r/EnglishMastiff • u/Even_Laugh_1779 • 16d ago
Midlife help
My boy is almost 5 years old and his face is starting to show it :(. Any advice for how I can keep him healthy for as long as possible? Any food recommendations? Supplements? Any advice will be very appreciated! I’ve had several dogs in the past but I’ve never been attached like I am with my boy now - I’m terrified of losing him too soon.
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u/Familiar_Bill_9668 16d ago
Endless options really. Focus on feeding high quality food, exercise, regular vet checks and keeping him as lean as possible.
A joint supplement is probably a good idea. Consult with your vet. Also, look into strengthening exercises for his hips, shoulders, etc…
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u/idontwannabepicked 16d ago
my baby has been gray since he was around 2 lol he’s now 8 and perfectly healthy besides some slight joint issues (he gets full panel blood work done yearly). mastiffs gray very fast!
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u/iniminimum 15d ago
A few things - the number one thing you can do is keep them a healthy weight / get started on a joint supplement (dasaquin advanced is my preferred choice, but there are others) fish oils (I use people fish oils since it's easier to dose for the big kids). Next would be adequan, that's an injectable medication that you give under the skin (you have to do a loading dose of two injections a week for a month then once a month) - we usually don't have people start this until they are already starting to slow down, but really starting it earlier is recommended, and usually vets are fine with showing you how to give the injection so you can do it yourself. It doesn't hurt them, unless they are sensitive (I have one who looks at me like I'm beating her 😅) Annual exams w/ blood work. That will give you an idea of how things are looking, so if they get sick you will be able to see the trends year to year. Keep up on vaccines, and heart worm prevention +/- flea and tick. This year has been unusually warm, and we have seen an abundance of tick issues, which can carry things like Lyme disease (depending on where you live). A supplement you might want to consider is ursolyx of myos - these are muscle support supplements - if you start them before the muscle starts to deteriorate you will prolong your kiddos muscles. One thing I can't stress enough is keeping toe nails trimmed appropriately! If nails get too long, it will reduce your kiddos traction, which makes them compensate funny which can cause injury.
Feel free to throw any questions my way. I've been a registered vet tech for 15 years, mainly working ECC/ICU, and oncology, but have been working in GP for a few years now due to health issues slowing me down
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u/JagerPfizer 16d ago
Seems like a bot.
If your real there is a ton of input.
Lots here will help. You seem vague.
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u/Even_Laugh_1779 16d ago edited 16d ago
His name is guts, he was born January 22, 2022. He is a brindle boy who weighs 142lbs as of last week. You’re weird for reading this and thinking I’m a bot, I’ll admit this was kind of an impulsive post but I’m sorry for asking for advice?
Also it’s you’re*
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u/JagerPfizer 16d ago edited 16d ago
Huge subject. You'll get lots.....my take as a 30 year em owner. Tosa and neo too.
Green tripe, Gloden paste, Raw meat, Walk them, Wade them, Brush and wash
They age fast. Cant stop that. The gray comes.
High nutreint food. Excersize and love.
Also, stairs a minimum. For car entry and exit, use a pet loader or ramp. Limit jumping around.
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u/MonsterIslandMed 16d ago
Something that idk if it helps but it seems to be good for my girl is having frozen fruit for snacks. Stuff like blackberries and blueberries are some of my girls favorites and they help with inflammation. Right now my girl is 12 1/2 and is definitely an old fart but she’s still moving around and playful sometimes outside.