Any Experienced Old Dog Owners?
If anyone has any experience at all with senior dogs, I would greatly appreciate your posts. I'm hoping to glean some insight and proper perspective.
Bandit, my nearly 16 year old Yorkie is the first dog of my own I have ever had and I have known him since he was 4 weeks old, took him home at 11 weeks. He is my four-legged child.
Ever the mama's-boy, Bandit was always at my feet or very close by and never wandered. If he mosied around the property, he'd come check-in with me often or come when called. Before I came to take care of my father, I lived on a gated estate and rented from people who had a yellow lab. Bandit and Buddy were friends and more than once I had Buddy "Go find Bandit!" and he always did so within seconds.
Last summer, Bandit developed the habit of wandering off and not responding when called. My father habitually left doors open and Bandit would leave.That he was leaving the house without prompting me to go with him (very unlike him), I hadn't registered at that point. There were myriad close calls. I blamed my father, who among other things has alcoholic dementia and is very defiant.
Then I began noticing other changes in Bandit. People assured me it was all related to being an older dog, so I figured it was just a matter of being patient with the little guy. After all, isn't that a commitment we make when we have a pet? To stick by them through thick and thin? Aging sucks just as much for dogs as people, I'm not just here for the fun part! Bandit has seen me through every trial and tribulation I've been dealt for as long as I have had him, it's my turn to be here for him, right?
Bandit now has all the symptoms of canine dementia, save that he does recognize me and isn't cranky. He still knows me. His appetite is very good and he does show enthusiasm when he gets a treat, but he does not respond to verbal commands or hand signals any longer. That's okay. He after all has earned the right to receive treats without ceremony.
I have an appointment to see the vet next week. Meanwhile, I have done extensive reading on the subject and I'm torn: There IS a medication prescribed for canine dementia. The trouble is, it will either make an improvement or kill him. The side effects can be fatal and it takes two months to take effect if it does help him.
So, what do I do? Take a chance with the medicine or bring him in for his very last vet visit or just grin and bear it? He doesn't seem to be suffering, but he's not one to complain, either.
I love this little guy so much, I can't bear the thought of his suffering at all. Even though it will break my heart wide-open to say goodbye, I would feel better to know that I'm doing right by him. And yet the very idea of taking his life before his time is unacceptable to me.
Am I too inexperienced and perhaps too close to this matter to realize that he's gone already? He hasn't been himself since last early summer. I just didn't connect the dots and now I'm blaming myself.
I wish I could get in to see the vet sooner, but I'm hoping someone can share with me their knowledge and experience on the subject. It isn't a happy topic, but maybe it will help younger dog owners to prepare themselves better than I did by at least being aware of the signs.
Every thanks,
~Smartypants
Tags: canine dementia
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Replies to This Discussion
- Reply by CookinATX on January 09, 2012 at 6:17 pm
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GinaG,
I'm sorry to hear about Bandit's dementia. A 16 year old dog is like an 80 year old human. It sounds like he's had a long and wonderful life with you. Bless his heart, and yours.
The main thing you need to do is to know that, no matter what, you cannot make a bad decision here. Whatever decision you make will be well-considered and made with love.
Just see what the vet has to say next week. You don't have to make any instant decision since he is still interested in food and not in any apparent pain.
Give him a hug and doggie biscuit, and pat yourself on the back for being a good owner.
Chris
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- Reply by omaria on January 09, 2012 at 6:33 pm
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Gina, I am very sorry about your dog. But I hope DachshundLady will chime in here with advice from her husband. He is a Vet. My own feeling is that if you know he is not in pain, why bother with medication that might kill him. Let him be. He is old and has had a happy life . Just let him be.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 10, 2012 at 1:18 pm
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Thank you both for your kind support, I have tears. Bandit, being a bitty thing doesn't have 7 yrs per calender year, but 6.5, which makes him 104 years old. Where did the time go!
I hope Dlady does chime in, that would be great! Meantime, I'm just hanging out with Mr. B, curled up at my side...He sleeps most of the time.
GinaG.
