Life With A Big, Old Mutt Archives

Pet Disaster Preparedness: How To Include Your Large, Senior Dog

This month is National Pet Preparedness Month and so I thought we’d talk about why it’s important to have an emergency plan, not just for yourself and your human family, but also for your dog. June is the start of the hurricane season in the US. Tornados and wildfires are also prevalent this time of year. With more severe weather events and other disaster incidents occurring every year, having a plan for both human and pet safety is no longer an option. There are local, state, and federal government agencies dedicated to planning for these incidents. But multiple incidents have…

Health Treatments, Life With A Big, Old Mutt

The 4 Easiest Ways to Keep Your Senior Dog Moving

Hey there! Its April and its finally getting to be somewhat not-winter outside. Its also Canine Fitness Month! We already covered some general nutrition guidelines for your aging dog. So now let's talk about some ways to keep your senior dog moving. Exercise is integral for all dogs. It prevents injury, arthritis complications, obesity, and provides health advantages for pups of all ages. Especially for senior dogs, exercise is a necessary component of a healthy life. Senior dogs who fall under the larger breed umbrella, in particular, benefit from daily exercise, as their joints are often more susceptible to the…

Life With A Big, Old Mutt

My dog is getting old and I’m scared…

In nursing school, everything is about evidence-based practice. This means using actual verifiable scientific study to decide how to best help your patient. Not “I think this might work” or “That’s the way we’ve always done it”. How to read a study and look for who financed it, how they got their data, and what the data actually says vs the stated conclusion. (Treatment A works 5% of the time, but Treatment B works 7% of the time. Conclusion: Treatment B is superior! Reality: Yeah, technically, but they both still suck.) And since the entire body of knowledge of all…

Life With A Big, Old Mutt

The Mutt Behind My Big Old Mutt

In 2016, I bought my first house. I had recently made the switch from hospital nursing to working on the insurance side of healthcare and now, with the move, I would be working completely remotely. In theory, I was going to have more free time probably since high school (although anyone who has ever owned a house knows how that turns out). This would hopefully be the last move after a series of apartments with one thing in common…NO DOGS ALLOWED. I had two cats who had trekked with me from place to place, but I missed having a dog…