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Do you have a senior-citizen dog?

Dalis

Dalis

Jose Cuervo is NOT a good friend
Joined
May 6, 2011
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21,594
I think a senior citizen dog is as much work as a puppy. Of course I wouldn't know because all of our dogs have been rescue dogs.

Kramer just turned 15! Yep, he is a fox terrier wired haired, and I think we are on borrowed time. We are still feeling the loss of Lulu in our house, so I am a bit scared of what will happen if Kramer goes any time soon.

At the same time, he is now even a bigger shadow to me than he was ever. I keep tripping over him.
 
My dog is 10, which is considered a senior, plus he's had a major health scare (kidney failure). I constantly feel like we're on borrowed time. He did get his thyroid checked earlier in the summer and he now takes thyroid meds twice a day and it's made some nice changes in his activity level. Still a huge grump, though.
 
I love grumpy babies. Mine has the patience of a toddler.
 
I don't anymore, but I did. Our dog Cooper was 14 when we had to put him down. He wasn't hugely high maintenance in his old age, although he did have some issues that required frequent visits to the vet.
 
So sorry for your loss tori.
 
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I spent several months doing what was essentially hospice care for our senior dog, Leo, who passed away last year. I loved him so much and was glad to do it, but I will say it was incredibly exhausting physically and emotionally. *sigh* Still miss him every day.

So, yes, you're right...definitely a huge amount of work!
 
Laura,
I was doing just that for 2 dogs, this year. I have to say that we can't go anywhere because we have to be home to take him to pee every 2-3 hrs, it's exhausting. I love him to pieces but it brakes my heart to see him deteriorate so fast.
 
Thanks Dalis. It's been about a year and a half since he died. He had to spend a year with my in-laws because the house we were renting didn't allow pets... I'm so thankful that we (and my boys) were able to spend that last year with him.
 
toriloowho said:
Thanks Dalis. It's been about a year and a half since he died. He had to spend a year with my in-laws because the house we were renting didn't allow pets... I'm so thankful that we (and my boys) were able to spend that last year with him.
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I am sure he probably loved that he had you guys back.
 
I'm sure anyone who knows me, knows about my sweet doggies. I scrap a ton of pages about them b/c my kids are grown and honestly, my dogs are more fun to photograph LOL (inserts snicker here). They are easy to bribe to pose (a dog cookie) and don't whine or grumble (much) about having a camera in their face LOL. Unfortunately a few yrs ago we lost my sweet Euker whom I had for 17 yrs. I've just started scrapping again about him this yr b/c I needed to put his photos away for awhile to adjust to the loss. But my retriever, Sandy, gets her photo taken almost on a daily basis LOL. She is very well trained and will sit down when asked or if I raise my pointer finger. In public, people always ooh and ah about her following that command so well :) I cherish every day with her b/c she is 13 which is old for a retriever. Her arthritis is getting worse every day and she is having a lot of trouble getting around. We give her glucosamine and aspirin every day. She is such a happy, loving girl and stays by my side constantly. When I go to do a photo shoot, run errands, go to they gym, etc she usually comes with me and waits in the car. Every day I know could be her last but I try to make the most of this time I have and not dwell on the future without her.
 
I have two pugs, one is a senior. He has been battling liver disease for a couple years now. We almost had to say goodbye before we started him on a home cooked diet. I try to baby him because I know every day with him is a blessing but I feel so guilty because I work full time and have a toddler. I try to make evening time pug snuggle time after my LO is in bed but I still bad because I can't focus all my time and energy on "my first baby"
 
bcgal00 said:
I'm sure anyone who knows me, knows about my sweet doggies. I scrap a ton of pages about them b/c my kids are grown and honestly, my dogs are more fun to photograph LOL (inserts snicker here). They are easy to bribe to pose (a dog cookie) and don't whine or grumble (much) about having a camera in their face LOL. Unfortunately a few yrs ago we lost my sweet Euker whom I had for 17 yrs. I've just started scrapping again about him this yr b/c I needed to put his photos away for awhile to adjust to the loss. But my retriever, Sandy, gets her photo taken almost on a daily basis LOL. She is very well trained and will sit down when asked or if I raise my pointer finger. In public, people always ooh and ah about her following that command so well :) I cherish every day with her b/c she is 13 which is old for a retriever. Her arthritis is getting worse every day and she is having a lot of trouble getting around. We give her glucosamine and aspirin every day. She is such a happy, loving girl and stays by my side constantly. When I go to do a photo shoot, run errands, go to they gym, etc she usually comes with me and waits in the car. Every day I know could be her last but I try to make the most of this time I have and not dwell on the future without her.
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Rae, that is what Kramer has arthritis, other than that he is perfect health.

AmaG said:
I have two pugs, one is a senior. He has been battling liver disease for a couple years now. We almost had to say goodbye before we started him on a home cooked diet. I try to baby him because I know every day with him is a blessing but I feel so guilty because I work full time and have a toddler. I try to make evening time pug snuggle time after my LO is in bed but I still bad because I can't focus all my time and energy on "my first baby"
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Oh goodness, what do you make for your fur baby as food. I remember having to do baked sweet potatoes and poached chicken for our cockapoo Buffy.
 
Dalis - her arthritis is bad enough that it bugs her off and on all day/night so she looks to me about a million times a day and gives me "this look" and I know that means, could I pls rub her hips and legs for her. I rub her, talk softly to her and she lays her head down, lets out a deep sigh and then drifts off to sleep. She sleeps about 2/3 of the time now. But....she is a happy girl and when awake still wants to go for car rides, short walks and snuggle. I had to stop in the middle of typing this b/c she gave me "that look" so she got a 2 minute rub and them I'm back here to finish up typing :)
 
Yes, Kramer is sleeping a lot more. Poor thing can't go up or down stairs any more. We went for a small walk today because he was begging at the door, I ended up carrying him back.
 
Oh Dalis...doesn't that just break your heart? Sandy can walk for short distances but only for about 5-10 minutes and then her legs start to give out more and more and I have to be so careful to keep her close to the car or home b/c I cannot pick up a 90 lb retriever. She enjoyed her car ride today and instead of getting up on the back seat she just lay on the floor and watched me as I drove. I could put my non-holding the wheel hand down beside the seat and rub her. Then she came home, had a cookie and is napping again. Our next adventure will be in about an hour when we get back in the car and go to the bank LOL
 
We make steamed vegetables, masked potato and sweet potato and tilapia fish. I swear it's miracle food.
 
My dog is 10 so I guess he's kind of a senior. He has arthritis in one hip (the doctors think it's because he had a green stick fracture in that leg as a puppy) but still gets around pretty good. My oldest cat is 17 almost 18 and sleeps pretty much all the time nowadays. I don't think he hears well because he'll stand in the kitchen and meow at the top of his lungs every couple of days until one of us pets him. He's a sweet thing...
 
No. I do not have senior dogs. I will never have senior dogs. They will always be young and energetic and healthy and with us forever.

Seriously, I'm already preparing for the breakdown I will have when my girls get older ...
 
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