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Phoebe was my 14-year-old Catahoula Leopard dog mix. In her later years, she needed medication two or three times a day, and her back legs started giving out. In the last few months, she also became confused and had accidents in the house. These were some of the things that helped me manage her everyday care.
Pill Pockets were something Phoebe genuinely looked forward to
Phoebe LOVED her Greenies Pill Pockets. I just had to say, “Come on, Phoebe, come get your pill,” and she would perk up and come get it. Even when getting up was hard, hearing me in the kitchen getting her pills ready would make her try to get up—although I would bring them to her. The Hickory Smoke, 15.8 oz option is the one I’ve listed, but she also loved the chicken, bacon and peanut butter flavors. She really liked them all.
Keeping the medication supplies together
With medication needed two or three times a day, pill supplies had a place in our routine. An Ezy Dose pill cutter was another item in my senior-dog kit. These are personal supply notes, not instructions about which medicines to give or whether a particular pill can be split.
A lifting harness for the moments her legs couldn’t manage
When Phoebe’s back legs started giving out, I used a full-body lifting harness to help lift her. Sometimes I also used it to support her while she went potty so she wouldn’t fall. That was the practical job it did for us: helping me support her through an ordinary part of the day that had become difficult.
A savings tip: look beyond the pet aisle
In those last few months, we used diapers and pads for accidents in the house. I used Accompagner washable bed pads—the green, 36-by-36-inch version in a pack of six. They were marketed as bed protection, but they worked great for us as pee pads. They were larger and cheaper than the pee pads I was comparing at the time, and they absorbed the urine without soaking through to the carpet. So here’s my savings tip: compare washable bed pads with pet-labeled pads. In our case, shopping outside the pet category got us a larger, washable option for less. Prices change, but it’s a comparison worth making.
An enzyme cleaner for the carpet cleanup
Biokleen Bac-Out enzyme cleaner, helped with the cleanup. In my experience, it worked on the stains and got the smell out of the carpets. That’s why it earned a place on this short list.
A separate note from life with Gunther
I use washable belly bands for Gunther, my male dog who marks. I’ve bought plenty of different ones over time. The option linked here is a five-pack of washable belly bands in Large, replacing the original listing that was out of stock. I think belly bands could also be worth considering for a senior male dog, but that suggestion comes from my experience with Gunther, not Phoebe. The drawback: Gunther dislikes wearing them and sometimes tries to slide out. The two-piece dog diaper suspenders set has been great for helping keep them in place. Be sure to measure according to each product’s instructions rather than choosing a size based on ours.
Just a few things that helped
I don’t want this to become a giant list of things you supposedly need to buy. These supplies helped me navigate some of the everyday difficulties of caring for an older dog. The useful question is what might help with the particular problem you and your dog are having—not how many things you can add to a cart.
The useful bit
A few necessities helped with Phoebe’s daily care. This list is about those practical moments, not buying everything at once.
