What My 20-Year-Old Dachshunds Taught Me About Proactive Health

Howie came into my life as a stray when he was approximately seven years old. I didn’t know what he had eaten before I found him, what he had been exposed to or much of anything about his first several years. He eventually lost an eye to glaucoma, but overall, he was never what I would consider an unhealthy dog.

Huey came to me when he was about six months old, so I had the privilege of knowing almost his entire story.

Both lived beyond 20 years old.

It is important to say that both Howie and Huey came to me long before I knew much about fresh feeding, natural health support, reducing chemical exposure or making more intentional decisions around vaccines. I did not start out doing everything I would recommend today. I learned as I went, and as I learned, I made changes.

I changed their food. I changed their vaccine schedules. I eliminated products from our home and yard that I no longer wanted around them. They ate raw diets for many years, and then, in their final years, I shifted them to gently cooked food as their bodies and digestive needs changed.

There wasn’t one magic supplement, one perfect food or one protocol responsible for their longevity. Their health was built over time through many different choices, including choices I changed as I learned better.

Neither dog was ever what I would call chronically unhealthy. I truly believe that when they died, it was simply their time after more than 20 years of life. That doesn’t make watching them grow old easy. The slowing down is one of the hardest parts. You begin measuring walks differently. You notice that it takes a little longer to cross the yard, get comfortable in a bed or make it to the door.

The body changes even when the spirit and appetite remain very much intact.

And both of those dachshunds still loved to eat.

They remained mobile around the house and yard throughout their senior and geriatric years, and they still loved golf cart rides when longer walks were no longer practical. Their world became smaller and slower, but it did not stop being enjoyable.

I will always miss them, but more than anything, I remain incredibly grateful for the number of healthy years we had together.

Those years shaped the way I think about proactive health today.

We tell pet parents to get ahead of problems. Feed better before disease develops. Support the joints before arthritis makes every step uncomfortable. Think about brain health before cognitive decline. Protect kidney and liver function before the bloodwork changes. Reduce inflammation and chemical exposure before the body becomes overwhelmed.

Then we also say, “Don’t treat a problem your dog doesn’t have.”

That sounds contradictory until we separate supporting the body from treating an active disease.

I think of it like preparing your home for a storm. You maintain the roof, trim the branches hanging over the house and keep flashlights, batteries and supplies nearby. You prepare because you understand that storms happen. You do not, however, replace every window because one might eventually break. If a window does break, you stop preparing for a possibility and repair the actual damage.

Proactive health works much the same way. We support the body before there is a problem, but when a problem develops, we change the plan and treat what is actually happening.

Helping the body do its own work

I don’t wake up each morning wondering which disease I should try to prevent that day. I think about what I can do to help my dogs’ bodies continue doing what they were designed to do.

The immune system is already monitoring for viruses, bacteria, parasites, damaged tissue and abnormal cells. The liver is processing substances and preparing waste for removal. The kidneys are filtering the blood, regulating fluid balance and helping maintain mineral and electrolyte balance. The lymphatic system is moving waste and supporting immune function. The microbiome is involved in digestion, nutrient production, immune communication and even brain and behavior health.

The body also has an endocannabinoid system, a regulatory network involved in maintaining balance across the nervous system, immune system, gut, skin, appetite, discomfort and inflammatory responses. This is one reason CBD became part of my senior dogs’ care. I wasn’t using it to sedate them or cover up every sign of aging. I used it because CBD may support comfort, mobility, a balanced inflammatory response, appetite, calmer nervous-system signaling and the body’s efforts to maintain homeostasis. Read more about CBD for dogs.

My role is not to replace these systems or force them to work in a particular direction every day. My role is to provide good raw materials, support normal function and remove as many unnecessary obstacles as I reasonably can.

Food is a large part of that, but it is not the only part. I also pay attention to what enters the home through the laundry room, what is sprayed in the yard and what ends up on the floors, bedding, paws and skin.

Over the years, I have worked to reduce unnecessary exposure to lawn chemicals, weed killers, synthetic fertilizers, pest-control products, heavily fragranced cleaners, plug-ins, air fresheners, scented detergents, fabric softeners and dryer products. I also changed how I approached flea and tick products and vaccines as I learned more and became more comfortable making individualized decisions.

We cannot eliminate every exposure. Our dogs still walk through treated grass, breathe outdoor air, drink water and share a world that is far from toxin-free. However, reducing what we can control lowers the amount the body must continually process.

Harvey taught me just how important that is.

His heavy-metal numbers were off the charts. My first thought was to focus on detoxification, but then I had our water tested and discovered we had a problem. No matter how much I tried to help his body eliminate heavy metals, I was continuing to put more back into him—and into all of us—through the water we used every day.

That changed my thinking permanently. Detoxification is not just about adding herbs, binders or supplements. Sometimes the most important part of a detox protocol is identifying what needs to stop coming in. Otherwise, we are mopping the floor while the sink is still overflowing.

