.

Sharing is Caring If you enjoyed this post, please share it on your social media! ❤️

MICROCHIPPING DOGS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY MEASURE

There are a number of reasons why microchipping dogs is a critical pet safety measure for dog parents. In fact, it's probably one of the smartest dog safety tips for dog owners, and cat owners too!  June is National Microchipping Month for pet owners.  It's a month in which to raise awareness of the importance of microchipping your pets, particularly dogs and cats.

Importance of Microchipping Pets

> A microchip permanently establishes you as the owner of your dog, and links you together for the life of your pet. Virtually all Veterinary offices and Animal shelters have microchip scanners that enable them to scan a dog or cat to see if a chip is present. In dogs and cats the microchip is usually placed, just beneath the skin, between the shoulder blades. Microchips are internationally recognized, so even if you travel abroad with your dog, their microchip can still be effective.

> Collars and tags are great, your dog should always wear them. However, collars can easily come off your pet. Collars can break off, a terrified dog can wriggle out of almost any collar or harness and run off. A well meaning citizen, or a not so well meaning citizen, can inadvertently remove a dog's collar - removing that means of identification and link to you. Unlike collars, a microchip is permanently attached to your dog.  In the U.S. it is illegal for anyone other than an owner to remove a pet's microchip.

> Once a microchip is installed, there is no further maintenance required. It's a one and done simple procedure that links you and your dog together for the life of your dog.

Microchipping dogs & cats is critical for pet safety 

I can't overstate the importance of microchipping your dog or cat. As an 8 year animal shelter volunteer, I have seen the heartbreak of pet owners searching frantically for their lost dog or cat.  

They walk, teary eyed, up and down the rows of shelter pets desperately seeking their beloved dog or cat.  When they've searched every kennel, the anguish of not finding their pet is evident.  I have seen this look far too many times and it breaks my heart.  

I always asked them the critical question, already fearing the answer.  Is your dog microchipped?  No, they say, my dog isn't microchipped. I know then how drastically the odds of finding their pet plummets. 

But I offer as much encouraging information and advice as I can. I tell them that the shelter nearest their location might not be the one their dog was taken to. A pet is usually taken to the shelter that has the most room for them at that moment. Sometimes they are brought to a shelter that is many miles away.

I tell them to post large, full color posters throughout the neighborhood and ask to post them on windows of nearby stores. I tell them to go online and post their lost pet. If they have security cameras, like Ring cameras, there may be community groups in their area they can post lost dog or cat messages on. 

I offer whatever advice I can, knowing that if they had microchipped their dog or cat the odds of being reunited with their lost or stolen pet would be much, much higher.  

*************************************************

I'm excited to share the Pet Photo Necklaces and Keychains in my Etsy store! Just send in a photo of your pet and it will be transformed into a beautiful necklace or keychain with your pet's name and face engraved on the front. You can add a special engraved message to the back as well. 

Personalized Pet Necklaces and Keychains
created from your pet's photo!

These pieces are a great celebration of your pet and the love you share. They're also a thoughtful pet memorial gift for someone who has lost a beloved pet.

*************************************************

Even if a dog is stolen, one day a Veterinarian or authority just might scan the dog for a microchip. People who steal dogs often commit other crimes. The authorities and animal shelters know that. If dogs or cats are present at a criminal's home they are usually confiscated.  Every animal that lands in an animal shelter is scanned for a microchip - it's one of the first things they do upon intake!

So please, if you have a dog or cat and haven't microchipped them, consider it now.  Microchipping pets truly is a life saver.

Be well, keep your dogs, cats, and other pets safe!

Sharing is Caring If you enjoyed this post, please share it on your social media! ❤️

You may also enjoy these articles:

 

Poison Prevention for Dogs and Cats

 

Ear Infections in Dogs; how to identify, treat, and prevent them

More details on benefits and cost of Microchipping Pets

NEW HAMPSHIRE VACATION WITH MY DOG

This Winter we went on another wonderful vacation to New Hampshire, with our dogs in tow. If you follow the blog regularly, you know that Waterville Valley New Hampshire is one of our favorite New Hampshire towns, and the Waterville Valley ski area resort is one of our favorite New Hampshire resorts, especially since it's dog friendly! I'm always up for a New Hampshire vacation with my dog, pretty much all year round, it's great in any season.  

