Recently, I had a client come in with her senior dog, concerned because he wasn’t eating with the same enthusiasm as he did before. This is not uncommon in senior pets, and can be rooted in medical problems, which should be ruled out. But after determining that her dog’s lab work was normal (CBC, chemistry panel, urinalysis and fecal), and performing a complete physical to rule out underlying conditions that might affect his appetite, such as heart disease, or dental disease affecting his ability to chew, we came to the conclusion that her dog Sonny simply needed more supportive care around the house.
Not all that long ago, I took an online seminar on aging pets with speaker Dr. Mary Gardner, and I was pleased to find out I was already implementing many of the things she suggested in her talk. So the first thing we looked at was Sonny’s feeding arrangements.
It turns out his owner was using a slow feeder bowl for Sonny because he used to gulp his food ravenously. Hey, I’ve been there! My previous German Shepherd definitely needed a slow feeder bowl, but when I got my current dog, it took him over an hour to eat his dinner out of the same bowl! Clearly Captain didn’t need a slow feeder, and likewise, Sonny didn’t either. The needs of your pet can change over time. Most likely, Sonny found getting food out of the slow feeder bowl too challenging, and as a result, gave up on eating while there was still food left.
Another thing we observed in the exam room was that Sonny had mobility issues on slick floors, and seemed to have difficulty lowering his head to eat and drink while maintaining his balance. Many dogs are less active with advanced age, and the hair on the bottoms of their feet can grow excessively long, acting like little slippers on slick surfaces. Sonny definitely had fuzzy feet, so we shaved the bottoms of his paws between the pads to help with traction. Dogs who get groomed regularly usually get this treatment, but Sonny had never been groomed before. I suggested to his owner that she invest in a small cordless trimmer like the one we used in the clinic.
I also like to make safe pathways through the house and around feeding stations. Yoga matting can be ideal for this situation. You can even purchase it in commercial rolls to cut to the size needed.
If altering the flooring situation isn’t feasible, there are several products out there aimed at improving traction. I frequently recommend Dr. Buzby’s toe grips for dogs. They aren’t for every dog–some resent having anything on their nails and will chew them off–but for many dogs the improvement in traction greatly improves their desire to be more mobile, which in turn helps maintain muscle mass.
Another type of traction device are these pad grips. Just like slipper socks worn in hospitals or by elderly people at home, these pads provide little friction bumps on the bottoms of the feet. Dr. Gardner suggests actually cutting them and adhering them separately to each pad so they fit better, which is an excellent suggestion and one I utilize now. There are many different brands out there; I’m linking to one here.
The other thing I recommended for Sonny was to consider an elevated food and water bowl. Arthritis in his neck was probably impacting his ability to stand with his head lowered for a significant period of time, and he would just give up. It wasn’t worth it to him to continue trying to eat under those circumstances. Again, there are a wide variety of options out there, I am just linking one as an example.
One of the most valuable tools I got out of Dr. Gardner’s webinar, however, were the journals and guides she’s created for the senior dog and cat. I’ll do a separate post on the special needs of cats in the future, as well as one on sundowning behavior in our senior pets, but I found both of these products very useful.
It’s Never Long Enough
The Geriatric Dog Journal
As someone with a senior dog who is starting to slow down, as well as show signs of some hearing loss and cognitive changes, I think having the means to track these changes will be very useful. Speaking of which, I was one of the beta testers for Suzanne Clothier’s Functional Assessment Tracking app for dogs. FAT is a unique tool for tracking a dog’s cognitive, physiological, and social well-being. It’s not just limited to senior dogs, however. The implications for its use are widespread among trainers, veterinarians, service dog handlers, boarding facilities, you name it! I highly recommend you check it out.
By the way, a week later, Sonny’s person called with an update: after instituting some changes, Sonny was back to cleaning up his meals with gusto!