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- Reply by buttercup on January 09, 2012 at 7:02 pm
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GinaG, I agree with Omaria, as long as he is not showing any signs of pain and is eating well, I would just let him be at his age. We lost our Cairn Terrier a few years back, she was a diabetic for about 4 years. When we first found out she was sick, the vet told us that if we started giving her insulin injections twice a day, it could be a long commitment. Well it was, I'm not sure if I would do it again. It was very stressful for my DH and myself to inject her, but I think it was more stressful for Pepper. She knew we were coming to give her the shots and would try and hide. One morning after she ate and had her shot DH took her for her walk, she fell in the street and went into shock. We rushed her to the emergency vet (it was a Sunday) and her Dr. was not available. They said she would probably not recover and we decided to put her to sleep. In the past we had cats, and I would never stay for the end, but I did this time because I was holding Pepper in my arms and I couldn't let go. It was very peaceful and she just slippped away, no signs of pain. She was younger than your Bandit. Your baby has had a long happy life, but in the end it's your decision, one that's never easy. Hopefully DL will see your question and have some good advice.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 10, 2012 at 1:29 pm
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Buttercup,
Thank you for sharing your story, I cried. Like you, I wouldn't leave Bandit. I would insist on holding him, too.
Bandit isn't in any apparent pain, but he does get stiff and wobbly when he gets up from his curled-up position--We would too, at nearly 104 years--but he stretches his legs out when I rub his little knees for a bit and then he's okay. I'm sure I'd need someone to pick me up out of bed and rub my knees, too at that age! Poor little guy.
Years ago, when I had a cat at the vet being neutered, I was waiting at home, in the bathroom sick every hour on the hour, an absolute wreck with sympathy for Louie's pain. Mind you, my forte in medicine has always been emergency/trauma: I have nerves of steel and handle all crises with proficiency. My mom knew this and rolled her eyes at my reactionary, emotional behavior. She'd finally had it with me and snapped, "Look at you! If this is how worked-up you get over a cat, you better not have any kids!" LOL I never did. Maybe she was right! ;)
GinaG.
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- Reply by rottiedogs on January 10, 2012 at 3:05 pm
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I have nothing but senior dogs. One of them is a Katrina survivor and has lots of issues. She's had surgery and survived a severe case of heartworm. Her knees are creaky too but she still runs and plays. I lost my one and only puppy in October to old age. She put her head down for a snooze and didn't get up again. No indications anything was wrong. I lost two others a few years back to cancer. They will tell you when it is time to go. Bandit is eating and not in any obvious pain or distress so let him be himself. Spoil him rotten and love him and tell him what a good dog he is. I would see what the vet says next week. It sounds like nothing has to be decided immediately. When the time comes your heart will tell you the right thing to do. The best gift you can give him is to let him go to the bridge when he is ready.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 10, 2012 at 3:33 pm
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RD:
Thank you, so very much. Your kind words of wisdom do resonate deeply with me.
I'm so sorry about your puppy. Curling up to sleep and drifting off to Heaven is what we all hope for, but it makes it no less heartbreaking, does it?
The relationship is very telepathic and I still seem to know just what he wants, when he wants it despite his not making a peep. I just really hope it stays that way. I don't know if dementia eventually interferes with that...
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- Reply by ZenSojourner on January 11, 2012 at 11:35 am
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Gina, have you had his hearing checked? He may just be a little deaf...
Elsewise, I would just leave him be, given the dangerous side effects. As long as he isn't becoming aggressive, the downside of the guilt you'll feel if the meds kill him outweighs the benefits, I would think.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 11, 2012 at 12:54 pm
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Yeah, those side effects are horrid. he's always been a scrawny, scrappy fellow, but now he's pretty skinny and his digestion has has become sensitive to anything other than his own food. If he gets chicken, beef or fish, it's in "treat" portion, like the size of your pinkie finger nail or else it comes up AND "out."
A few months ago, the poor little guy hoovered sourdough starter droplets from the floor and it wreaked havoc on him for days. Imagine what a medication that causes GI issues would do!
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- Reply by beachdee on January 18, 2012 at 12:02 am
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Just got back from vacation & saw your post. Wanted to say fie on the vet office for leaving you hanging & then saying you have to wait 2 weeks, but probably cuz it's not an "emergency". Casting my vote for not doing the meds, just loving Bandit until the situation brings you to realize you'll be showing your love best by letting him go in a peaceful manner. It sounds like you two still have some time together.