DOG FRIENDLY VACATION IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

We love it up there, and we love the New Hampshire weather in Winter, Fall, and Summer. We think it's the perfect dog friendly vacation! It's weird because lately, we always end up traveling to NH in Winter. Last Summer we were determined to get there for a Summer vacation filled with cool mountain air and hikes with our dogs, but between the Canada wildfires and the bizarre flooding we just didn't feel confident making that long road trip from Florida.

Me with Icy and little Jessie at the Waterville Valley New Hampshire resort

Whether you want to spend time hiking in the mountains, or getting out on the water, they have it all. New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesauke and Lake Sunapee are just two of the many beautiful lakes in New Hampshire. You can rent a boat and head out on to one of these lakes, and bring the dog along! Just remember to practice good dog boating safety guidelines and put a dog life jacket on your pooch.

The hiking In New Hampshire is pretty incredible. There is a wide variety of hiking there, and it's home to quite a few "4,000 footers", or mountains that are 4,000 feet high and above. Mount Washington is New Hampshire's tallest mountain at 6,288 feet high.

There are plenty of hiking trails that allow dogs. You won't have a problem finding dog friendly hiking in New Hampshire! Learn more on the NH State Parks Pet Friendly website. New Hampshire Magazine also has some recommendations on The Best NH Dog Friendly Hikes.  

I urge you to seriously consider the difficulty of recommended hikes, and your dog's hiking ability as well as endurance. Most adult dogs can safely hike about 2 to 7 miles, but it varies widely depending on the dog.  You should have a conversation with your Veterinarian before embarking on a dog friendly hiking adventure. 

New Hampshire is a place where the trails can be difficult. The locals have some really strong hiking skills, so what they think is easy may not be for you and your dog! Use caution and good judgement in selecting your hiking trails. And of course always bring lots of water for both you and your dog!

One thing I really love about the Waterville Valley resort is that they have a terrific long, relatively flat dog friendly trail right in the resort. It actually doubles as a cross country ski trail, which is weird but skiers know this particular trail is both pedestrian and dog friendly so we rarely see skiers on that trail.  My Husky Icy absolutely Loves hiking on this trail! She comes alive on the snowy trail and although she's 14 years old, it's like she's a young dog again.  We had such a great time!  

I really can't wait to get her there in the Summer, but it's not looking good for this Summer, for a variety of reasons.  She is starting to slow down and I'm afraid she won't be able to do even the easiest hiking after this year.

Here's a short video of me with my dogs crossing a bridge over one of the beautiful streams around the property:

💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

Check out this Custom Engraved Pet Portrait Keychain! You can buy it in my Etsy Store  It's great to celebrate a new pet, or memorialize a pet that has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I got one to memorialize my beloved angel Phoebe. I love having it with me every day, seeing her beautiful face engraved on something I always have with me.

💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

There aren't quite as many New Hampshire hotels in the area that are dog friendly. It's strange that the Waterville Valley resort allows dogs on the resort property and on some trails, but their hotels don't allow dogs! 

There are a ton of condos surrounding the resort, and many owners rent out their places but none are pet friendly. There are a few lodges around the property as well, but only one is pet friendly. It's called the Snowy Owl. We stayed there once years ago and it was awful. The location is perfect, you can walk to everything in the resort including that dog friendly trail I mentioned above. I'm happy to see that it is now under new ownership, so I have hope that it will soon be up to par.  The previous owner didn't seem to put any money into improving it and we wouldn't stay there again until some changes are made. 

For the last few years we've been staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites, a Marriott hotel in nearby Plymouth, New Hampshire.  It's about 20 minutes from the Waterville Valley Ski Area, but it's a great place! We love it there.

Here's a 2 minute video I posted on YouTube that gives you a glimpse of how we spent our days, and how beautiful Waterville Valley New Hampshire is.  I think it's a great dog friendly vacation, in any season!

Sharing is Caring If you enjoyed this post, please share it on your social media! ❤️

You may also enjoy these articles:

  Vacation With The Dog to Vermont

Dog Friendly Boone, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains

4 COMMON HEALTH ISSUES IN SENIOR DOGS

Just like people, dogs get old. The good news is that dogs are living longer, probably due to improved commercial dog food and more advanced Veterinary care. The fact that people now see their dogs as family members also plays a part in better health and longevity. Dogs aren't just seen as home security, or something for the kids to play with. We take them on outings and adventures, and take them on vacation with us. We want them to be happy, healthy, and enjoy their life. It's great that our dogs are living longer, but with dogs old age come changes that can be hard to watch. My Husky Icy is 14 and a half years old now. When did she become an old dog!?  With my dog's advancing age, we're now experiencing these 4 common health issues in senior dogs. 

