Rozzie Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 It looks like another of our oldies will be saying goodbye to us soon. She has started to go off her food. Whereas before she would finish the dishful, now a couple of mouthfuls does her. She is still getting around, toiletting, etc. She is sleeping lots and just wanting to be petted. Since the others have passed in their sleep, what do I do with her? I know that sometimes we have to make the decision for them, but I don't know if I'll know with her.... sound confused? I am. Terrible as it is, I go to bed hoping that she has one final long sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadia Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 How long has she been disinterested in her dinner? Is she still drinking? What is her overal body condition like? I f it has only been a couple of days and her condition is good maybe see how she goes? If she can ill afford to lose any condition and and she is not staying hydrated etc, you may need to think abouther options. How old is she Rozzie? Could the heat be just making her feel a bit off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozzie Posted January 12, 2005 Author Share Posted January 12, 2005 She's 16. Has that old dog 'thin in the hips' look but has been like that since she came here a year ago. It hasn't been terribly hot and she is sleeping in a cool part of the house (tiled floor) on her bed. She is still drinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divine Angel Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Oh Rozzie, not another one! Many blessings to you and the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BubbleGirl Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 I'm praying it's just the heat Rozzie, you don't deserve to loose another so soon Love Riles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trifecta Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Rozzie, I know you won't appreciate me saying it, but how lucky you are that your previous oldies have gone in their sleep! It 's something I always wish for. My old long-haired GSD became less interested in food, & finally gave up eating, could not pass faeces & just lay in the laundry. The final morning she did not lift her head when I entered the room, & I could not push her haunches up so that she could stand. She had quite simply given up. She did not want to live. My neighbour helped me lift her into my car & I drove straight to the vet. He put her to sleep in the back of my car, where she lay. She did not even raise her head when the hair was clipped back to expose the vein. When the needle was inserted she closed her eyes. This was a dog that wanted to die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowanbree Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 It is a very difficult time but I always try to ask myself if I was that dog would I want to be here. Does she have quality in life or am I keeping her because it is too hard for me to do it. I think you do know when the time comes and in the meantime as long as she isn't suffering there is no great rush. I must say you are very lucky, I have never had one of my oldies go in their sleep, I have had to make that phone call every time. Not eating isn't good in an oldie but one thing you could consider doing is giving her some prednisone. It is not recommended for normal dogs but in the oldies where you have nothing to lose it can create miracles and is very inexpensive especially in the littlies. I am currently giving it to two dogs, one in kidney failure and the other with terminal cancer and it has given them their quality of life back. Not a practise I would recommend for normal dogs but when the alternative is PTS, why not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 (edited) It's hard trying to figure out the signs. I've got a belief that you don't wait until you have to put an elderly dog 'out of its misery'....I want to find the right time to help it to heaven BEFORE it experiences misery. Quality of life is the whole point. Easier said than done, tho'. Hard to tell if eating just a few mouthfuls is the result of the heat. Our elderly cat a couple of weeks back began a pattern of eating just a few mouthfuls....& I thought Ah, she's fading. Now she's back eating normally. Thinking of you.... Edited January 13, 2005 by mita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozzie Posted January 13, 2005 Author Share Posted January 13, 2005 Thanks for all your thoughts and ideas. I will ring the vet about prednisone when they open this morning. She is still following us around and doing all but eat. Handfeeding her little bits often. Poor Lucy is terribly confused (apart from the confusion when you are 17) and tries to get Blinky to play their old lady game, but Blink just can't be bothered. I know how lucky we have been with the other oldies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jemappelle Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 Hi Rozzie My old girl was having renal problems which affected her gums (they bled terribly), which then affected her appetitite. A course of clavulox and some prednisone worked wonders and gave her back her quality of life for just that bit longer. Good luck with her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy's mum Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 My old Lucy had 3 good months on prednisone when she was dying with her throat tumour. Restored her appetite and gave her GOOD quality of life - she was running around wagging her tail on the day she was PTS (tumour had got too big for her to put her head down to go to sleep/couldn't breathe when she did). So although people damn the prednisone, it has its uses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozzie Posted January 16, 2005 Author Share Posted January 16, 2005 Blinky had a feed of fillet steak and prawns (and a bit of help from some tablets from the vet for entree) She ate most of her dinner last night too. Fingers crossed she keeps it up. She is still quite active, in her stiff legged way, despite the lack of food recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jemappelle Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 That's great news. Fingers crossed she keeps it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMonaro Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 Our old dog has just turned 14. Occassionally he goes off his food and I think this is it, the time has come. Then the next feed, he eats it all. Sometimes he misses a couple. Sometimes in the mornings he doesnt stir when I go outside and I have to poke him to see if hes alive. Hes stiff getting up, sometimes hes not. We tried to bring him inside last winter, but he fretted being away from the other dogs so I bought him a jacket (which he loved) and he slept outside. He still chases the ball - can't really see it that well and cant run as fast as the labbies do, but still gets excited about it. This morning he still filled one of the labradors in for walking past him and looking at his feed bowl. This is the only worry. They do get in his face a fair bit as he is the top dog, but lately he tells them off more often, just to let them know hes still the boss. Sadly I think they are slowly realising he is old and they are younger and stronger. Anyway, I really don't panic too much now when he misses a meal. If he went more than a few days, then I would!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozzie Posted January 18, 2005 Author Share Posted January 18, 2005 Blinky is bossing someone around now... I can hear them. She looks much brighter today. Maybe it was just a passing 'thing'. Still sleeping lots more than usual and hasn't been on a 'garden stroll' (aka accompanying the poo patrol) for over a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteLight Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 Rozzie, Hope she just had a grumpy day. Glad the tablets are working. As long as she has quality of life I would not worry about the Prednozine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozzie Posted January 21, 2005 Author Share Posted January 21, 2005 She's getting things she likes too... not all necessarily great for her but really, at her age, she deserves to be spoilt. (And I don't mean things that are dangerous.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy's mum Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 I do not regret to say that Lucy lived on sausages, BBQ chicken, casserole and whatever took her fancy in the last few months of her life (admittedly the vet told us she had weeks only). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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