Dog 360

No, but you can certainly make the years you have left with him more comfortable. Make it a priority to spend more time with him. During that time, give him casual examinations by running your hands over his coat and checking for lumps on and below his skin. If you notice discharge from any area – particularly if it smells or has an odd texture – call your veterinarian immediately.

There’s not much you can do. It’s not because he’s misbehaving or forgot how he was trained, it’s
because he can’t help it. This is again similar to what happens in humans – as they age, their bladders become less and less effective. Lack of control is a common side effect. Believe it or not, this is possibly more stressful for him than for you.

Yes and no. There’s really no need to change your dog’s food unless you notice extreme weight gain or loss, that it seems to hurt his teeth, or your vet says he needs an extra amount of certain vitamins. But even if you don’t change his food, you’ll probably want to invest in a monthly dose of vitamin supplements for aging dogs. Talk to your vet to find out which is best for your dog, then make sure he gets one every morning. This should help his new nutritional
needs for the most part.

Grief is completely natural, especially when it comes to a beloved family member. That’s what your dog is, right?
Encourage your children to cry if they need to, and don’t be ashamed to do so yourself. If you’ve made the decision to euthanize your dog, your veterinarian may give you the option of going into the room and staying with your dog during her last few moments.

So you've got a new dog and you're wondering what to feed him. The market is full of commercial diets, and you've heard that some people feed their dogs raw meat. What should you do?