Animals Unfolded

Dog booties are used to protect a pet’s paws from the elements, mostly in winter. The products used to melt ice can wreak havoc on the pads, as well as the skin between, and for some dogs, the cold is just too much. Booties are ubiquitous in my day-to-day as a professional specializing in caring for senior and geriatric pets and those who are receiving animal hospice and palliative care. Aside from the reasons above, they’re used to protect the top and bottom of an an aging dog’s paws when degenerative myleopathy is present, or when they need more grip on bare surfaces, like when mobility is becoming less stable .  There are lots of brands and styles, but few really measure up to the outstanding protection, affordability and usefulness that the Pawz brand does. My lending library gets lots of donations from families-of-record that I’ve worked with as a Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner, and there’s an abundance of various other brands in it for good reason: they just don’t wo...

Pets are living healthier lives, thanks to the advances in veterinary medicine and better understanding of their needs, both behavioral and emotional. Healthier also means longer , and that has implications that families might not have expected with their current generation of pets: challenges surrounding age-related decline. Having seen many families through what is now their third generation of pets, and walked with them through their pet’s fourth life stages, there have been so many advances in medication and complementary therapies to enhance comfort — which in turn supports mobility — along with tools in helping that go more smoothly. All pets experience age-related decline. And I’m going to focus on talking about one area that invariably comes to the forefront: how dogs and cats are able to manage changing mobility and independence with the use of products and tools.  With cats, we know they have certain spots in the house that they really love to hang out in, and they’re us...

Many clients over the years have had dogs who have had mobility issues due to age, post-surgical recovery, illnesses like Degenerative Myleopathy or injuries. It's hard, needless to say, but pups still need to get around, right? It's sad to watch dogs struggle with trying to walk or balance, and it's physically challenging for their caregivers to assist them with traditional assistive methods like a sheet sling. One very cool assistive device that has always made life easier in these cases is the Bottoms Up dog harness. A neoprene padded leash, it fits around and under the back legs to offer stability and safe mobility around the yard, on walks... even up and down the stairs. Additionally, this device keeps you from stooping over, saving your back! Available in two sizes, 12-125lbs and 125-185 lbs., the Bottoms Up can be purchased online and even some vets retail them. Easy to put on and remove, this pet sitter loves this product.