How do I keep my aging Dachshund healthy and mentally stimulated?

Yearly vet checks, keeping up with vaccines, take Dakota into the vet whenever he isn't feeling well, keeping up with deworming and flea treatments, administering heart worm medication, and feed a good quality dog food. Also keeping the weight healthy, and regular exercise.

Around 8 years old is average for most diseases to start showing up. Back problems are the #1 problem we see with these guys and that can happen at any age. Usually happens due to obesity so keep him lean! The other huge issue is their teeth. They have horrible teeth in general and all that tartar buildup can contribute to other health issues like heart and kidney disease. My recommendations: 1) Take him to your vet for yearly check-ups and senior blood testing 2) Keep him lean 3) Keep his teeth in good health That is all you have control over. The rest of diseases are luck of the draw. Hope this helps. If you have more questions you can always opt for a private consultation where we can chat back and forth. That way you can ask as many questions as you'd like. Best wishes.

As pets get older, they may require more care and may be more prone to aliments. Here a a couple helpful links: https://www.petcoach.co/article/monitoring-your-senior-dog-for-signs-of-disease/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/caring-for-your-senior-dog/ Oscar is currently middle aged and will be considered a senior between 8-9 years of age. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

It's very important to make sure that Bruno has yearly health checks with the vet, that he is kept up to date on his vaccines, and he is regularly treated with flea medication, heartworm prevention, and deworming treatments. He should also be exercised for at least 45 minutes twice a day, and be fed a high quality dog food. I would not recommend giving him human food, as too much of it leads to obesity and certain human foods are toxic to dogs. Finally, give him lots of love and attention, and take him to the vet if there are any health concerns.

We can always help our four-legged friends age as gracefully as possible by staying on top of their wellness care. This includes regular visits to the veterinarian for physical exams and blood tests, as well as staying active and healthy at home. Keep your dog at a healthy body weight. Overweight dogs have additional strain placed on their joints, which can exacerbate existing arthritis, and are at a higher risk for developing diabetes or heart disease. Feed your dog a high quality diet and avoid offering too many treats or table foods since these can quickly pack on the pounds. A general guideline is that treats should represent less than 10% of your dog’s total food volume. Routine veterinary care is also critical for picking up on small problems before they become larger concerns. Although age is not a disease, our aging dogs are more prone to developing a variety of health conditions. Once your dog reaches “senior” status, it is recommended to increase the frequency of visits to the veterinarian from once a year to every 6 months. For an average-sized dog, this happens at 7 years of age, but for giant breeds like Great Danes and Newfoundlands, this occurs early, at 5 – 6 years of age. During this time, your veterinarian will be able to perform a full physical exam and routine blood tests to assess overall health of the heart, liver, kidneys, eyes, mouth, and joints.

A good, balanced diet, keeping Oscar at a healthy weight, and routine checkups with your vet (every 6-12 months for a senior pet) are a great way to keep him healthy. Your vet may also recommend a baseline of tests such as bloodwork so that you know what "normal" is in case he gets ill and his values change. Your vet can also recommend any supplements or medications as needed to help treat any underlying conditions.

It may be that Gidget is feeling a bit understimulated. Dachshunds are working dogs, and need a lot of activity to get out their energy, even with their small size. Spending more time on longer walks, playing games, etc can help. Doxies also love to dig, so if you can't interact all the time, setting up a game indoors such as a blanket with treats hidden inside may help encourage her to get out energy in a fun way. Filling a Kong or other puzzle toy with treats or food (or frozen wet food for extra challenge) can also help stimulate her mind when you can't interact. If she continues to act depressed, or starts to show any other signs of illness, a vet visit to rule out any health issues is always a good idea.