[arycrest]

Do you ever get depressed when you know your senior is failing despite doing your best to help them.

Logically I know you can't fight old age.

I know that some health/physical problems can show improvement, while with others issues you just do your best and still have to watch them going down hill, losing the battle.

Ringer's not responding to his medications and therapy like he was earlier. Last week he showed some improvement after his Bowen Massage, but not like the improvement was months earlier. In fact last week I was thinking he might be able to celebrate his 13th birthday next month ... this week I'm not sure.

He's having a lot of problems getting up, he wobbles like a drunken sailor all the time. He had his therapy Wednesday, has shown a little improvement in getting up and walking. He has another appointment next week.

Today he didn't eat all his breakfast. When a Hooligan doesn't eat with gusto they're not feeling well, they're sick. I held his bowl and he nibbled at it. I added 1/2 can more of the meat (EVO 95% beef) and mixed it in and he ate most of it. I gave him 1/4 can more by itself and he ate it. But it's not like my Ringer Dinger to pick at his meals. Since he ate I don't feel a trip to the vet is necessary except maybe to get a case of a/d which he loves more than the EVO - hopefully it will make meal time more to his taste.

I got depressed earlier this week when little Asher lost his battle with spondylosis, he didn't even get to celebrate his 9 month birthday, it wasn't fair. So yes, I know I'm lucky to have three seniors fighting and losing to old age problems. But it still hurts watching them slowly fading away, not being able to protect them, not knowing how much longer I'll be able to spend with any of them.

I love this SENIOR forum, it's so nice to be able to come to a special place for the old guys, where people understand what I'm whining about. Thanks for listening.

 

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

I'm sorry that Ringer is not responding-and am really hopeful that he is just having a downswing before an upswing. I do know that you are doing everything that could be done for him!

I was just freaking out to myself last night looking at Kramer because he looks so different. It's almost like having had two different dogs, and I try-for him and me-to make sure that the old Kramer gets to come out every day before this new one takes a nap or stumbles or gets startled by my hand or voice. Hope you don't mind adding a whine from me.

I've never had a senior, would not know what to do without this section!

 

[Elaine]

Owning a senior is like being on a rollercoaster of emotion. They have good days and bad days and they can make you crazy worrying over them. I love having seniors though as I can't get over how special they are and I can appreciate them on a day by day basis.

 

[middleofnowhere]

The eldest just turned 13. She's wobbly in her hind quarters and takes expensive heart meds. The eyes are still there, the joy at visiting the horse is still there, the joy at greeting an old friend was still there when we went up to Denver. (I rented a car in part because the dogs would be uncomfortable these days in the cab of the truck for that long a drive.) I don't see the wobbly dog when I look at her. I see the "speeding bullet dog" the "frisbee fool dog" the "horse maniac" dog. I remember her awesome recall at a fun match. I remember how my "perfect long sit" dog downed at that same fun match to calm me (and blow the match).

What can I say? Look at what you have and not what you don't. It's easier on you.

Right now I'm getting an odor signal that says I should move her outside for a bit so off I go...

 

[LJsMom]

A year ago I had three seniors, now I have one. I feel your pain.

 

[ILGHAUS]

Gayle, so sorry to hear that Ringer is going through a bad spell. I'm praying he perks up so that you may have some more time to cherish him.

Hugs and warm thoughts coming your way.

 

[BowWowMeow]

It is tough to allow them to age. They seem to handle it a lot better than we do.

I go through this every week with Chama. She rarely has really good days any more. Just ok days and bad days. I keep trying new supplements, herbs, etc. with her but so far no miracles.

Yesterday she was limping a lot but today she is ok. Some days she can barely make it up and down the stairs to bed but still works hard at it because she knows she'll get a treat once she gets up there.

She still plays a bit with Rafi, loves her food and treats, loves walks, even when she can barely make it around the block and loves seeing people that she knows.

 

[GSDTrain]

I am so sorry to hear about Ringer. I will keep in my thoughts

 

[TMarie]

I am so sorry Gayle. {{hugs}} to you and Ringer.

