my dog is old and i feel very guilty

Tigger1

hi all i am a long time user but post very little. my supposed springer spaniel is now 13 years old and when i walked him tonight he could barely make it around our small estate. He was my baby for a long time but then trying for a human baby and not having any luck for 6 years our focus was shifted when baby no 1 came along, fast forward 3 year and baby no 3 is here.
i really miss the time i had to spend on him but all the old cliches come into force. REALLY noticed how old and broken he is tonight.

what can i do to ease this aging? vet reckons its just old age.

My neighbours have a near-20 year old dog and he can barely move. They took him to the vet and they were told he's in no pain so leave him be. He mostly stays in the garden, sometimes he'll "jump" off the kerb. So he's in no pain so they won't have him put down.

If you're dog is getting lazy and you've had him this long then put up with it. Laugh at how he won't chase things like he used to. Until he's actually put out (rather that you being put out) don't think about getting him put down.
Even then, he'd be a great way to get a new dog into the house, and those 3 kids could all enjoy the new dog.

Tigger1

thanks button, we also have a rescue bearded colie type dog (we think) who is the same age or older. but he is full of energy and still jumps 6ft fences(creates huge problems!!) our kids love all dogs to the extent we have to avoid dogs in the park as they are all over them looking for kisses. the kids that is. try to warn them about unfriendly dogs but they refuse to think dogs are dangerous. Cannot even think how they will cope when our doggies pass.. Feel so guilty that the dogs have not had as much time as before and that their old age has happened without me noticing

kylith

I know how you feel OP. Rani is around 15 now and what would have been a 15 minute walk a couple of years ago now takes her an hour, and she's a lot more unsteady on her feet. I miss our 3 hour hikes but I'm happy to amble along and let her smell the flowers while she can.

It's heartbreaking to watch them get old, but as long as they're in no pain that's the important thing.

Manach

Dogs getting older is part of the natural life cycle. Thus so long as they are given the same care and duties as they had in their prime then the proper duty is being shown.

DBB

Have you amended his diet to suit his age op? There are a few changes, additions and supplements you can use to help them both physically and mentally.

sparkle_23

My springer spaniel at home in Ireland is 13. He's nearly deaf and gone all old man like He will run after a ball if you throw it but he gets tired after a small walk. Breaks my heart. I'm living in Canada almost 2 years and I see him on skype and talk to him on the phone regularly :D:D I'm going home for 5 weeks at the end of July and I can't wait to see him.

It's so tough when they get old and I'm dreading the day when he gets sick or is in constant pain.

DoYouEvenLift

DBB wrote: »

Have you amended his diet to suit his age op? There are a few changes, additions and supplements you can use to help them both physically and mentally.

Can you share these and any other tips you might have?

Gael23

Its hard to watch especially when its a long, slow deterioration.
We lost a dog quite recently age 15 and this decline was for 3.5 years. His walks went from 4 mile treks to about a mile to a stretch around the block in the last few months, nevertheless he loved getting out to sniff at the flowers and so on however short it was. But we were able to control his problems with medication and he really enjoyed life up to a few days before he eventually died.
I would agree with other posters, that as long as his quality of life is good and he has no pain then theres no problem. We never majorly changed his diet apart from excluding a few things.

DBB

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

Can you share these and any other tips you might have?

Hi, sorry it took me a while to get around to answering you!
Okay, there are a number of ways that owners of ageing dogs can help them, and indeed if you catch the dog in the early stages of mental ageing, you can actually reverse the process so that the dog eventually succumbs to a different health problem some time later.
First things first, is to get the diet enriched with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, cell-repairing foods. Oily fish pretty much has it all, and I prefer to feed it in the original packaging, i.e. as a fish, not a tablet!
There's also a really good new-ish product on the market which ticks all the boxes, and ensures you're getting the balance just right. It's called Aktivait: http://www.vetplus.co.uk/aktivait/
I have my elderly spaniel x on it, and although it took a couple of weeks to kick in, I'm pretty happy with the new lease of life it's given her. She also gets oily fish a couple of times a week.
High-quality protein is important, and a good dry food aimed specifically at elderly dogs contains ingredients to help with the above, although owners should be sure that their elderly dog's teeth and weaker jaw muscles can make them struggle with dry foods, so it might be worth looking into good, high-quality soft foods, or opting for a fresh, home-cooked diet.