4 COMMON HEALTH ISSUES THAT EFFECT OLDER DOGS  

WHAT IS CONSIDERED A SENIOR DOG?

Before we jump into common health issues that can effect older dogs, let's clarify when a dog is actually considered a "senior dog".  A dog is considered a Senior Dog, or Old Dog, depending on their age and size:

Medium to Large dogs are considered senior dogs when they reach age 7 or 8 years old.

Small Dogs are not considered senior dogs until they are around 10 years old.

4 OF THE MOST COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS IN OLD DOGS

1. Cognitive Decline

For me, the cognitive decline is the absolute hardest old dog health issue to bear. I can deal with all the physical issues my dog is facing, but the cognitive decline is the worst.  

Sometimes it almost feels like my sweet fur baby isn't "there" anymore. I lost my Mom to Alzheimers disease. Watching her decline so horribly was devastating for me and our family. Seeing Icy face dog dementia brings back memories of that heart wrenching time with my Mom.

It's just so sad when I see my dog standing in the room, blankly facing the wall, seemingly not knowing what to do next. Or watching her as she gets confused, not sure which way to go as she tries to find the back door to the yard.  

These moments of confusion and blankness are both sad and scary. But then when she has a blast going for long walks or hikes, or runs around the yard like a young pup, it's such a sense of relief. It feels normal again. I cherish those times more than ever now. 

There doesn't appear to be much we can do to treat dogs mental decline. I give her Lion's Mane Mushrooms  in her food, which seem to help some. My Vet recommended we try feeding her Purina Bright Mind dog food, so we're feeding her that coupled with a new food called Badlands Superfood Complete. 

Badlands contains a host of super foods for dogs. It's also air dried, not cooked on really high heat like kibble is, which many believe is a healthier way for dogs to eat. Icy enjoys both of these foods, so I mix them together.  I also still cook chicken, eggs, occasional salmon, sweet potato, carrots, broccoli and a few other super foods for dogs and add it to her food. 

Even with her cognitive decline, I'll tell you that dog Knows when there's chicken being prepared! She becomes laser focused and will do whatever she has to do to get that chicken! I love to see her this way, it's another glorious sign of "normal" and it's great seeing her still get excited about something.

Another result of my dog's cognitive decline is anxiety, which often causes her to pace around the house or yard, especially at night. She also seems disturbed by loud traffic on our walks, something that never phased her before. I think the Lion's Mane may be helping to reduce her anxiety. 

Another thing that is super important for dogs with declining mental acumen is to keep up with their mental stimulation! This means changing up walks to take them down different routes, taking them to interesting stimulating places - for dogs that usually means places with lots of new Smells! Visits with family are also very helpful. Icy enjoys when our family comes over - she may not stick around that long, but I can see it makes her happy and it's something new and fun in her day. Not to mention, she always gets some treats!

Puzzle toys for dogs provide great mental stimulation

Puzzle toys and other interactive toys for dogs are also a great source of mental stimulation. I've always used them to combat boredom, especially during bad weather. Now I use them even more to give Icy frequent mental stimulation and challenges, and to give her a fun activity that works her brain. I love Outward Hound interactive dog toys, especially their dog puzzle toys.

2. Hearing Loss

About a year ago, we noticed that our dog is losing her hearing. Icy can't hear us approach her anymore. She doesn't usually hear us call her name unless we are really loud and in close proximity.  She does seem to hear us whistle, and she hears that sound we make with our tongue when we're calling her to us - I'm not sure what to call it, but it's kind of like a Tsk Tsk clucking sound. She also hears Jessie barking - actually, I'm pretty sure the whole neighborhood hears that LOL!  Anyway, for some reason she hears those sounds. 

I'm looking into how people with deaf dogs communicate with their dogs. I feel like we could manage her hearing loss fairly well. The biggest change with her hearing loss is that we no longer let her off leash at the dog beach or dog parks. I feel she's safer when we don't have to rely on the Come When Called command. If anyone has any tips on how to communicate with deaf dogs, please share!

