Elevated bowl setup for senior Lhasa Apso

Your vet's suggestion about an elevated bowl is a good one — at 12, a Lhasa Apso is firmly in senior territory, and raised feeding can ease the neck and spine strain that comes with age, especially in a breed that's low to the ground and prone to disc issues. Senior dogs generally need adjustments across nutrition, joint support, dental care, and sleep comfort, but the right setup depends a lot on the individual dog. Before I point you toward the best options, can you tell me a bit more — are there any specific health concerns alongside the general ageing, like arthritis or dental problems? And is he or she still eating dry kibble, or have you moved to wet or mixed food? That'll help me give you a setup that actually fits.

Bonnie sounds like she's doing really well — a lively 12-year-old Lhasa is something to be proud of. The combination of mild arthritis and dental wear actually makes the elevated bowl even more worthwhile, because bending low repeatedly puts pressure on the joints and can make swallowing harder as throat muscles weaken slightly with age. For the bowl itself, I'd recommend the Neater Feeder Express in the small size. It's a raised stainless steel double-bowl feeder with a built-in spillage tray — the height is appropriate for a small breed like Bonnie, the steel bowls are easy to keep hygienic which matters with dental issues, and it's stable enough that she won't be nudging it around. It's available on Amazon UK and consistently well-reviewed for small senior dogs. Can I ask — where does Bonnie eat at the moment, and does she tend to eat quickly or graze?

That's a really useful thing to know. Fast eating in a senior dog is worth slowing down — it increases the risk of bloating and can cause her to swallow air, which puts pressure on the digestive system. The Neater Feeder won't slow her down on its own, but you can place a slow feeder insert bowl inside it. The Dr. Catsby's slow feeder bowl or a simple LickiMat Splash are both small enough to sit inside the Neater Feeder's tray and work well with wet-and-dry mixed food. So the practical setup I'd suggest is: Neater Feeder Express as your base, with a slow feeder insert for meals. Keep one bowl for water — stainless, easy to clean. That covers the elevation, the pace, and the hygiene side in one go.

Both, honestly. The vet should guide any supplements or medication, but there's plenty you can do at home that complements that. An orthopaedic bed with memory foam or firm supportive foam makes a real difference for arthritic small dogs — the Scruffs Essentials Memory Foam Dog Bed comes in a size that suits a Lhasa well and is machine washable. Placing it somewhere she doesn't have to jump up or down also helps — floor level, away from cold draughts. If she uses a sofa or chair, a small ramp or set of pet steps prevents the joint stress of jumping. Those are the main practical things. Everything else — fish oil, joint supplements, hydrotherapy — is worth raising with the vet given she's already being monitored. You've clearly got a well-looked-after dog.

You're very welcome — Bonnie's lucky to have someone paying this much attention at 12. The Neater Feeder plus a slow feeder insert is a simple change that'll likely make meals noticeably more comfortable for her. If you come back with questions once you've got it set up, or want to think through the bed situation, feel free to ask.