For what it's worth, I'll share that I had a 14-yr-old mutt I'd gotten at the "pound" at 5 mos. old, who was to me like Bandit is to you (we didn't have kids, either). Best friend/child all rolled into one. Often, their decline sneaks up on you becuz it's gradual -- you see your pet every day. Sometimes it takes a loving friend to point out how bad it's really gotten, & then it is, unfortunately, up to us to make the determination of how far we want to let the quality of life for our friend slip, before letting them go. My sweet friend got incontinent, bad teeth, increasingly painful arthritis. Spent most of the day curled up in dog bed. Being fastidious all her life, she acted embarrassed and confused when she inadvertently pooed in the house (which we never scolded her for, we knew she didn't mean to do it). Had trouble with the stairs, yet wanted to be with us whether up or down and was not a "portable" sized dog. She did not act happy any more. The quality of her life was quickly plummeting downhill. My husband gently pointed this out to me...I was seeing it, but not seeing it as it was becuz I didn't want to.
The vet said I would know when the time was to let her go, and that, as someone else said above, there was no wrong time, although waiting until the animal was suffering a lot was not the best choice. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but I arranged with the vet to come to the house, bless her heart. (This avoided having my dog's last event in life be the dreaded "going to the vet" which she ALWAYS knew was what was going on, no matter how tried to disguise it.) The vet came and I held Kara in my arms (all 48 pounds of her) as we did this last caring act for her; then we cried together (she'd been my dog's vet for over 10 years). It was the right thing to do. Two nights afterwards, I had a dream of my dear friend running exuberantly across a grassy area and coming up to me, all young and not-hurting and happy, which reaffirmed my choice, made not "about me" wantingn to hang on, but for & about my four-legged friend.
Just remember that whatever you choose to do, you are doing out of/with love, and therefore it is okay. Follow your heart, and I wish you many more loving moments with Bandit.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 19, 2012 at 1:05 pm
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Beachdee,
You are right. It really does sneak up on you!
A friend just gave me a book on the spirits of animals and in it, it's mentioned that when our pets are sleeping, they're visiting the other side--Perhaps when they age, they are spending more time sleeping for a reason: They want to be where they belong.
What a beautiful gift your dog-daughter gave you, to tell you, "Thanks, Mom! Made it!"
Thank you for answering my call by sharing your story, you made a big difference.
GinaG.
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- Reply by dachshundlady on January 19, 2012 at 1:47 pm
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Just found this thread. I too have a 16 year old. She has an iron constitution including amazing kidneys. But she is a bit crippled up. She scuffs along and, when in a hurry at meal time, rocks along like a hobby horse. She spends her days on the couch and her nites in our bed, being carried outside, inside, upstairs and down.
We once had a large dog who actually lived to be 17. She had dementia and we had her in meds for a few years. Can't remember what it was but she had no problems. But if you are concerned about side effects, I wouldn't bother. Just be CAREFUL that the little guy doesn't wander off and get lost. That would be the worst. Would be better to euthanize than risk that.
Oh, and I think you need a new vet. After that long a wait they could have squeezed you in.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 19, 2012 at 3:24 pm
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Thank you, Dlady,
It's a little late to switch horses now, she's been a real friend to me and my dog and I can't hold it against her that her scheduler made an error. She's a good vet.
Your 16 year old sounds like Bandit. I have to carry him everywhere. Last night, instead of putting his paws on me to tell me he needed to potty, he just went and I was wakened to a p. in progress, had to change bedding and pj's at 3:00AM. He sometimes forgets. I couldn't get mad at him, he didn't do it on purpose, poor guy. This morning he came to me as usual to bring him to go potty. He's intermittently incontinent.
Can you tell me about the 17 year old you had on meds? Did you notice a difference and did the medicine help her? Did she get her mojo back?
Bandit HAS wandered-off and there have been a few close-calls. Wandering-off is a symptom of dementia. You don't think it's a matter of just being more careful? The last time I lost him was because passersby saw him circling in the driveway near the street, so they stopped their car and took him. I discovered him gone ten minutes later and the children nearby said a lady took him.