3. Behavior Changes

There are behavior changes in my dog that are also pretty upsetting. Icy doesn't want to be touched much or cuddled anymore. She does still enjoy her head and face being rubbed, so we give her plenty of that! But it's so hard not to be able to hug my dog anymore. It's hard to take, but when my mom had Alzheimers she had some very disturbing behavior changes as well, some of them kind of hostile. Having seen and heard about this common behavior change in humans with dementia helps me realize it's not me and it's not my dog, it's the mental decline and accompanying anxiety. It's not easy, but we try not to feel bad about it.

We no longer take Icy to the groomer because of her reluctance to be touched and handled. We just don't  want to take a chance that she might snap at or (heaven forbid) bite a groomer because she's confused and upset by a strange person touching her.

 

Dog Grooming Mitt

We found some grooming mitts that don't require water for rinsing. You wet them and they soap up. After bathing you don't need to rinse the soap off, you just towel dry your dog off. She seems to tolerate us bathing her with them pretty well. 

Another behavior change is that my dog seems to want to be alone a lot more. Before she would always lay down close to us and follow us around a lot. Now she often retreats to the bathroom or another room to be alone. Even when company comes over, which she used to LOVE, she says hello for a short while but then retreats to a quiet place by herself. 

Icy doesn't seem to want to interact with our younger dog Jessie, either. Jessie is kind of barky, and her loud barking stresses Icy out for some reason. 

Speaking of barking, Icy doesn't bark or vocalize at all anymore. Imagine a Husky that isn't vocal! I miss her woos and even her barks so much.

4. Arthritis and Joint Pain

Arthritis and joint pain in older dogs is common. I have actually been dealing with my dog's joint pain for awhile now. We've been able to manage it with dog joint supplements, but recently it's gotten worse.  Icy needs help getting in and out of the car now, and her hind legs are showing more weakness. She drags her back right leg when she walks, and needs to sit down after standing to eat for several minutes. Here's a video of how she's walking. You can see her back right foot drag as she walks. At the end you see how she goes into a sit during mealtime:

We've been managing my dog's arthritis and joint pain quite well with joint supplements for dogs, but we may now need to take it a step further. At Icy's last checkup, our Vet mentioned hydrotherapy for dogs, and a medication called Librela for dog Osteoarthritis pain. It's a monthly injection made by Zoetis Inc (an animal pharma company I trust), and has been in use in Europe since 2021. It recently gained approval for use in the U.S. as well. We're considering one or both of these treatment options. Has anyone used Librela? If so, I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments.

🐾🐾🐾 Hey, if you have a chance, I'd love for you to check out my Etsy Shop! I have some great products created with pet and nature lovers like us in mind! This personalized Pet Portrait Keychain is one of my favorites. It's perfect to celebrate a new dog, cat, or other pet. It can also be a thoughtful pet memorial gift for someone who has lost a beloved pet. I had this one made for my Angel dog, Phoebe. 🐾🐾🐾

Personalized Pet Portrait Keychain with option to engrave a message on the back

Going forward, I may need to get Icy a dog ramp for the car, or perhaps a dog lifting harness. But for now my husband picks her up to put her in the car.

That was kind of heavy wasn't it? Please don't think it's all doom and gloom! We still love on our dog like crazy and we still have a great time with her.  We take Icy on lots of adventures near home, and we continue to take her on road trip adventures. 

There are some nearby places we take her several times a month that are interesting and exciting for her. There's a beach park where she can have fun exploring, finding coconuts, and splashing along the shore. There's also a large lake we take her to for longer walks. There are lots of birds and ducks at the lake, which she is always fascinated by. There's a lot of foliage for her to stick her nose into and sniff too! 

We feel it's important to keep her physically active, and keep her mind engaged. My dog's energy comes in spurts these days, but we treasure our active times together! 

This Winter we took the dogs to New Hampshire. Icy had a blast romping around in the snow and in the woods. Stay tuned for my blog post on that trip shortly, but here's a cute photo of me, Icy, and Jessie hiking in the snow. 

Me and my dogs in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire 2024

Icy loves our adventures just as she always has, she just needs a lot more naps throughout the day and our hikes are shorter and easier. We are determined to make every moment with her special, and filled with the love and appreciation we have for her. 

Has your dog experienced any of these common senior dog health issues? Let us know in the comments, and please share any tips that have worked well for your dog!