The difference between support and treatment

Howie gave me a very clear example of this distinction.

At one point, he was diagnosed with early signs of kidney disease. That was no longer a general wellness concern. We had an actual problem beginning to show itself, so I changed the plan.

I made more significant changes to his food ingredients, became much more intentional about what his kidneys were being asked to process and completed a focused cleanse.

After that, the issue was never brought up again. His veterinarians did not continue discussing kidney disease, and we never had another known problem with it.

That does not mean I ignored his kidneys afterward. It meant we moved from treatment back into support.

The problem had appeared, so I responded more directly. Once his body was back in a better place, I continued making choices that supported kidney function without treating him as though he were in active kidney failure for the rest of his life.

That is exactly the difference I want pet parents to understand.

Support can be gentle, seasonal and ongoing. Treatment is more targeted because something specific has changed.

Adding support as the years pass

I did not care for Howie and Huey at 18 the same way I cared for them at 8. Their foundation remained the same, but as they became seniors and then truly geriatric dogs, I added more support around the systems likely to work harder with age.

• Clarity functional mushrooms became part of their care because I wanted to support their brains as they aged. Howie did eventually show some signs of cognitive decline, but he was already 20 years old by then. To me, that matters. I was not expecting supplements to stop aging or make an elderly dog behave like a young one. I was trying to support brain function, awareness, routine, sleep and quality of life for as long as possible. I believe we slowed the onset of CCD naturally.

• Vitality mushrooms were used because I wanted exactly what the name suggests: vitality, resilience, energy and continued engagement with life.
  Read more about functional mushrooms for dogs.. Read more about functional mushrooms for dogs.

• CBD supported multiple needs at once, including comfort, mobility, appetite, nervous-system balance and a healthier inflammatory response.

• PEMF helped support circulation, tissue recovery, comfort and movement. Keeping an older dog mobile affects much more than the joints. It helps preserve muscle, independence, digestion, confidence and quality of life. Read more about PEMF for dogs.

• Raindrop Technique was also a very important part of how I supported my senior dogs.

• For seniors, I generally begin with a three-day Raindrop protocol. From there, I usually move to weekly sessions and then maintain at least monthly support. Some dogs need it more often, and I adjust the frequency based on age, mobility, stress, discomfort, neurological needs and how the dog responds.

• Raindrop is not something I save only for a crisis. I use it proactively to support the nervous system, muscles, joints, circulation, immune function and the body’s overall ability to recover from the wear and tear of aging.

• The essential oils used during a Raindrop session are selected with purpose. Sometimes the focus is mobility and musculoskeletal support. Sometimes the immune system needs more attention. Sometimes the nervous system needs help settling so the body can move out of a constant stress response and devote more energy to digestion, sleep and repair.

I do not use oils simply because they smell nice or because every senior dog needs the same recipe. The choices and frequency are adjusted according to the dog standing in front of me.

Fresh, anti-inflammatory food remained the foundation. Howie and Huey ate raw food for many years, and as they became very old, I shifted them to gently cooked meals because that was a better fit for their changing needs. I continued offering variety to provide a broader range of nutrients, keep meals interesting and help them continue eating well as they aged.

Milk thistle and seasonal liver support also became part of the rotation because a liver that has processed nearly two decades of food, medications, chemicals and ordinary environmental exposure has earned some backup. Read more about milk thistle for dogs.

None of these things were added because Howie and Huey had every disease the products or therapies might be capable of supporting. They were added because aging changes what the body needs.

They did not receive every supplement every day for the rest of their lives. Some tools were used daily for a period. Others were seasonal, rotated or brought in when I noticed a change. Proactive care does not mean turning every meal into a mountain of powders, tinctures and capsules. It means watching the dog in front of you and adjusting the support as that dog’s age, environment and needs change.

Poppy’s seasonal rhythm

Poppy is now eleven and a half, and she currently has no known health issues. I am enormously grateful for that, but her good health is not a reason for me to stop supporting her body until something goes wrong.

We began seasonal liver work with all the dogs about five years ago. Over time, that developed into a general rhythm I use throughout the year:

• January and July: antioxidant support

• February and August: parasite-focused support

• March and September: lymphatic support

• April and October or early November: liver support

• May and November: heavy-metal support

• June and December: kidney support

This is a framework, not a rigid calendar carved into stone. I adjust it according to the dog, the season, environmental exposures and anything else happening in the body. I also do not necessarily stop supporting one system simply because the month changed. Fresh food, hydration, movement and basic immune support continue underneath everything else.

The rotation simply gives me a way to spend more focused time on systems that can easily be overlooked until they begin to struggle.

Poppy does not have kidney disease, but I know healthy kidney function is critical to longevity. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, Kidney Qi is connected to vitality, aging, bones, the brain, endurance and the body’s deeper reserves. I do not need a diagnosis before including kidney-supportive foods, herbs and Chinese herbs periodically.