I was hysterical. I searched and searched, rolling the car slowly, yelling out his name and heard his bark in response among houses I had no idea how to get to. I was beside myself. Another neighbor-friend told me, "Gina, don't worry, we will find him. Everybody knows Bandit. Of course anyone else seen with him will be questioned."
My father, a very contrary fellow, stayed up well past his bedtime trying to help. If anyone came to the door, he'd be awake to answer. At 9:30, he told me to stop and wait until morning when we could post signs. I never slept that night, up sobbing my hear out.
It was my vet who connected me to the woman who took the dog. She and her husband were en route home from a funeral and her reasoning was that Bandit was safer with them than near the street.
"He had a really hard time last night, he cried and paced all night. About 20 minutes after we got him inside, he barked his head off and tried to get out."
I'm sure that was when he was "answering" my calls to him.
"Did you ASK those @$%HOLES why they took him?! Why the h__ didn't they ring the doorbell?! Obviously he lives HERE! JERKS!"
"No, Dad, I did not ask them."
"Why didn't you?!"
"Because it already happened and why pick a fight with someone who in the end did the right thing? I got him back." And if I were to scold this lady for being lazy by not ringing the doorbell, she could easily accuse us for the same thing: I didn't detect his absence for ten minutes, long enough to get hit by a car or attacked by a wild animal.
He hasn't been out of our sight since. But I do want to know if that is not enough.
GinaG.
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- Reply by dachshundlady on January 19, 2012 at 4:04 pm
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I'll ask DH when he gets home from work what the med was (I think it was Anipryl.) Before she was on it she would walk into the corner and just stand there. She was a Doberman sized dog and she eventually got a gastric torsion. Altho DH could have saved her with surgery, we decided it was time. We had been vacillating for a year. The needle with the Beuthanasia was sitting on a high little shelf in our kitchen. We just hadn't been able to do it because she had more good days than bad and the bad ones did not involve pain. But imagine a 17 year old big dog and the type of locomotion she would have.
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- Reply by pammyowl on January 19, 2012 at 4:29 pm
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Incredibly painful position to be in. My Sammy was 18, we'd had him since he was 6 weeks. The final decision was made, broke my heart. He had trouble getting up, cloudy eyes, yet when you took him for a walk he was a pup. How and when do you decide to end the life of your best doggie friend? Impossible to answer. The eyes will tell you, is my only answer. Tell Mr. B he has friends all over the country who are thinking of him! ( give him a treat from us!)
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- Reply by ZenSojourner on January 19, 2012 at 4:54 pm
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Rusty was 19 when I finally had to have her put to sleep, shortly after my Dad died in 2009. She had been struck by a car as a puppy and it shattered her hip. The first vet I took her to wanted to euthanize her then. The second vet I took her to rebuilt the hip and put a metal plate in there.
Years later, she started having some difficulty walking. I took her to a vet here in the states (I adopted her in Puerto Rico) and asked to have that hip examined. The vet repeatedly insisted she just had some arthritis around the metal plate. I should have insisted on an x-ray, but I had 3 different vets over the years pooh-pooh my concerns about that hip.
Well it turns out that a screw had worked itself loose and was migrating through her hip. The plate was no longer stable and also began to twist and move. Eventually the plate was no longer attached to the bone and her leg became unusable. By this point she was far too old to tolerate surgery to either repair the plate, or even to remove the leg. The vet who FINALLY did an x-ray on that hip insisted she couldn't walk, despite the fact that he had just watched her walk in to his office and walk right out again. She was a tough little thing.
She was in some pain but she tolerated it extremely well, which in a way is a shame because had she NOT had such a high tolerance for pain, it would have been obvious to at least one of those vets over the years that something really was wrong.
She lived for over a year after I found out what had happened to her poor hip. It finally got to the place where she was not tolerating the pain very well and she wasn't able to get around. With winter coming on, I finally had to have her put to sleep. There was a point where she was ready, and it was obvious. She stopped taking joy in life and she was just tired and sad all the time. I still miss her, and I still blame myself for letting those vets make me feel like I was a silly brainless female and not forcing one of them to do an actual x-ray, back when something could still have been done about the situation.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 19, 2012 at 5:21 pm
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I just spoke with the vet:
She made an appointment for me to go see her alone today to talk about Bandit.