Now, it is important to bear in mind that the earlier you intervene in the dog's mental decline, the better the chance of this intervention working: the early signs of mental ageing can be very subtle: the dog starts doing things that he hasn't done before, is perhaps waking in the night but not necessarily needing to toilet, and may start to seem a little more anxious, clingy and worried about being alone. People who've owned their dog for years can usually spot subtle changes, but I would say to such owners: do not just put this down as "being old age", and don't let your vet do so either... more often than note, there is something you can do about it.
The vet can also prescribe medication for the elderly dog that increases cerebral blood flow, thus slowing down dementia. He can also prescribe medications to help with anxiety, although the owner can also try over-the-counter products like Adaptil (collar, spray or diffuser), Zylkene (a milk protein which helps reduce anxiety), Calmex (to increase serotonin uptake in the brain... helps reduce anxiety), also body wraps, and massage (Tellington Touch).

Physically, the same dietary intervention can help with aching joints, but no harm at all to talk to the vet about a long-term anti-inflammatory, painkilling medication (something along the lines of Cartrophen, with Metacam for bad days).

The owner can manipulate the environment to help the dog feel more secure by providing a cosy bed that it easy to get in and out of: for larger dogs, this may mean raising the level of the bed. It is really important, for older dogs who are getting a bit hesitant to move due to joint pain, to make sure there's a ready and easy-accessed water supply near all of their main rest areas. Dehydration can be a big problem in older dogs, a major contributor being the dog simply not being able to get to his water bowk too easily.
Re-train old skills, train some new skills. Do not go for one big long walk: divide the daily exercise into 2,3 or 4 short walks. This reduces pressure on ageing joints, but it also gives the dog more opportunities throughout the day to use their brain, socialise with you, other people, or other dogs (if that's what they're into), and just rootle about. Do things they enjoy, its great for their mental wellbeing, just as it is ours!
Feed them from interactive food toys such as stuffed Kongs (as long as they can manage them). Intersperse their day with bouts of lovely attention, gentle grooming, play and fun. All of the above things help to keep the brain active, which is really important to combat dementia, and used alongside the dietary intervention or Aktivait, can be really effective in prolonging your elderly dog's mental wellbeing, and ultimately, his life.
Some owners have also found that they can help their elderly dog deal with sensory loss. For example, a radio left playing at floor level "bounces" sound waves off furniture, tipping the visually impaired dog off that there's something there. Different scents of air freshener in different rooms can help the visually impaired dog find his way around by scent. Owners of deaf dogs can train their dog to respond to a light flash, or different hand signals instead or verbal cues.. some owners use vibrating collars to teach their deaf dog to check in with them (although some dogs hate the vibrating collar, so use with caution).
I know it's easy to put on the long finger, but I cannot emphasise how important yearly vet visits for blood-tests and urinalysis, and a good age-focussed check-up are. Indeed, the age-focussed check-up bit should really happen every 6 months, because like many things, once you catch them early, you stand a fighting chance of dealing with many age-related health problems, at least to the extent that you can prolong quality of life, welfare, and comfort.

I hope that's enough to be getting on with! These are other posters here who have come up with great ideas to keep their ageing dogs happy and mobile, hopefully they'll share with us again!

Tigger1

Thanks for all the responses, and special thanks to dbb for all the information.

Bought him a new bed at the weekend and he had a special dinner or two! He actually ate better than we did !!

the years have just slipped by so quickly and I had sort of forgotten that he is not going to be around for ever.

ihatewinter

If your dog suffers from arthritis, go out and buy an orthopedic bed. Best thing I ever did, really helps my old dog as she lie anyway she wants and helped stabilise her arthritis

Tigger1

ihatewinter wrote: »

If your dog suffers from arthritis, go out and buy an orthopedic bed. Best thing I ever did, really helps my old dog as she lie anyway she wants and helped stabilise her arthritis

thanks but the vet reckons he is in good health just old!

kathleen37

Tigger1 wrote: »

thanks but the vet reckons he is in good health just old!

That's good that the vet is happy with him. Yes, it is sad to see them get slower, but it's the same for all of us.

Just start decreasing his walk lengths if they are too much for him. It;s good he's getting exercise, but perhaps he just doesn't need as much as he once did.

Sounds like he has a lovely family!

Jen Pigs Fly

DBB wrote: »

There's also a really good new-ish product on the market which ticks all the boxes, and ensures you're getting the balance just right. It's called Aktivait: http://www.vetplus.co.uk/aktivait/
I have my elderly spaniel x on it, and although it took a couple of weeks to kick in, I'm pretty happy with the new lease of life it's given her. She also gets oily fish a couple of times a week.

