I’ve been blessed with a lot of dogs over the years who lived a long time.  My last older dog, Taylor, lived to be a little over 13.  Taylor was very active and happy right up until just a couple of months before he died, when he started losing some weight and getting weaker.  Actually, he started losing interest in his kibble a year or two before then and I became concerned about him so I started cooking for him.  I really think that cooking for him added the last couple of years to his life.  He remained interested in his food and ate plenty every day, so he kept his weight up.  Otherwise, I think I might have lost him sooner.

When Taylor was about 10 years old I started asking the vet about his health as an older dog.  I was always happy when the vet told me that Taylor seemed like a much younger dog.  Eventually I started noticing that Taylor was moving a little slower and seemed a little stiffer.  I suspected that he might have a little arthritis and the vet agreed.  However, the vet didn’t think it was anything to be too concerned about.  He didn’t give Taylor any pain medicine for it.  He told me that I could give him an Ascriptin (buffered aspirin that is usually recommended to give to dogs) if I thought that Taylor was having any pain from the arthritis, so that’s what I did.

After a while, though, I thought that Taylor might need something more occasionally.  I asked around among my friends who had older dogs and I received several enthusiastic recommendations for Dog Gone Pain, so I ordered some for Taylor.  I think it really made a difference for him when he had some mild pain associated with arthritis.

As I said, I cooked for Taylor for a year or two after he began losing interest in his kibble.  I cooked mostly chicken thighs for him, with some pasta or rice or some other grain.  I would add a big package of frozen vegetables to the mix to cook with it, or cook some sweet potatoes with it.  He loved sweet potatoes.  I would toss in some eggs and other things he liked.  And I would give him a multivitamin and make sure he was getting some calcium.  He thrived on the cooked food.  He gained weight.  His coat bloomed.  He was lively and frisky.  I loved to see him trotting around the backyard at 12-years-old, playing with the  younger dogs.

I was very lucky with Taylor in that he had never had any health problems.  He had always been a very healthy dog.  I wish he had lived even longer than 13 years, but I think I did all I could for him.  I think I made his life a good one.  I really miss him.

If your dog does have arthritis there are some things you can do to make him more comfortable.  Talk to your vet to see if your dog needs any medication.  If your dog just has mild arthritis then a buffered aspirin like Ascriptin may be all he needs.  Or, you may want to give your dog something like Dog Gone Pain occasionally.  Provide your dog with comfortable places to sleep.  He should be able to get up and down easily without putting strain on achy joints.  If you live in a cold area, make sure that your dog’s bed is away from cold spots and drafty areas.  Consider getting your dog a heated dog bed.  There are lots of great dog beds available for dogs with arthritis.  Look for beds that have memory foam and washable covers for older dogs, in case of accidents.