Seniors are so very special. It is so difficult to watch them age. I know, I have been there, I am there.
We miss Princess so very much. In four days from now, we would of been celebrating her 12th Birthday. Sad, that she passed away right after her 11th. We always made a huge deal with her birthdays, and use to have all the dogs sit around the child care table with cupcakes. All the dogs get something special on Birthdays, but Princess, well hers were always that extra something. Ken and I are having a difficult time remembering that now.

Jake isn't doing so well. He has lost so much muscle mass in his back legs, and becoming very wobbly. He will be 10 next month, and that seems so young to me. He does have good days, but since last year, he has aged so much, it breaks our heart to watch.
We are just taking one day at a time, and enjoying each day that we can, and focus on what we have now, and not what tomorrow will bring.

Enjoy Ringer, make every day a special day, Make every day count.

{{hugs}}

 

[3K9Mom]

Oh Gayle. Oh Ringer.

I know. And I'm sorry that he's not doing well.

I've been there before (just over a year ago) and I know how terribly hard it is. Right now, I know that my little senior's age and life expectancy are on a collision course, and I panic when I think about it.

Our seniors have given us so much. And every day they stumble or hurt, we hurt because we can't fix things for them. When they were young, they were hungry, so we fed them. They were squirrelly, so we exercised them. They had crusty ears, so we changed their food. Even when they had weird ailments, most of the time, we could fix those, or at least, manage them fine.

But as Ruth says, Zamboni enjoys rubs and being held; she's still competitive when we have training sessions with Camper and gets into sits and downs first (and therefore gets her snack first). We bought her a trailer/stroller; when she gets tired on her walks, she hops into her trailer, and Camper is happy to pull her around the neighborhood. This is my beagle that used to go on backpacking trips, 12-miles each day. We'd arrive at our site exhausted. As we were setting up camp, she'd be off chasing squirrels, as though she never hiked that day at all. So yes, things have changed. Her ACL surgeries weakened her hind end, and she's arthritic. But she still enjoys her life a lot.

Her vision is deteriorating; her hearing is significantly reduced. But she has a strong devoted GSD service dog that she relies on to tell her when to bark and when Mom is calling. That beagle nose tells her when dinner is ready all on its own.

I know that Ringer loves his humans and his Hooligan pack, and enjoys every day thoroughly. Yes, adjustments have had to be made, but he probably hasn't noticed them too much. If he's like my dogs, he is handling his seniorhood MUCH better than his humans do.

We worry about the future. (And I, for one, am brilliant when it comes to obsessing about what can go wrong in the future!) Our dogs live in the present. And while we're worrying about tomorrow, they're appreciating today.

As Tammy said, enjoy Today with Ringer. It's easier than it sounds. But Today is all we really have anyhow....for ALL our furry kids, the young ones as well as the seniors.

Try not to worry too much about tomorrow. Let tomorrow take care of itself.

 

[Skye'sMom]

I am so sorry to hear about Ringer's battles with his health. I have a 14 1/2 year old mix. She has been on liver supplements for almost 3 years and has extensive arthritis.

Some days she looks and acts as if she will live forever and others I wonder how she gets up. I watch her and celebrate the good days when she is happy and hearty.

I also went through what you are when my late Seiko was in her declining months. It is so difficult when they seem to be no longer responding.

I guess we can only know we are doing the best we can for them and try to prepare ourselves for the day when they will no longer be running with the pack.

My heart goes out to you during this difficult time. It would be easier if we didn't love our dogs so much - and if they weren't so darn much a part of our lives. But our world would be a darker place if we didn't know them during the too short time they are with us.

 

[debbiebrown]

Gayle,
i totally know what your going through........my toby is 12 1/2 he was such a drivey dog his whole life. i see him failing with his spondylosis and it makes me sick. i get down alot thinking about it. in fact i don't even walk him on the road anymore because i can hear his back foot with his boot scuffing more and more. not that it bothers him, but it bothers me. so we stay on soft surfaces, so i don't have to hear it, because its a reminder.
the thing is they alot of times don't realize whats going on.

we all have to somehow come to terms with it, because they all get there. all we can do is guide them through it and love each moment with them, and try not to think about what tomorrow brings.

debbie

 

[arycrest]

Originally Posted By: JeanKBBMMMAAN...
Hope you don't mind adding a whine from me.
...

