I hate seeing my dog get old.

[trumad]

He's a Pekingese ...about 14 years old and he's going a bit kooky. Breaks my heart to see him break down before my very eyes. Just this last week he stopped walking up the stairs. Just won't do it. Sits there and whines at the foot of the stairs to get someone to carry him up.

We let him outside to do his business and he just starts walking who knows where.

Sad.

[MuseRider]

1. Oh man

that is just the hardest thing. I'm sorry. It is so sad.

[yeoman6987]

26. Yep. That circle of life kinda sucks. But enjoy today.

You are not guaranteed tomorrow. Hopefully you have tons of time left with your dog.

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. Jessie was the puppy MrG always wanted, and she was my connection

to him. As she aged, I begged her to be miracle dog and live as long as I did. She, of course, did not. It hurt to see her age, and she waited until I was away from home to drift away from me. I swear she did that on purpose.

It's the crap part of pet ownership, tru, and I'm sorry you're dealing.

[frogmarch]

3. So sorry, trumad.

I have a 13 year old little Boston terrier named Abby who has been blind for several years because of cataracts (she has severe glaucoma too, so our vet said that cataract surgery wouldn't be a good deal for her) plus a few weeks ago she started going deaf, and now she only hears loud noises. She has some arthritis too. Still, she is constantly on the go in the house and around our fenced yard and loves to play with her toys and with our 8 year old poodle Ty. I can't stand the thought of losing either of them and seeing them getting old (like me) breaks my heart. I hope your doggy is happy too, despite everything. I carry Abby outside and back in because she can't do stairs. She'd try if I let her, and then fall and get hurt.

Best wishes to you and your sweet little Pekingese.

[Texasgal]

12. I have a 14 year old Boston Terrier

that is having the same issues.

He's old, blind and deaf but he loves to snuggle with me under the blankets. It breaks my heart too. I will let him go when the time is right, he seems content for now.

*hugs*

[Samantha]

37. Oh, my goodness, this is exactly what I am going through with Cheyenne

Adopted her when she was ten weeks old. She has been truly amazing to live with -- just a little black cock-a-poo who could run like the wind. She could jump fences and did so when she wanted to go see one of her human friends. She is now 13 and a half and has the same problems your dog has. Sometimes she sits by the door to go out, and once I take her out, she has forgotten why she wanted out.

I don't mean to detract from frogmarch's feelings, but I just want to say when things get difficult, I remind myself of all the joy and happiness Cheyenne has given me these last years. I think that is the only thing that is helping me get through this and perhaps it will help you and frogmarch to try this. Just when you are ready to break down and cry, instead think of some hilarious trick your precious dog did that made you laugh like crazy.

Sam

[shenmue]

4. Dr. Tinycat recommends extra hugs and cuddles

My Keisha, who went to Heaven in 2013, used to do that too. When she got near the end of her days, we put puppy pads and old towels on the floor. We just made sure she was comfortable.

[femmocrat]

5. It's very difficult.

My two oldest dogs can barely get around now. But they are still cheerful and love to eat and be with us. If only they could be with us longer.

[MoonRiver]

6. Our baby went through all that at 16 1/2.

I even had her in diapers at the end. She died in my arms at home. Those last days are a very precious memory to me. I feel blessed to have been her caretaker from 10 weeks to her crossing the rainbow bridge.

[pnwmom]

7. Our old dog spent Christmas dying. Our vet had missed all the obvious signs

of cancer, so he didn't get the pain medicines he needed.

We were flattened by his death, and knowing how he had suffered.

Wishing you and your pooch well.

[tammywammy]

8. I was with a friend today while she made the decision to put her husky to sleep.

The dog had an autoimmune disease, and she knew that eventually it would happen. But yesterday she started vomiting everything including water. She took her to the vet and I met her up there. Today was the day.

[CTyankee]

14. ONe of my saddest days was when I had to put my little dog to sleep...

I knew it was the end, and keeping her alive was awful for her and only served my needs, but I was the person in charge an needed to have her mercifully euthanized.

My husband buried her near our house. We moved a few years later and I have no idea of what has happened...took me a long time to get over it...no more pets for me...

[tammywammy]

19. I've had to put the outside stray cats to sleep.

And I lost it. I have three cats myself, so I'll be a basket case for a few days when my (avatar) baby passes on.

I'm glad I was there for my friend. It was the right decision of course, but it's still sad. I'm just glad I was there for my friend and to say my own goodbye to the best dog I've ever known.

