A Holistic Herbal Guide to Supporting Aging Dogs
There’s something sacred about the senior years.
The gray around the muzzle. The slower mornings. The deeper naps in the sun.
Aging isn’t just about slowing down, it’s about supporting a body that’s working a little harder than it used to.
As dogs age, their needs shift. What they need most isn’t just “joint supplements”, it’s deeper support for the systems that are quietly changing underneath the surface.
Let’s talk about what’s really happening.
What Changes as Dogs Age?
Aging isn’t one thing. There's layers to it and understanding what those layers are can help you support your best friend through their golden years.
1. Inflammation Increases
Wear and tear accumulates, the joints stiffen, muscles recover more slowly and inflammation that the body once resolved easily can linger longer causing shorter walks, uncomfortableness walking up and down the stairs and slower moments getting up from their naps.
2. Detox Pathways Slow Down
The liver and kidneys are still working but not with the same efficiency. Supporting gentle detox pathways becomes important to help their body process life's toxic overload.
3. Gut Resilience Declines
Senior dogs often experience more food sensitivities, softer stool, intermittent digestive upset, and increased yeast or skin flare-ups. The gut lining becomes more fragile with age, which affects immunity and inflammation throughout the body.
4. Immune Function Shifts
The immune system becomes less adaptable. Some seniors struggle with recurrent infections, while others develop inflammatory or autoimmune conditions.
5. Nervous System Changes
Sleep patterns shift, anxiety may increase and cognitive changes can begin subtly. Aging is systemic (throughout the whole body), which means support needs to be systemic too.
The 4 Pillars of Senior Dog Support
Instead of throwing supplements at symptoms, I look at three foundational layers:
Foundation: Gut + Mineral Support
The gut is the root of resilience.
When their digestion weakens, everything else becomes harder.. joints, skin, immunity, even mood.
For senior dogs, foundational support often includes:
- Mineral-rich whole food nutrition
- Gentle gut lining herbs and digestive support
- Beneficial bacteria and prebiotic food for the microbiome
Supporting the gut helps:
- Reduce systemic inflammation
- Improve nutrient absorption
- Support immune balance
- Stabilize stool
If you don’t know where to start with a senior dog, start with the gut.
This is exactly why we formulated our Complete Canine Mineral Formula to replenish foundational nutrients and support systemic resilience as dogs age. For dogs already showing deeper digestive sensitivity, layering in our Leaky Gut Reset approach or our more simple Pup Probiotic can provide more targeted support to strengthen digestion.
Organ + Systemic Support for the Aging Body
There’s another layer of aging we don’t always see.
Joints often get the attention while the internal organs are quietly working harder each year.. processing nutrients, filtering waste, regulating hormones, managing stress signals, and maintaining equilibrium throughout the body.
Over time, the liver, kidneys, digestive tract, and nervous system don’t necessarily “fail”, they simply become less efficient.
But efficiency matters.
When internal systems are supported properly, you often see:
• More consistent energy
• Better digestion
• Improved coat quality
• Clearer eyes
• More stable mood
• Smoother recovery
Rather than pushing the body, herbal organ support focuses on nourishment.
Mineral-rich botanicals like nettle help replenish trace nutrients that become harder to absorb with age. Spirulina offers whole-food nutritional density to support cellular health. Gentle liver and kidney-supportive herbs help maintain natural filtration and metabolic balance. Nervous system tonics encourage steadier regulation during a stage of life when stress resilience may decline.
We have formulated one of our favorites, Senior Support Extract for this exact reason. This formula nourishes your dog's internal organs, ideally for years, to give their body a better ability to sustain strength and vitality.
Inflammation + Mobility Support
Aging joints don’t just need lubrication, they need inflammation modulation.
Herbs traditionally used for senior mobility support may include:
- Anti-inflammatory botanicals
- Circulatory support herbs
- Ligament strengthening formulas
- Tissue-repair nutraceuticals
- Mushrooms for immune modulation
Layering these properly can:
- Improve comfort
- Support recovery
- Reduce stiffness
- Support long-term joint health
This is where many people start but without foundation work, results can plateau. Our Ginger Joint Extract is formulated for daily inflammation support. This long-term tonic is intended to help keep inflammation down in your dog's joints so they can continue to romp around in your favorite scenic spots. Ginger Joint Plus+ CBD combines our original Ginger Joint Extract with quality + potent CBD isolate which adds an extra layer of pain relief to your dog's regimen. Our Eucommia Bark Extract is a unique integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine to help strengthen and tighten the ligaments within the joints. Whether your dog has had a torn CCL, strained ligaments or is a top heavy senior or older sports dog, Eucommia bark supports the elastic band-like structural support around their joints.
Immune + Longevity Support
Senior dogs benefit enormously from immune modulation rather than immune “boosting.”
Adaptogenic mushrooms and herbs can help:
- Regulate immune overactivity
- Support cellular health
- Improve vitality
- Encourage resilience
Longevity support isn’t about forcing energy, it’s about strengthening the systems that preserve it. Mushroom Immunity Extract and Powder combine Reishi and Turkey Tail Mushroom for deep immune modulating support.
When Should You Start Supporting a Senior Dog?
Most dogs begin to benefit from senior-style support around 7–9 years old (earlier for large breeds).
But the key is, don’t wait for visible decline.
Start when you notice:
- Slower recovery after walks
- Subtle stiffness
- Increased sleeping
- Digestive shifts
- More sensitivity to stress
- Or simply when they're middle aged
Supporting early is easier than repairing later.
A Simple Herbal Framework for Seniors
If you want to keep it simple, think in layers:
- Stabilize the gut.
- Nourish internal organs
- Modulate inflammation and comfort support (like CBD) when needed.
- Support immunity and resilience.
You don’t have to do everything at once. You just need to think systemically and consider where your dog personally is at, and start layering in the quality support they would benefit from.
The Goal Is Not Youth.. It’s Vitality
We can’t reverse time. But we can support:
- Comfortable movement
- Clear eyes
- Steady digestion
- Balanced immunity
- Calm rest
- Continued joy
The senior years can be deeply beautiful when the body is supported properly. Often, the difference between “old and declining” and “aging with vitality” comes down to foundational support.
One Last Reminder
Get your senior screened yearly!
This is something I will scream from the rooftops. Once your dog enters their golden years, getting a senior blood panel is often recommended. This is super important and a great test to do that can help your vet identify early a variety of conditions.
Secondly, and just as important but NOT recommended enough is getting an abdominal ultrasound! Often vets don't recommend this, even though in my opinion, all senior dog guardians should at least have the option of receiving. An ultrasound can see things, like certain tumors, that wouldn't show up on a blood test. My best boy, Leroy, had a "very common" tumor on his spleen that ruptured which ended his precious life. Our vet told us how common this type of tumor was, how its asymptomatic meaning there would be no symptoms until it's rupture and how we would have only caught it with a coincidental ultrasound. Ultrasounds for our seniors should not be "coincidental", especially if there are common tumors that will end a dogs life if not caught early enough. This is where you may need to advocate for your dog and it will be well worth it! Catching a tumor, especially one that can either rupture or metastasize is quite literally the difference between life or death. Ultrasounds are not invasive and can easily be done in office. For the love of all things holy, advocate for your beloved senior and get them a yearly ultrasound. They deserve the world.