Whine away!!!

That's what this thread's for!!!

 

[arycrest]

I want to thank everyone for listening to my whine and sharing your experiences, thoughts, and tips, it really helps.

Ringer seemed to perk up this afternoon. He agreed to eat the last bite of my chicken salad sandwich and shared some Cheetos with me at lunch time. When we went outside he was more active than this AM, was more steady on his feet when he was walking around.

 

[GSD10]

Originally Posted By: ArycrestDo you ever get depressed when you know your senior is failing despite doing your best to help them.

Logically I know you can't fight old age.

I know that some health/physical problems can show improvement, while with others issues you just do your best and still have to watch them going down hill, losing the battle.

Gayle, I could not have said it better myself. I completely understand what you are feeling.

I am sad to hear that your Ringer-Dinger is not doing well. Although, the afternoon update seems more promising...but that's just it, one minute they are down then the next there is some improvement. It's just all too much sometimes isn't it?

The changes I have seen in Mas in the last 2 years have been down right devastating at times. I have done the bargining thing, denial and sometimes I am at acceptance stage. The foolish senior himself however has no clue and will often keep on going until I have to put away his toys

...cause Momma knows best Mas!

Thinking of you & Ringer & all the dear seniors on this board

 

[KAKZooKpr]

Oh boy. Good thoughts for you & Ringer!

Kristina

 

[3K9Mom]

Originally Posted By: Arycrest

Originally Posted By: JeanKBBMMMAAN...
Hope you don't mind adding a whine from me.
...

Whine away!!!

That's what this thread's for!!!

Really? I thought it was for....

Originally Posted By: Arycrest He agreed to eat the last bite of my chicken salad sandwich and shared some Cheetos with me at lunch time.

...discussing all the wonderful food items that our seniors have us convinced we should be letting them eat. The things we NEVER (well, hardly ever) let them eat when they were kids.

In other words, this thread is here to show us how thoroughly wrapped around their toes we -- experienced dog owners each of us -- really are!

Cheetos and chicken salad! You go Ringer!

Today, we drove through Arbys. Zamboni and Camper ate a bit of roast beef.

Zamboni snacked on curly fries as well. Fries coated in ketchup (she doesn't like naked fries). Camper looked at me like "what's up with that? Why don't *I* get fries?"

Seniors. They live the good life!

 

[BowWowMeow]

Since we're on the food for seniors topic now...

Chama LOVES the mail carrier. Any mail carrier will do really because she had a special relationship with one when she was young and ever since then she regards them with great fondness. It just so happens that there is a woman named Mary whose route is a few blocks over from here. She LOVES dogs and she carries a treats with her. We usually cross paths with Mary once or twice a week on our morning walk. When Chama sees her (or her truck) she runs--and I mean runs--up the treat. When she gets near Mary she starts to yodel and jump up and down. Mary then proceeds to feed her treats. If she is in her truck then Chama climbs in and tries to eat the treats right out of the bag.

It's the only junk food she gets and it always makes her morning.

 

[Qyn]

I'm nearly fifty years old and I'm having good and bad days too! I think that when our more elderly dogs have a bad day it feels (and sometimes is) more significant and, yes, I've got depressed about what may be - both when it was with my old dog and now with myself. But I let myself feel sad for a moment then I deal with the current problem.

Aging is part of living and it is better than the alternative as far as we know. My partner is nearly 73 years young but his appetite has also decreased over the last year but then again he is not as active (nor as mobile) as he was, so it is not unexpected that he does not need the same calorific intake.

Quality is of major importance and that does not need to be hastily judged without obvious uncontrollable discomfort or disinterest.

Ringer is lucky to have such an aware and loving caregiver. Please give him and you a hug from me as you both deserve it.

 

[3K9Mom]

Gayle, how is Ringer feeling today?