Have you ever wondered what a ‘wish list’ penned by your dog would look like? In my house when I was young, this meant the Sears Wish Book. As soon as it arrived on our doorstep, it was torn apart, and our wishes came out of that!
Admittedly my dogs don’t retrieve the mail, although if the pet store began sending out pet wish books, I am sure they would make a more conscious effort. We have three hound dogs. There is Maggie who is 11, Lexi is 10 and Lillie is 8. I recently sat down with the three of them, and we talked, (well I listened) about what they would love to see come their way this year and these are the answers I got:
Maggie my 11-year-old immediately asked for food, which was no surprise. Maggie is very serious about her food. She eats it super-fast, like lightning speed. To slow her down we stick extra things in her bowl such as a food ball, to make it a little more of a challenge to get to those kibbles as fast. She has been on a diet ever since I’ve worked in a vet clinic; she used to be a chubby 38lbs! (She is now 30lbs) Since there are so many things that being overweight can contribute to such as diabetes, knee injuries, intervertebral disk disease, osteoarthritis, and cancer. The second thing she asked for is an orthopedic bed. Maggie had back surgery in August, due to disk disease and because of this is sometimes a little sore. She is always looking for a comfy place to rest her beagle head. She also asked for a new ball with spiky bits on it, since she is a Beagle and therefore a dog that was bred to chase things. She loves to chase and retrieve, which includes bumpers for the water. She is also my exceptional little swimmer.
Lexi my 10-year-old asked for a raised food dish and some Royal Canin Mobility food. She has some arthritis developing on her shoulders, and a raised food dish will help alleviate the pressure on her neck and shoulders when she is eating. The mobility food has therapeutic levels of glucosamine, chondroitin, and green lipped mussel powder to help her joints and movement. She also asked for some indestructible toys, such as a Kong and some chew toys. Lexi is very anxious, and it helps her to have sturdy toys at home that she can chomp on when she is feeling stressed out. Lexi was also telling me that she would like some DAP, which is a Dog Appeasing Pheromone. It’s a diffuser that I use to help Lexi to cope with stresses. It also comes with a collar she can wear when she goes for walks with me. Lexi was also interested in a room divider, with two beagle sisters in the house, she doesn’t get any peace when she eats. She would like to be left alone to eat without anyone hovering around her.
Lillie, my 8-year-old, was a little different. She asked for all of Maggie and Lexi’s hand me downs so that when she is older, she will be as comfortable as her older sisters. She also asked for some paper towel/toilet paper rolls and stinky gym socks, silly Beagle!
As always if you have any questions about senior care for your dog or cat, or would like some more information on any of the items on the wish lists please give us a call at Mclean Animal Hospital, 416-752-5114
We wish your furry family all the best this holiday season!
Written by McLean Animal Hospital
