Awww Jumping Jack!
With seniors it’s good to track their weight. Some buns put on weight due to less activity, which can be harder on the joints and make arthritis worse. Other buns have a harder time keeping weight on, so they need supplemental feeding. So my first step would be to track her weight. I actually tend to do this more by feeling them than actually weighing my buns.
How much does she weigh now and how does her spine feel? Can you feel her hip bones sharply or not at all? 1/4 cup of pellets is on the high-end of pellet rations, but if she’s a very large bun then it might be fine. She also is getting plenty of salad, so if her weight is high or she doesn’t eat a lot of hay, then you might reduce her salad a bit.
There are various joint-support related treats that I’ve tried over the years. Some I think have helped more than others. I had an elder bun that responded really well to Myristol, but my current senior hates it (lol).
I often give the Oxbow joint support treats to all my buns. Hard to say whether they help too much, but the buns like them and I haven’t had any issues with excess cecals. I’ve also tried the Sherwood prevention treats, but again hard to say if they help. The buns are 50/50 on whether they like them ahah.
With my geriatric bun who has trouble keeping weight on, I’ve been giving him supplemental recovery food twice a day just to give him some extra nutrition. There are several brands out there now and I finally found one he is excited to eat, so if keeping weight on becomes an issue for Jumping Jack I’d try dif brands until you find one she likes. 🙂
The final thing with aging buns is making sure their environment isn’t making arthritis worse, so the flooring should have good traction, and you should minimize her having to jump down off of things. Some buns also need a low-sided litter box if they have trouble jumping into their usual one.
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The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
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