Colleen O'Neill writes from New Jersey about a number of aids that have helped make life more comfortable for Bear, her 14 1/2 German Shepherd/Labrador mix:

1) Telescoping Pet Ramp: I have a pick-up truck and this telescoping pet ramp works great for my dog. It is lightweight(made of hollow plastic), it has carpeted traction, and it folds up small so that I can put it in the front seat leaning up against the seat from the floor.
2) Fleece-lined Harness/Seatbelt: This is absolutely a MUST HAVE for older dogs. Not only is it a seatbelt, but it has fleece lining on the front and under the front legs and has a handle on the back of the dog. This works amazing for helping my dog up and down the stairs. The fleece allows him to be pulled up or held back comfortably since the belt is not digging into his body. It even extends underneath the front armpit areas so that there is no pain associated with picking-up.
3) Cosequine EQUINE Powder Concentrate formula: Not only is this MUCH MUCH cheaper for my dog BECAUSE it is marketed for horses and not dogs, but it is in flavorless granule form so my dog doesn't even know he gets it mixed in his food. No more pills for him. This is the same formula as the dog formula, the only difference is the Equine designation on the package and the dosing. But you can ask your vet what dosage he recommends for your dog. One of the larger packages this is offered in lasts me over a year and it only costs $150 with FREE SHIPPING from www.horse.com. I used to pay over $1000 for the dog formula and he hated eating the tablets! This is a little known secret that this can be used for dogs. Anything branded/marketed for dogs is super-inflated in price because of how big the market is for dog products. My vet let me know about this secret. He gives this to his dogs, and I have given it to mine for years. It is awesome and I think it is very important to let senior dog owners know about it since the cost of Cosequin and other similar dog-related neutraceuticals are extremely expensive. Cosequin or related products used to cost me more annually then my dog's prescription Rimadyl! I would pay or do anything for my dog's comfort, but I know a lot of well meaning senior dog owners just don't have the means to do the same. That is why I would really appreciate if you could let your readers know about this secret. I think it will help senior dogs everywhere get the treatment they deserve, but maybe their owners can't afford.