Hey, just wondering if you could tell me where I could get the above product! aktivait? I feel my 13 year old lab X will benefit greatly from this product! She's still going great but I've noticed her eyes are getting worse and she's not as relaxed as normal.

Tigger1

Thanks Kathleen, he is loved "too much " by the younger members but seems to really enjoy the attention.

Big thanks to all who replied, just felt that human babies had taken over his attention. It happened so gradually that I got such a shock when he struggled.

Qualitymark

Tigger, we switched our old dog to food for older dogs (Eukanuba) and she really started thriving. It's higher in oils and lower in protein, and I *think* it has things like glucosamine in it.

Gentle walks and the usual petting in the evening and grooming make her really happy.

kylith

Rani is now no longer allowed on the sofa, much to her chagrin. She can get up with her booster cushion, but simply can't get down and won't let me lift her down. She seems to have lost a hell of a lot of strength in her hind legs and is now falling over a lot. I'll be bringing her to the vet on Saturday, I think, to see about getting her on certrephen.

She's on a fish based JWB food, gets Vetzyme Flexible Joint oil, and is on metacam. She's deteriorated a lot since Tegan died. I think she has no companion to keep her young now

Tigger1

Very sorry to drag up an old thread but I just wanted to update this thread and close it I suppose.

My poor dog started to vomit last week and while still eating was not keeping it down. Brought him to the vet and ran bloods, all OK but prescribed antibiotics for a tummy bug.

He stopped eating, and became very lethargic ( even allowing for his age) refused antibiotics and vomited up what we did manage to get into him.

Back to the vet on Thursday, on IV fluids and antibiotics. Vet ran different bloods and carried out a scan or x-ray ( I'm unsure which). Blood were perfect but the scan showed a mass of sort sort behind his liver. The vet could not feel this from external palpation.
She recommended surgery to see what was in there. If it was a simple mass she would remote and he would be able to eat again and recover.

We were very unsure what to do due to his age, but on the advise of our vet we went ahead.

Surgery happened on Fri and the news was very bad. Extensive tumours around on on his liver. She was very surprised by how well he had been up to last sat.

We were told that steroids might reduce the size and allow him some quality of life for a few weeks/ months. Brought him home Friday night and he seemed ok. Walked out of the vets and went out for a wee or two but deteriorated over night.

We made the decision early this morning to put him to rest. He refused to walk and was just very very sad.

Myself and husband were with him for the injection and it was very quick. Kids were with their grandparents and we buried poor Boz in the garden.

I'm devestated. My eldest child is devestated. My husband is devestated.
He went downhill so quick, it wasnt his arthritis that got him in the end.

I think he was very happy and he was definitely very loved in his last few years ( even if I was always giving out about finding hair EVERYWHERE!)

Please give your pet an extra cuddle tonight from us.

Fakediamond

Sorry for your loss, Tigger. So hard to lose an old friend and much loved family member. From reading the thread, it sounds like he had a lovely life with your family, with lots of TLC these past couple of years, when he really needed it.

Take care.

Broken Hearted Road

Tigger1 wrote: »

Very sorry to drag up an old thread but I just wanted to update this thread and close it I suppose.

My poor dog started to vomit last week and while still eating was not keeping it down. Brought him to the vet and ran bloods, all OK but prescribed antibiotics for a tummy bug.

He stopped eating, and became very lethargic ( even allowing for his age) refused antibiotics and vomited up what we did manage to get into him.

Back to the vet on Thursday, on IV fluids and antibiotics. Vet ran different bloods and carried out a scan or x-ray ( I'm unsure which). Blood were perfect but the scan showed a mass of sort sort behind his liver. The vet could not feel this from external palpation. <br />
She recommended surgery to see what was in there. If it was a simple mass she would remote and he would be able to eat again and recover.

We were very unsure what to do due to his age, but on the advise of our vet we went ahead.

Surgery happened on Fri and the news was very bad. Extensive tumours around on on his liver. She was very surprised by how well he had been up to last sat.

We were told that steroids might reduce the size and allow him some quality of life for a few weeks/ months. Brought him home Friday night and he seemed ok. Walked out of the vets and went out for a wee or two but deteriorated over night.

We made the decision early this morning to put him to rest. He refused to walk and was just very very sad.

Myself and husband were with him for the injection and it was very quick. Kids were with their grandparents and we buried poor Boz in the garden.

I'm devestated. My eldest child is devestated. My husband is devestated.

He went downhill so quick, it wasnt his arthritis that got him in the end.

