Mobility

Floor texture and having a good grip is key. If you have hard surface floors, consider using yoga mats or making a trail of rugs or bath mats through high-traffic areas your pet uses. There are a number of washable rugs on the market that not only help with mobility but are easily washed with continence laxity.
If the surface of the floor cannot be changed, there are products on the market to help your pets paws get more traction. This can include booties (Walkee grippy socks with leggings), grips that slide of the pets nail (Dr. Buzby’s Toes Grips), and adhesive products onto the paw pads (Paw Friction).
Getting up and down can be difficult, but if we can reduce the effort of jumping or the size of steps, this can help them continue to be up in the places they might find comfortable (bed, couch, etc). Homemade ramps can be built to help them get up the garage or front steps, and wide base platform bathroom steps or toddler step stools can be stable options. I also recommend stable, upholstered ottomans as stable-footed options.

Vision Impairment

It is not uncommon for our older dogs to develop age-related changes in the lens of the eye or cataracts. These changes in earlier phases may decrease their comfort in seeing in low-lighting situations but may lead to blindness.
For pets not seeing well in low lighting situations, using nightlights or rope lights to guide their way around the home at night, having an outdoor light on when they go outside to the toilet, and placing a bell on other pets in the household to help the soon to be vision impaired animal know the presence of other pets around them.
For pets with complete vision loss, we can support them by:
- Keeping unnecessary objects off the floor
- Minimize moving furniture around
- Using a Halo Blind Dog guide harness
- Please a bell on other pets in the house
- Provide comfortable and safe sleeping zones away from high-traffic areas
- Consider using a water fountain as the sound of the water will help guide
them to their drinking location

Continence or Toileting Habits and Ability

Our older pets do not get as much warning that it is time to go. It can be helpful to remember that our pets often need to use the restroom during times of transition, such as:
- When we arrive home or are moving from one activity to the next
- After eating
- Immediately upon waking and before going to bed
When accidents cannot be avoided, we can set them up for success by providing a surface that is easy to clean, such as a washable rug, a waterproof mattress pad cover over their bedding, or potty pads.
We can also help them with their hygiene by keeping the back end area clean by keeping the hair shaved short (please us a hair clipper rather than scissors to prevent injury), using waterless shampoo or wipes, or using A&D ointment or soothing creams on irritated skin.

Comfort

Geriatric pets are similar to older humans; our temperature regulation changes with age. We get cold easier. Our older pets, especially small to medium-breed dogs and cats, can find a large amount of comfort in a warm or heated bed.
The bed would ideally be somewhere on the periphery of a busy area, where they can still see their favorite people but are out of the way of a busy or play-zone.

Bed Preference

Large breed dogs can start to find that elevated beds or platform beds are easier to lay down onto and get up off of in their older age. Be aware that we want the floor surface around the bed to have plenty of grip such as a rug or yoga mat. The platform beds with mesh can sometimes be cold, with some preferring to have a blanket or foam-based bed on top of the platform to aid in comfort.

Feeding

Feeding your pet, especially a dog with previous spinal injuries and large breed dogs, on an elevated surface may decrease their stretching down to get their food. Be use the food bowl is stable, and the flooring they are standing on in front of the bowl is comfortable and provides grip.

Supplements

Joint supplements can sometimes be a safe way we help our older pets feel more comfortable. Options can include chondroitin sulfate glucosamine or fish oil. Rejensa is my favorite joint supplement, followed by Dasuquin Advanced and Welactin. There are a number of brands and products available, so please choose a brand you know and trust.
Rejensa is a veterinary supplement sold by veterinarians. It does not require a prescription and can be purchased through my online pharmacy or through your regular veterinarian.