I cried when I pulled out the paperwork from his last visit. All the receipts and records from the vet have Bandit's image on them from the picture they took. The first thing I noticed was that the spark he had in his eyes, captured in the photo, isn't there anymore.
It's 2:15 PST, I have a 4:00 PM appt. If she tells me I waited too long, I'll never forgive myself.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 19, 2012 at 5:28 pm
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Zen,
Just saw your post, we were writing at the same time, I guess.
What a long life Rusty had! How sad to lose your father AND your dog so close together.
Now you have me wondering about getting second opinions, especially while I'm pretty susceptible to guilt.
i'll see what she says and if ut doesn't resonate, I'll get another opinion.
Gina
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- Reply by GinaG on January 19, 2012 at 10:40 pm
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It's 7:33 PM PST
Had a very nice long talk with the vet. Bandit is having a good day and I'm beat even though I do feel better. I will post tomorrow AM to fill you in on the good news...and not so good news.
Meantime, my "son" and I will watch a feel-good classic, Driving Miss Daisy on OWN, and "Mommie" is having a cup of heated Bailey's & Cream to celebrate: We had a GOOOOOD day...
From the bottom of my heart, thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement, I have needed every ounce!
Goodnight,
GinaG. And Mr. Bandit
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- Reply by cwcdesign on January 20, 2012 at 5:35 am
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Gina,
I hope you and Bandit got a good night's rest. It is difficult when a pet gets older.
My last standard (before Keira the princess) lived to be 15. Sammy (Samantha) was so sweet. A large poodle, she always slept on the bed with our other standard, Alexander. When she was 13, the vet detected a heart murmur, and we agreed at that point, we would just watch carefully and not do anything heroic when the time came. So one night she started crying so we knew something was wrong and we tried to keep her comfortable until the morning. DH had to pick her up to put her on the bed. Finally, we called the vet and his partner agreed to meet us at the office since we were not going to take her to the Animal Hospital emergency. Turns out she had had a heart attack and we decided to put her down then. I stayed holding her and 11 years later, I'm sitting here with tears telling you this. But, she knew I loved her.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is never easy. They are as much our family as anyone else and you will have ups and downs with Bandit as you go forward. Just be at peace with your decisions.
Carol
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- Reply by beachdee on January 20, 2012 at 2:13 pm
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Glad you finally got to talk to the vet, Gina. Hang in there.
I agree with what was said about it being much worse to lose your friend to the unknown (i.e., wanders off & you never know how it ended) than to be involved in it & know it was a gentle ending. The first dog I remember as a child from 4 years old, was our family's mutt (best I can tell, Boxer-Lab mix) who was gentle & tolerant of the ministrations & games of 3 young children for many years. We lived in the country on 7 acres & mom would just let her out the door when she needed to go out. She usually stuck close to the house & wanted back in after doing her duties. One night mom let her out for the usual last outing, & she never came back. We combed the woods, the nearby country roadside, asked neighbors, etc. for weeks. It was a late summer evening, perhaps someone took her into their car, if she had wandered up by the road; perhaps they'd hit her -- the house was not visible from the road. It was agony for all of us, especially my mom (over-the-top animal lover) & you have had a taste of it with Bandit's adventure which ended well with him coming home.
When the time comes to say good-bye, don't let anybody tell you you shouldn't be feeling grief, just let it run its natural course as you would for anybody you love & miss. I've found that some folks who've never experienced "pet love" will be offended if it seems you are grieving as with losing a human in your life, especially if they have felt such loss themselves. I can understand that, so I don't get angry with them. It's hard to make people comprehend that indeed I don't see the dog as a human -- just someone in there that is a "dog-person" -- where "person" means having a personality & feelings, just in the way a dog does -- & that I respect & enjoy that dog-person for itself, and grieve its loss. Fortunately I had a friend at work who had recently lost an elderly dog, that I could talk with. I'm sure you know folks who will be supportive. If it helps, bolster yourself with a version of that trite but really quite true saying, that it's better to have loved & to suffer some pain at parting, than to have missed out on all those years of enjoyment and companionship, something I'm sure you already know. I still start to tear up when I talk about putting Kara down. Whether a loss of human or animal, I find it really does help to try & focus on the good memories & grateful feelings of having been blessed with the relationship at all, which helps the pain to eventually soften around the edges. It's a very personal thing & you are entitled to feel what you feel about your friend.
