Little Gifts

I watched the entire show ahhing at the puppies (it's my weakness) and cringing at Roger Ramvet's crap advice. The only useful thing he did show was the annual cost of owning a new dog. Hopefully the high figure will put off a few people whether it was accurate or not.

Happy Birthday Maxi! Mutta my girl Ricky is booked in for pts next Saturday as her time has come. She is 16.5 and the cancer growths in her joints are making it very difficult for her to walk now. I've been a bag of stress ever since I made the appointment and it is going to be a long awful week. Then the time after is going to be worse. She needs to go out with dignity, not be lying in her own poo. It still sucks and I know I just want to crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head already. It doesn't matter how long we have our fur babies for it never seems enough at the end. But my girl has only really deteriorated since last December so she's had a lot of great years. That's what I'll try to remember.

My neighbours directly across the street have always had the most feral group of chihuahuas, all interbreeding with each other. After 9 years of them running up and down the street attacking anything and everything, barking and snarling endlessly and causing my dogs to go spare I finally got jack of it last year when their behaviour caused a serious injury to my old dog which resulted in 2 leg wounds and 8 staples to close it. She could only have a local to have it fixed as well due to her advanced age. I spoke to the owners (who are lovely but from a non-English speaking background) and they just didn't get why I was so upset. So I rang the council. I told them all the incidents I could recall, including the numerous attacks on me when I was just getting out of my car and we are now down to only one chihuahua, one staffy and one furry cross breed, all behind a besser brick fence and steel gate. Also no more pregnancies/puppies. Every now and then there is an escape but it is a hell of a lot quieter in my street and I've noticed a lot more people walking their dogs up and down again. I can't believe no-one before me rang and complained about them. I waited so long because I chose to manage my dogs rather than create a problem with otherwise lovely neighbours. The wife still doesn't speak to me (and no xmas card last year!) because it means she can't just drive in and out of her yard without stopping to open and close the gate but the husband still says hello. So anyone who says a small dog can't cause havoc is full of it.

Another lovely tribute to an oldie. Go Abbey!

A beautiful, honest, heartfelt tribute for a wonderful girl! Bye Kassy!!!!!

Hugs to you Gayle. I kind of hope that's what will happen for me too.

Dollygirl you have had two very traumatic experiences and yes some people might say it is just a dog but to some of us dogs are a very special part of our lives. You need to grieve and be angry about what has happened and give the losses a place in your heart and your memories. Losing 2 dogs in the same way is simply a random tragedy. I've lived on acreage and in the suburbs and had snakes at both locations but have never lost a dog to one. My younger sister has had a cat and a dog bitten by snakes, also in the suburbs. Both survived. Who knows why? And it doesn't matter how long you have your dogs for - I have my old girl (almost 16 and a half) booked in to be pts on 29/1. It is her time. I have told everyone I don't want to talk about it because I want to enjoy the time we have left and not stress her out with my blubbering. Even after all these years with her I'm still not ready. 12 months or 12 years - it doesn't matter. We love them and they love us and there is never enough time together. Big hugs to you. Hopefully you will be able to open your heart up to another animal (even if it isn't a dog) sometime in the future.

My girl is booked in for her visit to the rainbow bridge on Sat 29/1. Her mobility has really gone downhill over the past 2 weeks. We have family flying in from all over the country for mum's b'day this weekend so the following weekend is the earliest I can do it and be a mess. Of course if she deteriorates significantly before then I will move it forward. Never thought I'd be planning ahead like this. Seems quite surreal. She will be a week short of 16 and a half.

Having an older staffy I started getting her fleecy coats in winter a couple of years back. Then I got another staffy pup and got her some winter gear as well. Then it all went downhill and the designs and colours got sillier. Then we moved on to hoodies (with pockets!) and pj's with legs and a raincoat similar to what RSG described - black with hot pink trim, t-shirts with bling on them, etc. Last xmas I bought a Christmas elf fairy dress (a girls dress) and put it on the younger one. She LOVED it! Wore it all day and was very sad when I took it off. She hates hats but loves things around her body even though she looks like a bloke in drag when she's frocked up! It is very addictive when you have a dog that likes to dress up!

Pauchel what brand is yours?

I'll be thinking of you and your girl Gayle. I am close to having to do that as well. My 16 and a half year old staffy had another turn the other day. Big hugs to you both. xxx

Bugger, I figured it got bumped altogether for the flood coverage. Didn't realise they'd put it on later.

Gwenneth the toileting probs relate to her dementia - not her old bladder. She's on vivitonin for the dementia. Plus she hates the rain and it has been raining non stop here since early December.

Meant to add I'm also in Beenleigh (like Troy) but have lost the backyard. It has been problematic for the last couple of weeks whenever the drainage gave up all the neighbours sludge has ended up in my back yard. Rest of the house is fine but I'm currently digging some more drains and sandbagging to keep the damage to a minimum.

Atua have you seen the other thread - there is someone desperate to move a horse to safer ground. Also been on Facebook.