I am not treating kidney disease. I am supporting the kidneys while they are still functioning well.

The same applies to her liver, lymphatics, immune system and cellular health. I use food, herbs, essential oils, Raindrop, antioxidants, functional mushrooms, CBD, PEMF and seasonal detoxification as parts of a rotating wellness plan. Some supports stay in place. Others come and go. They are selected because they help the body continue doing its own work—not because I am pretending Poppy has every disease I worry about.

Cancer: proactive support is not treatment

Cancer is the extreme example, and it is the one that worries almost every pet parent.

Most of us have watched someone lose a dog to cancer, or we have had a veterinarian find a lump, abnormal bloodwork or something on an ultrasound that changed life in a single afternoon. It is difficult not to think about prevention when cancer has become so common.

Our bodies routinely produce cells that are damaged or abnormal. The immune system continually monitors tissues and can identify and remove many cells that are no longer functioning as they should. That immune surveillance is one of the body’s built-in protective systems.

Our efforts today can help create a healthier environment for that system to work in tomorrow.

That is why I care about fresh food, antioxidants, functional mushrooms, microbiome health, healthy inflammation, movement, appropriate weight, liver and kidney support, lymphatic flow, nervous-system regulation and reducing chemical exposure throughout the yard, home and laundry.

None of those choices guarantees that Poppy will never develop cancer. There are genetic risks, environmental exposures and biological events outside our control. Proactive care is not a promise of immortality.

It is an effort to give the body better raw materials, fewer unnecessary burdens and more capacity to identify damage, regulate inflammation and repair itself.

That is proactive cancer support. It is not cancer treatment.

If cancer develops, the approach changes. We may use more targeted nutrition, herbs, mushrooms, CBD, antioxidants and integrative therapies based on the cancer type, organ system and treatment plan. Conventional diagnostics, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, mistletoe, ozone or other therapies may become part of the discussion. The foundation remains important, but maintenance alone is no longer enough.

The window has broken. Now we repair it.

Read more about natural cancer support for dogs.

Read more about nutrition support for dogs with cancer.

Parasites: the same principle on a smaller scale

Parasites are a less extreme problem, but they follow the same basic pattern.

We often say that a healthy body makes a terrible host. That does not mean a healthy dog can never pick up a parasite. Dogs lick the ground, drink from puddles, walk through contaminated soil and investigate wildlife droppings as though they have uncovered something valuable.

Building a healthy body means supporting stomach acid, digestion, the microbiome, intestinal integrity, immune function, nutrition and healthy elimination. Depending on the dog’s lifestyle, history and environment, seasonal parasite maintenance may also be appropriate.

That is proactive support.

However, if a dog develops Giardia, hookworms, roundworms or another active parasite burden, the approach changes. Now we may need a defined parasite protocol, targeted herbs or essential oils, sanitation throughout the home and yard, frequent laundering of bedding, gut support, binders, repeat testing or pharmaceutical treatment.

We do not continue a gentle maintenance routine and pretend we are treating an established problem. We address the parasite directly. Once the immediate issue is resolved, we rebuild the gut, restore the microbiome and return to supporting the terrain.

Cancer and parasites are clearly not the same level of threat, but the decision-making process is similar. Before there is a problem, support the systems that help protect the body. When a problem appears, change the intensity and purpose of the plan.

The quiet work of longevity

When people ask how Howie and Huey lived beyond 20, I still do not have one simple answer.

They did not come to me after I had already learned everything I know now. They grew alongside my own education. I changed their food, their vaccine schedules, their environment and the way I supported their bodies as I learned more.

They ate raw food for years. They moved to gently cooked food when that became more appropriate. They received seasonal support, Raindrop, essential oils, mushrooms, CBD, PEMF, herbs and more individualized care as their bodies aged.

When Howie showed early signs of kidney disease, I did not ignore it. I changed his food, supported the kidneys more directly and completed a cleanse. When that problem no longer appeared to be active, I did not continue treating him as a kidney-disease patient forever. I returned to supporting the body that had responded.

It was never one product, one protocol or one lucky ingredient. It was countless small decisions, along with the willingness to change those decisions as I learned more and as the dogs changed.

Mostly, it was paying attention.

They did not live long lives because I constantly treated them for diseases they did not have. They also did not live long lives because I waited for their bodies to fail before offering support.

Their health was built gradually, through thousands of ordinary choices.

I cannot guarantee another 20-year-old dog. But I can hope. I do it because I want Poppy to have the strongest body, the best quality of life and the greatest number of healthy years available to her.

I will continue preparing for the storm. I will maintain the house and keep the tools we may need nearby. I will not replace every window because it might someday break.

But when something does break, I will not confuse preparation with repair.

I will change the plan.