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- Reply by GinaG on February 28, 2012 at 5:34 pm
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Dear Carol,
I guess because a decade and a half of a human's life is so young, and that these four-legged beings really do stay our "babies," we cannot comprehend it that their biological years surpass our own. When it's time to say good-bye, it's just always too soon and we gladly let them take a piece of our hearts with them. I've heard so many say they still miss that dog...
Thank you for your kind words of wisdom and encouraging support.
The vet was an absolute gem; just what I needed to help me put this in proper perspective. I did not opt to bring Mr. B with me because I didn't want to have this conversation in front of him.
She strongly assures that 15 years really is in the upper-end of Bandit's life expectancy and none of his symptoms are rare at his age. She said she always looks for FOUR things an aged dog has in their life they still enjoy. Ticking off her fingers she said with conviction, "He enjoys his food, he likes having his knees rubbed, he still likes his dog and cat friends...and he likes you!!" She said, "When a dog only has two things left in their life to look forward to, it's likely time," she made a sympathetic face. She told me that if he won't eat or his breathing becomes labored, he needs to be brought in right away, it is time then.
With senior dogs she's had, she'd indulge them with things they didn't normally have, such as canned food if they were on dry, or letting them have more of the special treats formerly given in moderation.
"Bandit just has special needs in his life right now that create more work for you and are less convenient. He's lucky to have you," she smiled,"But please be attentive to your own quality of life, too! If you aren't getting sleep or your house is getting damaged, that is not good for anyone."
She is right: If I'm stressed, he'll be unhappy, too.
I also spoke with Bandit's "Nana" with whom I lost touch a couple of years ago. She had Bandit's mother and a brother. She is also friends with all but two puppy-owners from the 6 born in that litter. A very big litter for a little dog--and sadly, Mr. B's mom was put down two years ago, she had been on anti-seizure meds and one day woke up dazed, confused and agitated. She was 15. Two others got dementia at 15 (last year) and were put down. Bandit's last surviving brother has poor vision, but he's going strong. So all things considered, given his family history, he is doing well. The vet says I could however expect Bandit's four happy things to reduce to two in the next few months. I believe I can live with that.
He has an appointment on Tuesday to make sure there isn't anything worse going on. For now, it is such a little thing! For all his larger than life spirit, condensed within this tiny little package and all he has brought and gladly given me in his pretty long life...How little it seems to just be here for him, to be the one who knows his every need and fill it, how lucky I am to still know. Right now, I still know.
I enjoy reading the stories people are sharing about their experiences and hope more of them come. Many thanks to all of you for helping a dog-mother-new with her old-little-dog. You have been a bigger help than you will ever know.
GinaG.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 20, 2012 at 4:37 pm
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Beachdee,
I agree with you: It is better to have loved. And in hearing the stories and getting support, I'm now focused on what matters in doggie-time: Right now. I feel fortunate to now know that Bandit's "right now" is being met and I'm savoring it.
I know some people cannot relate to pet-love, but it's because they never experienced the purity of love and spirit all animals have: They are pure joy. Most of us who have dogs tend to be nicer people for having been graced by the presence of such remarkable companions.
Believe me, Beachdee, I have no reluctance to express emotion, including grief: If I'm sad, I will without reservation embrace it and let my heart have it until its ready to make room for the healing and joy ready to replace it.
After telling my father I was going to the vet and possibly Bandit had to be put down, he said, "Forget it! There's no way YOU'D be able to do that!...Leave him alone, he looks fine to me!"
Dad, the cantankerous crank of all cranks who "doesn't like" dogs, fell in love quickly. I came home one night from work, found Dad at the table and a small saucer with a slice of pizza on it, lying on the floor.
"What is that?" I asked him, "What's that on the FLOOR?"
"What!...He likes the pepperoni!...I don't know why he won't eat it, I left it there for him."
"Well gee, Dad, maybe he's waiting for a knife and a fork!" I sassed, "You don't feed him that, he's a dog! He can't have that kind of salt and grease in his stomach, he'll get sick."
"Oh come on! Let him have it, he likes it!"
So Dad may have been, by all outward appearances, projecting my upcoming loss, but I have seen not a small piece of his hardened-heart stolen and softened by a little dog he pretended not to like...and Dad isn't ready to see his little friend go.
