Senior Dog & Cat Tips

Video – Help with Dog Incontinence

July 6th, 2026 by Ima Admin

What: Michelle Van Harn, LVT, and hospice nurse at Heaven at Home, as she shows you the most common ways pet parents manage incontinence in a senior dog.

Why It Matters: Michelle’s tips and techniques emphasize the importance of making sure these garments are secure and leak-resistant, while still being comfortable for the senior dog to wear. It’s a balancing act, and this video will help you spot issues before they arise.

For more videos about senior dog and cat tips, subscribe to Heaven at Home on YouTube or browse our Video Category in our Resource Center!

Gentle, Joyful Ways to Keep Senior Pets Active This Summer

July 2nd, 2026 by Ima Admin

As pets age, their needs change, but their desire to engage, explore, and connect doesn’t. For senior dogs and cats dealing with stiffness, arthritis, or reduced mobility, movement becomes less about intensity and more about intention. The good news? With a little creativity, summer can be a season of renewed comfort, mobility, and joy.

“Research into canine osteoarthritis points towards combining targeted Monoclonal antibody therapy (such as Librela) with physical activity for a synergetic effect,” said Dr. Laurie Brush, founder of Heaven at Home Pet Hospice and member of two national initiatives that advocate for hospice and pain management for senior pets.

“This “movement plus medicine” approach helps maintain muscle, support joints, and improves overall quality of life,” she said. Read the rest of this entry »

Video: Improving Mental Stimulation for Your Senior Pet

May 27th, 2026 by Ima Admin

What: Michelle Van Harn, LVT and hospice nurse at Heaven at Home, explains some of the many ways you can provide enrichment and mental stimulation for your senior dog.

Why It Matters: Certain behaviors in dogs were beneficial to their ancestors’ survival, with the most important being finding food. Allowing “free sniffing” during walks and providing various treat puzzles for them to solve helps them produce “happy” brain chemicals, leading to improved wellbeing.

For more videos about senior dog and cat tips, subscribe to Heaven at Home on YouTube or browse our Video Category in our Resource Center!

Help with Memorializing Your Pet

May 4th, 2026 by Ima Admin

What: Emily, an Aftercare Specialist at Heaven at Home, showcases some of the many ways you can keep your pet close after they’ve passed on.

Why It Matters: Pet loss is often “disenfranchised grief,” which can worsen feelings of loss. Heaven at Home clients often find that memorializing their pet and engaging in a ritual to celebrate what their fur friend meant in their lives helps with healing. Read the rest of this entry »

Mobility Aids for Senior Pets: Using a “Help ’Em Up” Harness with Compassion

May 1st, 2026 by Ima Admin

As pets enter their senior years—or face life-limiting illness—simple daily movements can become difficult and painful. Arthritis, muscle loss, neurological changes, or recovery from injury can all affect mobility. When your pet experiences difficulty standing up, walking across the room, or climbing steps, a “Help ’Em Up”–style harness is one of the most practical, humane tools you can use to support your dog’s independence and comfort.

Rather than lifting your pet awkwardly or risking strain on your own back, a mobility harness allows you to assist safely, evenly, and gently.

“In the sunset years, mobility support is about meeting your pet where they are—offering help when needed, and allowing rest when that feels right. But having a device on hand to help your beloved companion enjoy gentle walks outside or reach areas in your home they’ve loved will help keep them engaged and enjoying a higher quality of life,” said Dr. Laurie Brush, founder of Heaven at Home Pet Hospice.

Read the rest of this entry »

Video: Using a “Help ‘Em Up” Harness

April 3rd, 2026 by Ima Admin

What: Michelle Van Harn, LVT and hospice nurse at Heaven at Home, walks you through how to properly fit a Help Em’ Up harness on your senior dog.

Why It Matters: Products like the Help ‘Em Up She explains what the harness is used for, as well as how to adjust all of the clips and straps. She also shares some helpful “dos and don’ts.”

Want to learn more about types of assistive devices there are available for senior pets?Visit our Devices for Senior Pets Roundup

For more videos about senior dog and cat tips, subscribe to Heaven at Home on YouTube or browse our Video Category in our Resource Center!

The “Mystery Cancer” in Dogs – and How a Gene Discovery Is Changing the Story

April 1st, 2026 by Ima Admin

For many families, hemangiosarcoma feels like a thief in the night.

A healthy, happy dog goes to bed… and the next day collapses without warning. Pale gums. Weakness. A swollen belly. An emergency rush to the vet. Within hours, pet parents hear a word they’ve never heard before: hemangiosarcoma.

This fast-growing cancer of the blood vessels is one of the most aggressive cancers in dogs. It often hides silently in the spleen or heart until a fragile tumor ruptures and causes sudden internal bleeding. By the time it’s found, it has usually already spread. Read the rest of this entry »

Video: How To Medicate Senior Dogs & Cats

March 2nd, 2026 by Ima Admin

What: Michelle Van Harn, LVT and hospice nurse at Heaven at Home, shows you some helpful tips and techniques you can use to give medication to a senior dog or cat, especially if they’re being stubborn!

Why It Matters: As pets age, it’s likely they’ll need medication to improve their quality of life, manage pain, or fight infections. If a pet is resistant to taking this medication, it can create a stressful situation for you and the pet at least once a day, which then exacerbates their aversion to medication. Michelle’s tips can help turn the experience into no big deal, or even better, a positive one.

For more videos about senior dog and cat tips, subscribe to Heaven at Home on YouTube or browse our Video Category in our Resource Center!

Video: Improving Appetite in Senior Pets

January 26th, 2026 by Ima Admin

What: Michelle Van Harn, LVT and hospice nurse at Heaven at Home, as she walks you through several strategies you can use to encourage a senior dog or cat with a diminished appetite to eat. Read the rest of this entry »

Video: Pet Quality of Life Scorecard

January 2nd, 2026 by Ima Admin

What: Michelle Van Harn, LVT and hospice nurse at Heaven at Home, introduces you to a few different ways of measuring your pet’s quality of life. Michelle explains how the scorecards work, contrasting them so you can see which best suits you and your pet, giving you the most accurate assessment.

Why It Matters: A Quality of Life scorecard is a snapshot in time of how your pet is doing, whether they have more good days or bad. While the Heaven at Home Pet Hospice team can assist you in assessing the quality of life of your senior pet, we can’t make the decision for you. Pet parents play a pivotal role in assessing a pet’s quality of life because they are direct observers of the day-to-day signals of their pet’s condition.

See the Pet Quality of Life Scorecard here.

For more videos about senior dog and cat tips, subscribe to Heaven at Home on YouTube or browse our Video Category in our Resource Center!