Diet for an old pet

Question
Dear Doctor,

I have a beautiful white and gold Llasa Apso bitch. She is 12 years old and has 2 teeth that are shaking and dark in color. Should I take her to have it removed or will it fall out on its own. Also, please tell me what is the right diet for her as she sleeps a lot and is putting on weight. She also scratches a bit and loves to chew her front paws and leaves small wounds. She is independent and smart and talks to me with a nod of her head or blinks her eyes to say "yes".
Thank you,
Yours sincerely,
Colleen

Answer
I am no doctor, just somebody that knows and loves dogs.  I am not sure about the tooth.  If you are currently feeding a dog chow, the best diet for her might be the senior version of it.  If your brand doesn't offer one, try another brand sticking to the same type, corn, chicken, lamb, etc.  it might not hurt to moisten and soften a dry chow for her now.