Taking care of senior dogs: how can businesses address physical and mental well-being?
Maintaining an active lifestyle is crucial for older dogs’ joint health and vitality, while keeping them mentally stimulated is essential for guarding against cognitive decline.
As dogs age, maintaining their agility and overall health becomes a key concern for pet parents. For businesses that are invested in the well-being of senior dogs, understanding the intricacies of joint health, mobility and mental stimulation is crucial for creating effective products and services. Products like joint supplements, exercise equipment and brain-teasing toys can all help keep older dogs active in body and mind.
Tailored solutions
Senior dogs may experience reduced mobility and stamina, but that doesn’t mean they should forego exercise altogether. On the contrary, maintaining an active lifestyle is crucial for joint health, muscle tone and overall vitality.
Like humans, senior dogs lose their flexibility, mobility, balance and confidence as they age. “They need to learn new things, strengthen their muscles beyond cardio, maintain their balance and stay flexible and mobile,” says Kathryn Groenewold, Director of Marketing for Paw Prosper, which makes a range of pet mobility products.
For Groenewold, fitness is one of the primary drivers of overall dog health. “Challenging their bodies and minds as they age slows the biological aging process for our seniors, both mentally and physically,” she notes.
Swimming for health
Hydrotherapy – using water to help rehabilitate pets suffering from various conditions or injuries – is another transformative tool to enhance the well-being of active senior dogs.
Benefits of this treatment include weightless rehabilitation for dogs with mobility issues and injuries, keeping elderly dogs active, increasing range of motion and muscle tone, and developing strength and flexibility.
Water Dog Spa in Seattle uses a swim spa that allows dogs to swim with or without current. With this setup, the dogs “are not actually walking or putting weight on their joints”, says owner Katie Benjamin. “Swimming is non-impact but offers weight resistance.”
Equipment such as swim spas and underwater treadmills have revolutionized the physiotherapy and rehab landscape, offering versatile options to cater to the diverse needs of senior dogs.
Mental stimulation
In addition to physical exercise, senior dogs benefit greatly from mental stimulation to prevent cognitive decline and maintain their brain function.
West Paw, a leading provider of sustainable and durable dog products, highlights the importance of mental enrichment for senior dogs. The brand’s interactive puzzles and new slow feeders offer these dogs a fun and rewarding way to exercise their minds.
“Many of our best-selling products for all life stages are enrichment toys like puzzle and treat toys designed to be filled with a dog’s favorite kibble or treats,” notes CEO Spencer Williams. According to him, such toys offer the mental stimulation dogs need to keep their brains active and their days interesting.
Aging and joint function
Joint health is crucial for aging dogs as the cartilage that cushions bones and prevents inflammation and pain becomes dryer, thinner and less effective. Aging can deplete cartilage, leading to reduced mobility and osteoarthritis.
“When a dog’s mobility decreases with age, arthritis or injury, the joints receive less of the nourishing building blocks of joint tissue,” says Jane Bernard, Owner of supplement brand WagWorthy Naturals. “Older dogs often have some degree of osteoarthritis, making it even more important to provide them with a joint-nourishing supplement.”
WagWorthy Naturals contain glucosamine, chondroitin, methylsulfonylmethane and hyaluronic acid, which promote and support healthy cartilage and joint fluid, and inhibit cartilage-degrading enzymes.
Prevention is key. “That’s why good nourishment and supplementation for cartilage tissue is important at all ages, not just once your dog shows symptoms of joint pain and inflammation,” urges Bernard.
The role of rehab
Rehabilitation centers and veterinary clinics also play a pivotal role in ensuring the health and well-being of senior dogs.
“Professionals such as animal physical therapists, vets and trainers should always develop a training program with the dog’s full history in mind including, but not limited to age, size, breed, health history and previous injuries,” points out Groenewold.
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