If it could happen that someone like Dad, the reigning anti-dog could be converted, well, that's proof right there:
No one is impervious to the magic the spirit of a dog will bring them.
I love your story.
Gina
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- Reply by ZenSojourner on January 20, 2012 at 5:34 pm
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Ditto, sounds like you have a very good, compassionate, sensible vet.
Hang in there.
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- Reply by cwcdesign on January 21, 2012 at 5:27 am
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Gina,
I second BeachDee's comment about your vet. That is definitely the kind of information you need now and it was the kind of discussion I had with ours at the beginning of Sammy's murmur. I found it really helped with enjoying our time with her and knowing what to watch for.
I, too, love your story about your Dad.
Just know that you have lots of support here.
Carol
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- Reply by dachshundlady on January 21, 2012 at 6:38 am
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Sounds like you are on the right track. As long as he is eating, is happy to be with you and not in pain you can enjoy him a bit longer. Sometimes it gets tough if they get incontinent. If it gets to be a regular thing my husband always says that the dog doesn't like to be dirty either. They have been clean all their life and don't want to mess in the house now. Our old girl came from a kennel (my son wanted a little, smooth red female dachshund; he started me down this road 15 years ago) and was already almost 2 and not house trained. She never fully did become trained, partly because she is dominant and would try to mark her territory. She was even alpha over our Dobermans. I can see her dominance is starting to slip. My Babe, who is 5 months, is starting to challenge her. It is sad to see. I can imagine this happening in wolf packs. So sad. But anyway, since she was never fully trained, having "accidents" in the house is not the litmus test for her. (Luckily we have hardwood floors) We will go by appetite and how decrepit she gets. She is pretty crippled now so we suspect this will be her year. But she sure has had a good run and I have no regrets.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 26, 2012 at 8:05 pm
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Hello, everyone!
We just got back from Bandit's office visit, he enjoyed all the praise and attention and his ride in Papa's truck.
I get the results of his labs tomorrow, she ran blood, stool and urine because she wants to see if there's a reason why he eats so great yet has lost two pounds. If it's a thyroid or glucose issue, we can improve his quality of life. Carol, I thought about you and your Pepper...hopefully he's just a scrawny old guy, but if he has diabetes or a thyroid issue, the vet says meds will improve his quality of life.
She said otherwise he looks good, his heart sounds great, his prostate is fine and she can tell he knows he's loved.
Love and good health is enough from Bandit, but I sure wish he brought his checkbook with him: $228.00 I should have made him ask for a "good-boy-discount."
GinaG.
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- Reply by buttercup on January 27, 2012 at 1:25 am
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GinaG we had to give Pepper injections twice a day for four years. At that time that was the only choice we had. I know they had a pill for controlling the blood sugar, but unfortunetly it was only for cats. Did the vet say what kind of medications they had or would you have to do the injections if sugar is the problem? Glad you were able to see the vet, I'm sure you feel a bit better. Keep us posted.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 27, 2012 at 4:48 am
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Buttercup,
I'm so sorry: I somehow got your Pepper mixed up with Carol's Sammy, I don't know why I did that. Both were such heart-breaking experiences.
She didn't touch on the subject of treatment details, just that having either diabetes or a hyperthyroid would mean he can be treated, which would improve his quality of life.
If she was skeptical that Bandit has a good appetite and he's a happy-eater, he made a believer out of her while the tech was feeding him treats. This reinforced her suspecting he has a thyroid issue or diabetes, because he really is food-enthused yet he's lost weight.
Mr. B is down from his life-long 6 (scrawny) lbs. to 4 skinny ones. That's a lot of weight from a dog who didn't have it to lose in the first place. Poor little guy.
Did Pepper have a big appetite and lose weight, too? Did you notice she had urinary frequency before the diabetes was under control?
She said she'll call with all the results "tomorrow" which is later today. I'm up late, it's 1:43 AM PST...I guess I'm a bit anxious tonight, but beauty sleep, I NEED, so off I go!
G'nite, see you in the morning!
