Another Year For Desi

Posted by charlene on January 4, 2009

Last year was an unusual year for all of us, but somehow I feel differently about the New Year. I have surmounted some health(foot) challenges, but I truly feel that I have rounded the corner. I feel that Desi is in a really good place right now, we treasure every day with him. The word that comes to mind to describe Desi is “joyful.” The other day I looked out in the yard and saw Brooks and Phillip running around the yard and so was Desi!!! He has not gone out and actually run for quite awhile, so it was a a real treat to see him out there. Sure, he was not as fast as his two sons, they are 4 and seven, but he was pretty much keeping up with them, most importantly, he WANTED to run and play. A year ago, it was not that way at all, so now that he is 14, happy, healthy that is enough for me. Upon reflecting on how I have maintained Desi differently from my other dogs when they became seniors, I think it boils down to a couple of things: I feed the best kibble I can buy which for my dogs is Wellness I also feed them Nature’s Variety raw diet.  I started him on joint supplements when he turned 6 as a preventative, switching to Glyco-flex which I feel is a superior product. And we can’t forget his Anypril either. Expensive, but it has improved the quality of his life emmensely by keeping oriented to his environment, although he still paces more than normal. Tomorrow he goes for his once-a-month non-anesthesia dental, which has greatly improved the health of his mouth. Women talk about middle-age maintenance for themselves, but for me, it is senior maintenance for Desi!