[CTyankee]

23. I just can't take another go around...it was too much for me...

I know what you felt, dear friend...

[tammywammy]

25. When my grandmother died, my grandpa was given a little toy poodle

That was a sweet little dog that loved my grandpa. She died after 8 years or so, and he said he couldn't take loosing another pet.

So I understand the not wanting a pet knowing the headache that comes at the end.

[roody]

40. Life is too boring without my beloved

pets. I have a cemetery with 2 dogs and 4 cats. Got 3 dogs in the house now keeping me safe and happy.

[CTyankee]

42. I can relate to that. So many people have made their peace with the mortality of pets

issue. But I have a partially disabled husband who needs me so that must take precedence...

[roody]

65. Dogs are so much work. I did not intend

to have 3.

[Ohio Dem]

9. Yeah, that's a rough one.

That is the only drawback with pets. Sorry dude.

[GummyBearz]

10. Poor thing

We had a weiner dog make it to about that age. It lost sight in one eye and wouldn't turn left. It would get stuck in a corner of the room and couldn't get out because it couldn't turn the right way... was really sad

Being an in door dog just was too hard. I would get home from work and find it stuck in a corner for who knows how long... it had to be put down

[riderinthestorm]

11. My 55 lb fifteen yr old Shepherd cross won't go down the stairs...

Last edited Sat Sep 12, 2015, 08:02 PM - Edit history (1)

Her dementia is such she stands at the top of the stairs and barks like mad until someone appears. Only then will she come down.

It's actually very distressing but I did get a rueful laugh reading about your Peke who won't go up...

I take my laughs as I can these days...it's very hard to tamp down the heartache knowing we've entered the end years...



Edited to add, have you had her examined for any physical issues in her hind end? The "jump" required to go up stairs may be too painful for your Peke. They've got amazing long term painkillers out such as Previcox that might help your old one navigate the stairs again pain free.

[Samantha]

38. Funny Thing

Please see my post above about Cheyenne. She barks when she wants to get up on the bed. She wants me to pick her up and place her on the bed. However, she gets down in the middle of the night when I am asleep to use her papers, get some food or a drink of water, and she gets back up on the bed all by herself. She is playing me at times because she recognizes she can milk these difficult times for all the attention she wants (and she has always wanted a lot) and so she does....

Sam

[Gidney N Cloyd]

13. My old lab's hanging in there but the stair thing weighed heavily while house shopping last year.

I looked at a couple nice two story places but imagined how I'd feel when the day came my buddy didn't have it in him to follow me up to the bedroom. I went with a ranch.

[GreatGazoo]

43. Before my 2 labs, I had a Boxer and he developed neuropathy at the end

I carried him (75lbs) up and down the stairs for the last months of his life. Now I have 2 Lab / Great Dane mix that are close to 100 lbs each. Just thinking about how I would help them in a similar situation so I too, would like to have a ranch home.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

50. My previous lab lost use of his hind legs to a tumor that we had removed...

For several months post-op while he recovered* I carried him outside to do his business (and just to let him roll around in the grass being a dog). My knees would make that pretty tough these days.

(Only a brief recovery, unfortunately, as the cancer came back.)

[Electric Monk]

15. I would like to see my dog get old. He was recently diagnosed with cancer, at age 6.

http://www.caninelymphoma.com/canine-lymphoma-life-expectancy/

[DirkGently]

17. Oh no. So sorry to hear that.

We lost one dog to cancer and have recently treated another. He seems to be doing much better, but it's hard knowing there's only so much you can do to help.

[mythology]

24. This

As heart breaking as it is to have to make the decision to put an elderly pet to sleep (and it is), it beats the crap out of your pet dying young.

But if you have them a month, or 15 years, they always pass sooner than we would like. And yet they make that pain worth it with the unconditional love they give and how they enrich our lives.

[irisblue]

34. I am so sorry

I understand how that hurts.

[CrawlingChaos]

68. Oh, I'm so sorry

(((Electric Monk)))

That is a tough, tough break... only six years old

Hopefully his young age will work in his favor and get him through treatments that will result in the longest possible period of good health. Still, it's so hard to go through.

[Warpy]

16. I was going through this last year with a 21 year old cat

She'd been senile for a couple of years, waking up in the living room and crying because she didn't know where she was. When she finally went downhill, it was pretty fast.

Our furry family members just don't live long enough. Their bodies just break down too soon.

