Keeping My 9 Year-Old Border Collie Happy & Healthy As He Gets Older

By Dr Katrina Warren

Chilli still has plenty of puppy in him, but at nine years of age, I can’t deny the grey hairs popping up on his beautiful face. There are subtle changes in his behaviour, too, that remind me he’s entering a new phase of life, like trotting off to bed a little earlier than he used to.

As a vet and a dog owner, I know ageing is inevitable, but watching my own dog grow older makes me emotional. Perhaps it’s because I know the heartbreak that lies ahead, and I wish I could keep him just as he is forever. He is perfect to me. We know each other so well, and I can’t imagine not having him in my life. The hardest thing about loving our pets is that they simply don’t live long enough.

I want to support Chilli in staying happy and healthy for as long as possible.

Here’s what that looks like for us.

How I support Chilli as he gets older

• ✓ Regular veterinary check-ups
• ✓ Daily walks and playtime
• ✓ Monitoring changes in behaviour
• ✓ Supporting digestive health
• ✓ Supporting joint health
• ✓ Maintaining a healthy weight

Watching for the little changes

Living with a dog every day means you’re often the first to notice when something changes. Chilli heading to bed a little earlier may simply reflect a change in his routine, but a sudden or marked increase in sleeping would make me look more closely.

Signs to watch for

• Increased sleeping
• Weight changes
• Appetite changes
• New lumps
• Skin changes
• Reduced mobility
• Behaviour changes
• Changes in thirst or urination
• Coughing or difficulty breathing

Ageing itself is inevitable. Assuming every change is just ageing can mean missing something that deserves attention.

Regular vet checks give us a chance to assess how an older dog is doing and adjust their care as needed. Once a dog is a ‘senior’, I recommend a check-up twice a year.

Keeping active

Chilli still loves his daily walks and playtime. Just like with humans, we know that exercise helps dogs maintain muscle strength and mobility, both of which matter as they get older. It also gives them opportunities to explore, sniff and keep their brains active.

My aim is to keep Chilli as active as possible while reducing activities that put sudden or repetitive strain on his joints, like games that involve jumping or climbing up and down stairs.

Looking after digestive health

The gut microbiome is the community of microorganisms living in a dog’s digestive tract. It plays an important role in how nutrients are processed and helps maintain the intestinal environment.

There is growing evidence that the gut microbiome does more than help digest food. It produces compounds that influence the intestinal lining and immune function, and diet can change which microbes are present and what they produce.

For this reason, I make sure Chilli’s diet not only meets his nutritional needs but also offers him a variety of fresh foods to support his microbiome.

Some examples include small amounts of:

• Blueberries
• Steamed broccoli
• Carrot and zucchini
• Sardines

Stool quality is important too: look for stools that are well formed and easy to pick up. Persistent changes in their consistency, frequency or colour should be investigated by your vet.

Zesty Paws Pre, Post & Probiotic Chews can help support digestive health. They combine inulin, a prebiotic fibre that nourishes beneficial gut bacteria, with Bacillus subtilis, a probiotic that may help support a healthy gut microbiome. They also contain EpiCor Pets, a yeast-derived postbiotic that has been studied for its potential to support gut and immune health in dogs.

Supporting the joints

Joint discomfort can start with subtle signs. A dog may pause before jumping into the car, take a little longer to rise after resting or become less willing to climb stairs. Don’t dismiss small changes as old age, as early diagnosis of joint issues can offer better treatment outcomes.

I’m proactive about Chilli’s joint care, so I’m pedantic about keeping him at a healthy weight, and he sleeps on a supportive orthopaedic bed. Extra weight would put strain on his joints.

Zesty Paws Hip & Joint Chews are now part of his daily routine for joint support. They contain green-lipped mussel, glucosamine, chondroitin and vitamin C to provide omega-3s and support joint and connective tissue health.

Products in Chilli’s routine

Product	Everyday support
Pre, Post & Probiotic Chews	Supports digestive health and gut flora.
Hip & Joint Chews	Supports mobility, cartilage health and everyday movement.

I can’t stop time for Chilli, much as I wish I could. What I can do is keep him active, pay attention to the small things and make thoughtful choices that help him enjoy this stage of his life.

Take the Zesty Paws quiz to see which Zesty Paws products best suit your dog’s needs.

Remember, supplements should complement, not replace, appropriate veterinary care. Always consult your veterinarian about your dog’s individual health needs.