Well I had a horribl, horrible night. I didn't even go to work today. I got my old girl peed on pretty much everything in the house last night as some kind of I know what you are thinking protest. We actually ran out of nappies and I spent the night cleaning behind her trying to remain patient. Anyway I sat with her and got her to sleep in the laundry last night and left my blankie with her thinking it had all our smells on it, but then the younger dog got upset she wasn't with us when we went to bed and started her up. Then she went back to sleep again. Ah yes it was all too easy. I woke at about 1am and she was very distressed so I raced in and peered over the door and she had literally torn the place up and peed on EVERYTHING. So I cleaned her up and fashioned a nappy and brought her back in with me. Of course the guilt was killing me and I lay there all night listening to her breathe thinking how distressed it still sounded, but she wouldn't let me touch her to calm her. She didn't get up to toilet again till 6.30 and by that stage I'd spent the night angry at myself thinking how terrible a doggy mother I was and thinking I'd almost killed my dog. So with no sleep and all the beating myself up I have been in a foul mood all day. I'm feeling a bit out of my depth with it all. The weather is not helping - it has been torrential rain all weekend with my backyard seeping silt under the back door again. We had to sandbag it before going to bed again. And my old girl hates going outside in the rain so of course her preference is to pee inside. I know it sounds selfish but floods permitting I have family travelling from two states for my mum's 80th in 2 weeks and no-one is going to be able to stay here with the place smelling of dog urine. So yep, all too much for me today! And thank you Rottifan for your messages. All our dogs are always massaged to keep things circulating (which may be why they all live so long) as we have a lot of family members (inc my sister who lives with me) involved in natural therapies and have used their services over the years when traditional vet treatment is not managing the issue. My vet also does homeopathic stuff now so I'm a great believer in trying more natural options.

Danielle I made a big decision today re my old girl and I hope I don't regret it or that it causes her to deteriorate more quickly than she would normally. Up until about 4 years ago my old girl (currently 16 years and 5 months) always used to sleep in the laundry at night. One very hot summer I brought all the dogs to sleep in my bedroom in the air cond and they have slept there ever since. My old girl drinks and pees a lot and that seems to have gotten worse after her recent turn. I reckon Thurs night she had me up 5 times to toilet and drink during my 8 hours of trying to sleep. Sleep is one thing I can't function at work without. I pretty much slept a full 24 hours from Friday night to catch up what I'd lost last week. So today, with a very heavy heart I made a decision. I went out and bought her a special bed and some waterproof mattress protectors for it and as of tonight she will be back sleeping in the laundry on the nights I have to work. I'll also put puppy training pads down so if she pees or poos in there it can be quickly cleaned up in the morning. And a night light for her so she can get used to her new surroundings with her poor vision (she still sees shadows). It means no more nappies for her at night which I think she'd prefer anyway (although I always take them off as soon as she goes in them and wipe her dry). The laundry has good circulation and is very large. It has two doors - one is right across from my bedroom doorway and the other is a half door so if she is too distressed I will be able to hear her. I'm going to sleep in there with her for a bit tonight to make sure she settles. I feel truly terrible and will feel even worse if she deteriorates because of it but I am not the nicest person to be around if I don't get my sleep so changing nappies and getting her on and off my bed throughout the night were not endearing her to me anyway and I don't want to lose my patience with her like that. I know she can't help it. She will still have nappies on while she is in the house at night before bed and on the days I don't work she can wear them and join us on the bed for a sleep in and cuddle. I have everything crossed that this isn't a bad decision for her.

That is the best news Puggerup!

Puggerup you are facing one of those things that all pet owners fear. You have to do what is right by yourself, your son and Ollie, however hard that is on you. That is what unconditional love is all about. I am sure that Ollie will go to a new forever home where he will be adored for all his little quirks. Dogs are very adaptable. Big hugs to you for making this very hard decision. Be sad for the loss but don't regret your decision. It seems to be the right one and you haven't made it lightly. Alyson xxx

Must go make up a sign and wander the streets.....the more people who know the better!

Incontinence in elderly dogs is almost to be expected I think. You can't expect everything to still be working perfectly when you're 112 in human terms. Sorry - didn't meant to imply there was a link. Was just showing the other side of it - damaged girly bits, later desex and old age nappy wearer versus younger desexed dog with bladder infections. It's tough being a girl.....

It's strange for me that this topic has come up. My young girl was speyed at 6 months. Unbeknownst to me she was still in season as a result of eating a whole packet of human contraceptive pills several weeks before. I knew about the pills but never knew about her still being in season or of course would not have booked her in. Anyway about a month after that she had a very bad bladder infection with an extremely high temp. She is now 3 and has had a bladder infection two more times since. All bar the first have resolved quickly without medication. I have always wondered whether the desexing has resulted in her now having a niggly bladder? All three times she has exhibited the same symptoms but there is nothing in her diet or environment that is any different. I have never been game to ask my vet given she ingested the pills under my care (she used to be one of those dogs who ate anything and everything - we are smarter now and she has matured a little). My rescue who is now over 16 started having a piddling problem when she got dementia early last year so it is a mix of an old bladder and not remembering her toilet training. She wears nappies at night now so we don't get wet carpet. She had one litter and was desexed at around 2 but her reproductive area had been very damaged by complications from a c-section with the litter when she was 1 (when I got her as a rescue) so she wouldn't have been able to have a further litter anyway.

When I first heard about this cat I thought things had gone too far but after watching that vet last night I am in awe of him and would work by his side (or in his bed) anyday! I think he is just one of those super intelligent but compassionate people who thinks outside the square without losing sight of the morality or ethics or whatever you want to call it of his profession and his patients. Just amazing stuff and I feel the sky is the limit for what he can perceive and make happen for some animals. He seems to genuinly love his patients and have their best interests at heart. Oh and I love how there was no direct to the camera dramatics a la Bondi Vet like "if I don't do this surgery immediately this dog is going to be in real trouble!" No shit Sherlock!

Hi Danielle, I started a thread about this only a couple of days ago as I am facing the same thing. I was at the vet this wednesday fully expecting to come home with a dog for burial but it is not quite her time yet. There are lots of DOLers in a similar position and there was lots of wonderful advice and support given to me. Big higs to you and your girl.

Ashka I am so sorry for your loss. An awful experience for you and Floyd. The senior nurse/manager from Beenleigh VH went to another surgery in town so I wonder if it is the one you liked from Anvet - her name is Rebecca and she calls a lot of people darl. Explains things very well, manages very well under crisis, very, very skilled. I was sad when she left BVH.