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Old age and how do you cope?


Daisys Mum
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Hi everyone :)

My Kelpie will be 13 in 4 weeks ... although she is still her normal crazy self, I have noticed literally overnight that she is looking her age.

She used to be able to get up on my bed but now she can’t get up on my bed anymore, so I have stopped her from doing that but I miss my girl being with me on my bed... she is 19 kg so too heavy for me to lift her.

I tried training her to walk up the steps I have here for my CAV but she doesn’t want to know.

I am not ready for her to be old and frail :(  How does everyone cope with the knowledge that their loved one is on limited time? It’s making me sad and worried.

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1 hour ago, Dogsfevr said:

How do I cope I embrace the fact there old and enjoy each day,month and year .

Times to short to worry and miss out on a new stage of There life 

Yes your right.... I am blessed to have the time I do have with her, I need to remember that dogs live in the moment and so I make sure I spend a lot of time with her.

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It is very hard. Lulu got old before I knew it, I always thought I’d have more time to play fetch with her, then by the time I realised we were running out of time she couldn’t play fetch anymore. :( I didn’t realise that the last time we played fetch would be THE last time :( 

 

Enjoy the time you have and treat every opportunity to play and have fun with her as if it’s the last time. 

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Best advice I can give is "go with the flow" ... when they want to play, play, and when they're sleeping peacefully .. admire them (and envy them).   It's a bit hard when you have a younger dog who has been used to playing made Border Collie games with the older one.   Hard to explain that the older one really doesn't want to play today.

 

At the same time, keep teaching the old one new things within his/her capability.   And there are quite a lot of useful exercise and massage techniques which can help keep the senior active and comfortable.

 

Thinking of the getting up on the bed thing ... if she's not already on joint supplements I would put her on them, and make sure she's not in pain.   My old BC agility girl was showing signs from 13 or so of early stage kidney disease, but as well as RoseHip Canine Vital, she had a kidney sparing herbal arthritis pain relief powder from our holistic vet which helped to keep her apparently comfortable till her death from lymphoma at 15 and a quarter.

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I have always been extra cuddly with Sasha as she is the oldest and we have a very close bond.. last night she wanted up on my bed so my housemate picked her up and put her on my bed and for a few minutes , I just laid next to her and buried my nose in her fur... it was one of many special moments we have shared over the years :) 

I have had her on Sasha’s blend for a few years and last year when she pulled a muscle in her neck she was given Carprofen tablets which I give her one if she needs it.

Its her birthday on 28th March so I plan on spoiling her a bit lol.

Meant to add... she still demands her daily walk even if it’s pouring with rain haha it’s just a 10 minute walk around the block.

Edited by ♦ Marg ♦
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Scout will be 12 on the 17th of this month.  He has slowed down, sleeps a lot more - but will still awaken at his feeding times [his demanding internal timer lol] and wait as I get his food ready.  He still has his lively times and plays with my younger boy...he will race around the house playing four legs and bouncing here, there and everywhere [but then sleeps it off].  He is really grey of muzzle now with just a T shape of black from his eyebrows to nose [black faced, red Boxer].  Can see in his back legs, they're not as supportive as they once were - when he stands for longer than 2 minutes in one spot, his back end starts sagging towards the ground [down in the pasterns as I call it].  But he has always had a bit of a dicky back leg from an old injury when he was a pup.

Every time I go past him, I always kiss his old head [he doesn't wake up when I do this, so not disturbing him].  If his eyes are open, then he gets a kiss and a hug - quite often he just lays on the couch watching all that goes on.  Always take time out to sit with him and give him bum rubs or just rub his back.  If he's doing forward rolls on the couch he gets belly rubs lol.  I just enjoy each day I have him. 

He still can jump up on my bed [sometimes if he's feeling stiff he needs a hand up] and still enjoys his cuddles and snoozing with me [I don't even mind he prefers to have his butt pointed in my direction and lets off the odd obnoxious effluvium :laugh:].

But ol Scout is looking his age, my brother does notice it more than I do, as he only visits once or twice a year [he lives interstate].

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I tried a box and she wouldn’t have a bar of it :laugh: i even tried to encourage her with treats but no she didn’t want to try. 

Its ok though.. she has a really nice thick matteress on the floor that she likes sleeping on.

 

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You probably know this but some vets can offer a course of injections for arthritis which is quite successful in some dogs.  May be better than the tabs.

Unfortunately my old girl had an adverse reaction to the injections as she has a lot of allergies and so now just has to put up with her arthritis. 

She is beside me at the moment snoring away.  When I hear that I know she needs an antihistamine tab. 

She has a special diet, meds morning and night...I know what is coming and I still dread that day.   She is in her 16th year and I love her to bits.

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28 minutes ago, Stitch said:

You probably know this but some vets can offer a course of injections for arthritis which is quite successful in some dogs.  May be better than the tabs.

Unfortunately my old girl had an adverse reaction to the injections as she has a lot of allergies and so now just has to put up with her arthritis. 

She is beside me at the moment snoring away.  When I hear that I know she needs an antihistamine tab. 

She has a special diet, meds morning and night...I know what is coming and I still dread that day.   She is in her 16th year and I love her to bits.

Orla (now gone to god :cry:) had these and the relief was almost immediate. 

 

Mezza has just finished .... and made not a jot of difference.     But, of course, knowing they were available, I had to try.  

 

So, yes: can be different result for different dogs.   

 

 

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On 3/1/2018 at 10:51 AM, Rebanne said:

re the stairs to get on the bed, maybe try a largish box if you have space. Sasha can then step onto the box then onto the bed rather then climb. :heart:

I bought a children's slide at a garage sale, we removed the ladder-part, covered it with carpet and screwed on pieces of square dowel as foot-grippers, We rolled and stuck that no-slip mat around the stand-thing at the bottom, it works a treat.

Ok, so I carried it out to the veranda and took some photos to show what I mean :)

5aa993082de15_Pennysladder2.png.1a1460836a274a5ab2aa317e7cd1e29c.png  5aa9931e3e1ec_Pennysladder3.png.c81ffa78bd19ddca2489db1100b6d2c8.png     5aa993303bf5a_Pennysladder1.png.1d64e2ff7d7b3890466b153705338689.png

Edited by Boronia
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On 08/03/2018 at 10:01 AM, Dame Danny's Darling said:

Orla (now gone to god :cry:) had these and the relief was almost immediate. 

 

Mezza has just finished .... and made not a jot of difference.     But, of course, knowing they were available, I had to try.  

 

So, yes: can be different result for different dogs.   

 

 

I have a Vet appointment for her in early May to do a repeat of blood screening so will ask about injections while I’m there.

 

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On 15/03/2018 at 8:11 AM, Boronia said:

I bought a children's slide at a garage sale, we removed the ladder-part, covered it with carpet and screwed on pieces of square dowel as foot-grippers, We rolled and stuck that no-slip mat around the stand-thing at the bottom, it works a treat.

Ok, so I carried it out to the veranda and took some photos to show what I mean :)     

That is brilliant.  :thumbsup::thumbsup:

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