[magical thyme]

18. I'm so sorry....

I watch my boys get older, and it just makes me sad. Jake will be 11 soon. Just a couple times in the last year, he's had a moment where he got confused. Fortunately, it hasn't lasted more than a moment or two and then I call him and get hold of him and he snaps out of it.

But I can see what's coming...

[mcar]

20. Went through it with our two cats

It is soooo hard trumad.

Now we've got two dogs so I know we'll go through it again.

Take comfort in knowing you've given your pet a great life!

[smirkymonkey]

21. I'm so sorry! I think it's the saddest thing in the world that man & woman's best friend

has such a short life compared to theirs. I wish they could live out their entire life with us. They break our hearts when they leave us. But they bring us such joy when they are with us. Try to hold on to that!

[irisblue]

22. Princess Peanut is 14

last September, she had a well circumscribed mast cell tumor removed from her chest. I found the lump b/c she could still get up on the couch for tummy rubs; she can't this year. It's hard for me to get up from the floor, it's also very important for both of us to cuddle, so ways are found to make it work. This is the only bad part of living with her, and the cats.
(trumad)

[gwheezie]

30. I adopted a terminally dog from the pound

I took her thinking I'd love her and give her the best week of her life and then put her down. She wasn't even up for adoption since the shelter determined her cancer was advanced. She was going to be put down there. But in back of her sad eyes there was a dog that wanted to be happy again, so I took her home with me. Stella was a huge mastiff/pitbull cross.
My vet examined her and said we could try removing the mast cell tumor so I said go ahead. She lived 6 more years. Once she felt good agsin it turned out she was s big funny goofball who loved life.Good luck to your baby.

[TeamPooka]

27. Our life cycles are different and the pain of loss can be made up by saving/rescueing/loving so many

more little furry ones as possible during our lives.

[zappaman]

28. I was just thinking the same thing today.,.

My lab is about 13 and I can tell things are going south.

All I can do is love her.

[X_Digger]

29. Our 12 year old doxie is getting cataracts. She can make it down stairs, but I have to carry her up.

It seems like yesterday that she would get all four feet off the ground catching a bouncing ball.

[madaboutharry]

31. I know how it feels.

My dog, a Boston Terrier, is now 12 years old going on a 110. He is really aging fast. He now is on medication for his liver. He stopped jumping up on the bed a while ago. My vet thought he has maybe two more years. I just can't imagine what it will be like when he is gone. I love him so much.

I hope the best for your dog. I'm sure he knows how you love him.

[Gothmog]

32. It is tough watching a member of the family get old

[hunter]

33. Quite a few of my dogs have been better people than I've ever been.

Maybe that's why dogs don't have to live so long before they move on.

This explanation works for the baby marine mammal eating killer whales, just like humans they live a long time, but not for vegan giant tortoises and elephants.

What did giant tortoises and elephants ever do wrong?

[fadedrose]

45. If there is a God

these are the ones who are close to His heart and are only here on loan, not permanent gifts.

I'm an agnostic, but that's the only way I could explain it.

[glinda]

35. Vetri DMG

by Vetri Science. My old Springer has doggy dementia and since taking this is more with it. Also some good quality Fish oil and home made Turmeric paste (start small and look up how to make it) for inflammation. My old guy may not have real real long. All masses lumps and bumps and just got off Clavimox for a huge lung infection or pneumonia or something. Still coughs but is better overall. It is hard.....

[Nye Bevan]

36. My 6-year old dog has heart disease and will live at most another couple of years.

Haven't told the kids yet. Giving him medicine to try to keep him with us as long as possible. It's very sad.

[SheilaT]

39. Okay, everyone.

It's very hard to let your wonderful companions go, but often that is the kindest thing. I have too often seen humans in extreme denial about how much their animals are really suffering.

Yes, they have shorter life spans than we do, and that's unfortunate. On the up side, it means that over time we can enjoy any number of these wonderful companions.

And I have been through letting my wonderful friends go. The one I feel the worst about was the one that the vet and I did not realize was so very ill, and she wound up dying alone, and probably in great pain. The others went seamlessly, and painlessly, and that was much better.

[Sunlei]

41. I love old dogs. Yes, it does break your heart but they love when you help them adjust to old age.

It's a lot of work for a 'low-rider' breed to climb stairs, perhaps he has a back problem or arthritis and would benefit from a daily medicine. Or carry him up, sounds like he's asking for the help

I've found that my older dogs always seem to benefit when a new dog is added to your family. The elderly 'wandering' you describe decreases when a second dog is there.