I think he was very happy and he was definitely very loved in his last few years ( even if I was always giving out about finding hair EVERYWHERE!)<

Please give your pet an extra cuddle tonight from us.

I read the opening post here and I was ready to reply because I identified with it so much. My dog went downhill and heartbroken and riddled with guilt because I couldn't believe how fast the years went by and wished I was with her more.

I then read to the end and read your update. I'm so sorry for your loss.

JustAThought

Thats such a sad update - I'm so sorry for your loss. At least you know you did everything you could & he had a great life & love up to the very end. Rip.

careful_now

So sorry for your loss 😢

pilly

I'm so sorry for your loss. I was reading the beginning of the thread and was going to reply just enjoy every minute and spoil him rotten because my own Springer died just before Christmas.

I know how you feel, it's so hard but you know what's lovely and shines through on this thread. You loved him to bits and I'm sure he knew that.

kathleen37

I'm so sorry for your loss. Your Boz will always be with you...

Gael23

I have been in that position where there is absolutely nothing you can do and I know well how much it hurts. But always remember quality of life over quantity every time. Reading your post I honestly think you done the right thing. Steroids would hav only prolonged his suffering and if hats not fair on him, or you to watch it. We all know our own pets and can sense when they are too sick to enjoy life and I think you made the call just at the right time.

I know how raw things are just now and that sensation that your heart has been ripped out will take a bit of time to go but in time it will ease and you will be left with precious memories to cherish.

con___manx1

I had a springer for 14 years. She got very weak at the end her legs would go and started going toilet on herself when she couldnth get up. At that point I decided to have her put down. It was one of the hardest things I had to do in my life.
I got a new springer now he is 9 months old. They are a great breed of dog. My new one is a complete nutter ; )
my advise would keep your dog and cherish him until he gets too bad to go on.

Chuchote

I've a collie-lab coming up to 17, and she sounds like yours, OP. Her walks now are a few yards to the corner and back most days, and on good days about 50 metres.
The vet gives her a monthly anabolic steroid shot to keep down the inflammation from her arthritis, and we have a supply of veterinary painkillers for the times she needs them, though we seldom use them because they can be hard on the liver and kidneys and heart. On the vet's advice she also gets three squirts of a shaken bottle of Arthri-Aid, which is a veterinary version of the kind of glucosamine chondroitin that humans use. These are all definitely helping her.
I also switched her food some years back to a 'senior' version of the dried food she was on, which the vet had recommended.
I think it depends on the dog's quality of life. As far as I'm concerned, if she's happy and has the odd creaky romp and play, and still sees herself as part of the household watch, and sleeps comfortably on her folded-up duvets, she has a high enough quality of life; it's up to you as an individual and your own pet.

Gael23

Chuchote wrote: »

I've a collie-lab coming up to 17, and she sounds like yours, OP. Her walks now are a few yards to the corner and back most days, and on good days about 50 metres.
The vet gives her a monthly anabolic steroid shot to keep down the inflammation from her arthritis, and we have a supply of veterinary painkillers for the times she needs them, though we seldom use them because they can be hard on the liver and kidneys and heart. On the vet's advice she also gets three squirts of a shaken bottle of Arthri-Aid, which is a veterinary version of the kind of glucosamine chondroitin that humans use. These are all definitely helping her.
I also switched her food some years back to a 'senior' version of the dried food she was on, which the vet had recommended.
I think it depends on the dog's quality of life. As far as I'm concerned, if she's happy and has the odd creaky romp and play, and still sees herself as part of the household watch, and sleeps comfortably on her folded-up duvets, she has a high enough quality of life; it's up to you as an individual and your own pet.

Our walks were like that in the last few months but he still loved getting out and taking in all the scents of the flowers etc even if it was a 10 mopinute leisurely stroll where he was actually slowing me down.
To me it sounds like her quality of life is as good as it can possibly be and she still enjoys life so you keep up what your doing for as long as that's the case. Ours was the very same as you describe. He would sit in places where he could watch everything and slept wherever we were, usually at your feet. He loved his food too right up to the last 3 days. In fact it was only when he stopped eating we knew how sick he was. That was Tuesday afternoon and he died the Thursday night.

Tigger1

Thank you for all the kind words, it is still hard to believe that he is gone. Life goes on as such, just keep seeing him laying on the mat or in his bed. Hold the door open a tad longer than necessary when our other dog is out to do his business and then realise Boz is not here anymore.
My eldest is having a hard time coming to terms with the loss but much better than last week.