Gina and Mr.B
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- Reply by buttercup on January 27, 2012 at 8:44 am
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You can call me Carol, but my name is Anita (lol). Pepper was over weight and we did notice a frequency in urination, in fact that's what made us bring her to the vet. She had to go all the time. Once she started her insulin she lost weight. I had to stay up until 2AM every night because she could not hold it till the morning. Now I STILL stay up until 2AM and it's been almost 5 years since she's been gone. I hope Bandit gets good news later today, keep us posted.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 27, 2012 at 1:05 pm
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The vet just called this morning...Good news and not so good news:
No diabetes, but he does have a pretty bad urinary tract infection, so he'll need antibiotics. That would explain his incontinence and frequency, so thank goodness THAT will be fixed!
She was surprised though, to see his thyroid is actually a little on the low side because of course that would make him fat, but we don't have a pudgey dog here. She's thinking the bladder infection is throwing off his chemistry, which can happen sometimes. She's going to recheck him and redo a thyroid test in 2-3 weeks, after he's been treated for the infection and I boost his calorie intake. Hopefully he'll put on a pound or so.
She wants me to feed him more, but he already eats a LOT and he stops when he's had enough. He also has a delicate tummy and introducing new things in more than treat amounts means it will come up AND out, so I asked if incorporating puppy food into his regular food will help, being it's higher in calories.
She said do that, and be lavish with treats.
We're hoping he puts on some weight in a few weeks. He has to go back after he completes his course of meds so she can check his thyroid again.
So thank goodness, Bandit doesn't have anything fatal; the bladder infection was caught before it turned into something worse and the rest of his blood values are normal.
I was of course joking about Bandit not bringing his checkbook with him, but I really do feel for those who can't afford vet care when something happens to their pet. I'm very lucky that everything Bandit needs right now can easily be had.
Gina
P.S. Buttercup, because I already switched your Pepper with Carol's Sammy, I promise not to change your name from Anita to Carol...if you'll promise not to call me Bandit! :) (LOL)
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- Reply by dachshundlady on January 27, 2012 at 2:00 pm
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That is good news indeed. Might explain his confusion. Elderly people very often get confused when they have an UTI. That happened to both my mom and my MIL.
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- Reply by ZenSojourner on February 04, 2012 at 7:03 pm
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Gina, he may just put on weight naturally once the infection is cleared up. It sounds like things are much improved for Bandit! An infection can really foul you up, I know every time my dad got sick when I was caring for him he would look like he had full blown dementia, and it would turn out to be a bladder infection. He became prone to them. I would have to ride the docs about that every single time it happened, too, they would just assume it was dementia.
I'm glad it's something a pill will help.
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- Reply by GinaG on February 09, 2012 at 10:39 pm
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Well Zen,
You may be onto something. He's always had a good appetite, but I must admit that some of his more recent weight loss may have been my fault:
The poor guy was getting more food ON him than IN him and any time he ate, I had to wash food from his face, beard, nose...I began feeling dread when he sauntered to his bowl. I cleaned that little face full of food debris for the last time thinking, "There's got to be a better way."
So now I don a disposable glove and hand feed the little monster. It takes all of five or so minutes twice a day to feed him bite size pieces I can be sure he's actually consuming and not just smashing his face into! He's already feeling heavier. I'm very impressed by how much he'll eat before turning his head away.
There have been ongoing improvements! Bandit really is coming around. Every day he gets a little better and I see more of his personality shining through. The incontinence is behind us--not the frequency-- but he's still on antibiotics for a couple more days and I expect he'll continue to improve. Do older dogs urinate more often?
Even though he still sleeps a lot, his inquisitive nature has returned and boy is it GOOD to see that! Bandit is showing a desire to be more involved in what's going on around him and checks in with me often if he strolls around the house. He's been getting steak, trout, salmon and his own supply of homemade chicken liver and gizzards, because the vet said to indulge him with foods normally off limits or given as a treat. he gets both his canned Iams and the rest. He enjoys the broth a lot, I figure it's good for him because it's full of fat. He needs it.
There was one strange incident the other night. He was scurrying on the kitchen floor as if he was trying to run from something--to no avail, because his feet kept slipping--and he emitted a few "fear" barks. I scooped him up and rocked him in my arms where he quieted in a minute. Panic attack? Kidney stone? A ghost? A heart attack???
Has anyone seen that happen?
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