Most people wait until one dog is gone, but consider a puppy now & that pup will learn a lot from your older dog. The pup will take away the sad feelings you have today & smooth the grief when it's his time to 'go'.

[fadedrose]

44. I know what you are going thru

Our Ginger is a beagle, a little overweight, can't get on the bed anymore, or the couch, except for her two front paws. We lift her back legs to get her up there.

She was a rescue dog who was presented to us as one year old when I called about her. The vet said that from her stained teeth that she was about 3. My son's had her for about 7-8 years.

Hip dyspepsia (sp) is what they call it. But we keep her happy. There are a lot of us in this boat, but losing the dog is much worse than caring for it, so keep up the lifting.

Once they are gone, they are gone.

I'm using omega 3-6-9 and glucosomine in her food (which I cook special - lean chicken, fresh vegetables (carrots, celery, lettuce, green pepper) dipped in hot water and chopped in the blender. And a quarter cup of oatmeal. Vet saw my food and she said to "go for it." I put a people capsule/softgel in her food every morning. She loves her food and it keeps her from gaining. Beagles are notorious for gaining weight.

Enough about my love, stay with it. As long as your dog can wag his tail and smile, he's doing his best to please you.

Oh, our dog walks like John Wayne would on all fours....

Love and luck

[mopinko]

46. it's the only bad thing about dogs.

i have a pair of rat terrier sisters. they are 12 now, and starting to get a little grey in the face. one has been dx'd as having mast cell tumors. we removed the ones she had, and so far they havent come back. the worst part, tho, is that her sister has the same collection of lipomas and skin tags. have to suspect that at some point she will also sport a couple of those tumors.

it has been a trip having these little "twins". never seen a closer pair of dogs, and i rarely have one at a time. they clean each others eyes and ears, lay together in a pile. they cant help barking together. recently they started howling like coyotes when i am not around and something gets them riled up. where that came from i will never know.

i hate, hate, hate the pall of age on a dog. that constant weighing of how much longer, how bad will it get, when will it be time, will i keep my nerve and do what's right.
but this time i have the extra burden of knowing that one will lose her sister.

sad it is indeed.
sad as hell.

hang in there.

[dsc]

47. that was Hershey in his last year or so of his life

it does break your heart.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

48. Imagine how he feels watching you grow old.

I hate seeing my dog get old.

Imagine how he feels watching you grow old.

[trumad]

49. Yeah but I can still climb stairs...barely.

[azmom]

51. My beagle is 15 now. I know what you

Are feeling.

[cilla4progress]

52. Special place in heaven for human parents of old dogs!

I have a 13 year old lab mix and a 17 year old Border Collie. They don't know their limits and always want to try to join us on hikes and rides. Hard to leave them behind. We have found the one thing they can do is hike the mountain behind our house with us. It's steepness causes the bipeds to go slowly, with the quadroueds can keep up. Heading out there now!

[razorman]

53. A bit of advice: Don't skimp on painkillers.

We lost our dog, Annie, a couple of years ago. She was almost 15. Shortly before she passed, she had a minor accident and the vet gave her some prescription painkillers. For a few days, she seemed to feel good, and acted like a puppy again. If I had known then what I know now, I would have taken her to the vet long before to help ease her pain.
Now, I am not saying to overdo it, or dose him yourself. But, at that age, I am sure your dog must have arthritis and be in a lot of pain that he cannot express. So, it might be a good idea to take him to your vet and ask his/her opinion about this. Some carefully supervised pain management might be in order. Good luck.

[Ex Lurker]

55. Listen to this man

I lost my 16 year old Lab two weeks ago. If there's one thing I could do differently, it would be to start the medication sooner. I was reluctant to give her Rimadyl because of the known side effects. which can be significant and sometimes fatal. Well, at the point they start needing it, it's worth the risk. If a dog shows any sign of pain at all, they're in a LOT of pain. Don't "save it for when it gets bad." If your dog lets you know he's hurting, it's already bad enough to start medicating, as much as needed to make him comfortable.

[razorman]

57. Thanks for the moral support. We all know the dangers of painkillers.

I feared that someone might think that I was being irresponsible in recommending having an ailing dog medicated, even though I stressed that it should be done under supervision. But, you are right. By the time your dog's pain is obvious, it is pretty bad. As far as worrying about addiction or something, my view is that it makes little difference in the long run. It is not as if the dog has to operate heavy machinery. It only has to be a dog. Like you, I regret that I did not do anything more about her pain earlier. It will not happen again. Our Annie suffered needlessly because of me. I will always feel bad about that.

