Senior Bloodhound joint & skin care advice

A Bloodhound at eight is right at that point where their weight starts working against them — those big frames and heavy jowls are wonderful, but they do put real pressure on hips, elbows and shoulders earlier than smaller breeds. Senior dogs generally need adjustments in nutrition, joint support, dental care and sometimes sleep comfort, but how much and when depends a lot on the individual. Before I point you anywhere, can you tell me: how much does your dog currently weigh and is that roughly in line with their healthy range? And are there any specific concerns you're already seeing — stiffness getting up, skin irritation in the folds, or something else that prompted the search today?

58kg on a Bloodhound is carrying more load than his joints need, especially as the cartilage starts thinning at this age — so the morning stiffness makes complete sense. The redness in the neck folds is a separate but very common issue with the breed; it's usually a mix of moisture, friction and bacterial buildup from drool sitting in the creases. You're right to get ahead of it. Can I ask: is he on any joint supplement currently, or has the vet mentioned anything specific about his hips or elbows on recent x-rays?

That's actually a good position to be in — you're catching this before there's confirmed damage, which means a quality supplement can do real preventative work alongside the weight management. For Rufus specifically, I'd start him on YuMOVE Joint Supplement PLUS for Dogs. It's the higher-strength version in the YuMOVE range, designed for dogs already showing stiffness rather than just maintenance, which fits where Rufus is right now. It combines ActivEase green-lipped mussel — which has a meaningfully higher absorption rate than standard GLM — with glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid. For a dog his size you'd use the large breed dosing, and most owners see a noticeable change in morning mobility within four to six weeks. It's widely available on Amazon UK in the 240-tablet tubs, which works out much better value for a big dog than the smaller packs. The fold redness is worth addressing separately — a gentle pet-safe antiseptic wipe used daily in those creases does a lot to prevent it progressing. But the joint supplement is the priority given his weight and age combination.

Weight is genuinely the highest-leverage thing you can do for his joints — every kilogram he loses takes several kilograms of force off those elbows and hips when he's moving. For diet, the practical approach is to switch to a senior-specific large breed formula if you're not already on one; they're typically lower in calories and adjusted in protein and phosphorus for older dogs. Reduce treats and measure portions accurately rather than eyeballing. The supplement works best when the joints aren't being overloaded, so the two things together — YuMOVE PLUS and gradual weight loss toward around 50 to 52kg — will make a much bigger difference than either alone. Your vet can help set a realistic weight loss timeline so it's gradual and doesn't stress him.

That's exactly the right plan. Start him on the full loading dose for the first four weeks — it's on the pack — and then drop to the maintenance dose after that. Keep a mental note of how he is on Monday mornings specifically; that's usually when the difference becomes clearest for dogs with joint stiffness. And do keep an eye on those neck folds — if the redness doesn't settle with daily cleaning or gets worse, it's worth a vet look sooner rather than later as fold dermatitis can escalate quickly in Bloodhounds. Rufus sounds like he's in good hands.