[razorman]

58. I forgot to add, my condolences on your loss.

Our Annie was a lab/boxer mix. Sweet-natured animals.

[Ex Lurker]

61. Thanks. It's very tough, as you well know NT

[Ernesto]

54. After 2 years of mourning the death of my buddy, Ben the 4th.........

I got me a NEW friend! He's now a 10 month old standard poodle and named Benjamin Dover the 5th (after Ben the 4th). He's just getting past puppy-hood (and driving me crazy).
As Elvin Bishop put it: "Sure feels good feeling good again"

[Arugula Latte]

56. I've lost many kitties over the years, including my 19.5 year old baby girl.

The only thing that consoles me, the only thing, is that I then know I can help another kitty get a good home. There is endless need out there.

[fizzgig]

66. that's what got me through losing my fat cat in march

she left a gaping hole in my heart, but also a space in there for someone who needed it.

[Arugula Latte]

72. ...

[LWolf]

59. Yes.

I lost my dog 9 months ago.

I'm not over it yet.

I'm 55. I've had many dogs. I'll probably have at least one more at some point.

I grieve for them when they've gone, and feel their loss, just like the 2-legged people in my life. The most recent dog? She was different. She wasn't a family dog, but a working dog, and she was bonded so closely to me that she wouldn't, even from puppyhood, go further than about 10 feet from me to play with someone else. She liked other people. She liked their attention if I wasn't around. But she was really a one-person dog. My dog.

My dog...dogs...have so much to teach humanity about faithfulness and unconditional love.

[ChazII]

60. Trumad, our Daisy died two weeks

ago. She had heart issues these last two years ago. Two weeks ago her heart gave out while at her vet's. She is now at Rainbow Bridge. Sending good thoughts your way. We had our Daisy for 17 years and she was a Basenji mix we rescued from a shelter.

[trumad]

63. Sorry to hear that Chaz.

[JCMach1]

62. One of the coolest dogs I ever had was Boots, adopted after his owner passed away

fit right in from day one... he was about 12 when he came to us... very chill Dachshund and Some long hair mix... Built like a Dachshund, but long hair and colored like a Colley ...

He loved hanging out... little dude used to ride in one of the old style baby seats on my bicycle... even belted him in... he loved it!

[a kennedy]

64. The last wiener dog we had....Just broke our heart because she didn't know what to do anywhere......

We'd walk her, and she'd go down the 3 steps and sit down. She would walk into the grass , pee, and sit down. Then she'd just stare into space, kinda wobble, and just stare, for at least 20 minutes. We'd take her back into the house and she'd she would just lay down. Not play with her toys, eat any of the treats, or cuddle. Just so different then the last 12 years we had with her. She would just stare off into space and wander around, then settle for a place and sleep for hours, when she used to be playing with her toys, or us. Just so sad we don't have her now. 😭😭😭

[LeftOfWest]

67. Paws around you all trumad.

get it. hate getting it but do get it.

watching our 14 year old shepherd every minute of the day now, good one bad ones.

sad heartbreaking.

again, paws around you and all yours trumad.

[CrawlingChaos]

69. I feel for you trumad

It truly is the hardest thing. Hopefully he's still got some good years in him. The little ones live longer and a little bit of canine senility isn't uncommon past a certain age. Hell, I'm going a bit kooky myself and I'm not that old.

You have these precious days with him now and I'm sure you cherish every one. Hopefully you still have many wonderful memories yet to make with him.

[bklyncowgirl]

70. Owner of a 14 or so year old Border Collie? here. It is heartbreaking

Ours has trouble with steps as well. Vet says he has arthritis and may have a slipped disk. His hind legs shake.

Glucosamine Chondroiten helps. We'll probably get him some pain killers as well--though our budget of course is minimal.

He sleeps a lot. Sometimes he's so still that I look to make sure he's still breathing.

We have a ramp--a sort of handicapped ramp for dogs--to help the old boy get in our pickup truck. Got it for 25 bucks at a thrift store.

Mind you old Bucky has had a good life. We owe it to him to give him as good a quality of life as possible. I'm sure your dog has enjoyed many good years too. At least picking up a Pekinese is easier than hoisting a 50+ pound mutt with a bad back and very definite ideas of his doggy dignity.

[ProfessorGAC]

71. I Know The Feeling Tru

My last doggie started wheezing due to congestive heart failure. He was really miserable. We had to put him down which was really hard.

At least the vet knew us well enough to just let us go home and come back later to pay. I needed to get the hell out of there.