Claire
Master Chef
So very sorry for your loss. In the past 5 years I've had to put two geriatric doggies down, and many tears were shed. Well, on occasion, tears are still shed.
Senior Dog's Diet?
- Thread starter Chef Munky
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Chef Munky
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Thank you all for the kind words. That little girl certainly had many friends that loved her dearly. You guys fed her well. Whoever put up the 40 clove crock pot chicken recipe. Thank you. She loved that! Our butcher offered a spot on his land for her final resting place. As he put it she's always welcome here.
It was rough on all of us watching her go. The longest 6 hours of my life! We were told after the first seizure she was gone. Felt nothing. We were hoping that when she went that it would happen in her own home. It was. She was in her bed listening to all the guys talk about cigars. Enjoying the smell of them.
When it happened, we tried like hell to keep her calm. It took all 3 of them to move her around keep her safe as possible while we watched the clock to get her in to the emergency vet.
Were thankful that we had her and her sweet unconditional love for 15 years. She might have been an abused shelter dog when we adopted her. With love from all of us, you never would have known that to meet her.
Were having her cremated, picked out the same box that we did for our Shepard. The girls ashes will be spread in their special spot. They loved that particular flower bed. Especially Hannah. Those were her flowers.
Thank you all again for all your extremely helpful advice. This is who you all helped. Thought you might like to see.
My new couch. Promise NOT to eat this one Heh, She looks like she was contemplating something wicked.
Psyched you out! Didn't I Mom?!
Quick kiss from her brother. They knew I was making them dinner.
Enjoying the view of her flower bed.
It was rough on all of us watching her go. The longest 6 hours of my life! We were told after the first seizure she was gone. Felt nothing. We were hoping that when she went that it would happen in her own home. It was. She was in her bed listening to all the guys talk about cigars. Enjoying the smell of them.
When it happened, we tried like hell to keep her calm. It took all 3 of them to move her around keep her safe as possible while we watched the clock to get her in to the emergency vet.
Were thankful that we had her and her sweet unconditional love for 15 years. She might have been an abused shelter dog when we adopted her. With love from all of us, you never would have known that to meet her.
Were having her cremated, picked out the same box that we did for our Shepard. The girls ashes will be spread in their special spot. They loved that particular flower bed. Especially Hannah. Those were her flowers.
Thank you all again for all your extremely helpful advice. This is who you all helped. Thought you might like to see.
My new couch. Promise NOT to eat this one Heh, She looks like she was contemplating something wicked.
Psyched you out! Didn't I Mom?!
Quick kiss from her brother. They knew I was making them dinner.
Enjoying the view of her flower bed.
Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
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What a sweetness. Thanks for the pics and update, Munky. Glad Hannah got gourmet meals for her last days, so happy she had you!
Thanks for the pics, Munky! A special dog.
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
I'm faced with the decision to bring a dog in to the vet and letting her go. I made the decision for the last two to go naturally--but this one is having problems breathing--she was treated for hw. I am not happy about this--the heat is hard on her.And I don't know if I can do another "natural" death. It is time--but her time is not today--she could get through the summer and I am willing to take her there...but her breathing drives me crazy.
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
Yup--hw is heartworm. She came up as an 'unadoptable' rescue from North Carolina in 2004, treated in 2003. She's about 12, which is old for a Saint.
Dawgluver
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Is she in pain? Can she move around, go outside? Sometimes it comes down to quality of life. Poor baby, it's always a hard decision.
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
She moves around, she eats, goes outside. The problem is that she can hardly breathe when the weather is hot. I have had to make this call many times. Her QoL is still good--she doesn't go for walks, obviously, but she does come out to the farm and she really would like to catch one of the chickens
.
Dawgluver
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CWS4322 said:She moves around, she eats, goes outside. The problem is that she can hardly breathe when the weather is hot. I have had to make this call many times. Her QoL is still good--she doesn't go for walks, obviously, but she does come out to the farm and she really would like to catch one of the chickens
Lots of folks are on oxygen. Wonder if there's something similar for dogs. Or maybe an equivalent med for canine COPD/asthma inhaler? Hmm. Maybe a bronchodialator. Just thinking out loud.
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CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
There are bronchodialators used with dogs. I have sent an email to my friend, the vet, and will give her a call if I don't hear from her before Saturday (when the temps go up again). I probably have to load the gal in the car and make the 2.5 hour trip from the farm, but I can do that Friday. I'm loading the dogs and going to the other house in the City anyway, so I can leave the other dogs there while I continue on.
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
I haven't heard back from my friend (and Isabelle's vet) yet. She (Isabelle) is not having nearly as much trouble breathing since the humidity and heat broke. I have a cool mat dog bed--thought I'd set that up for tomorrow. The weekend is supposed to be hot. And, I'll be kicking on the a/c. For my sr dogs with mobility issues, winter was always a worry--we built a ramp, covered the deck with straw, and so many things for them to get them to the summer. This one is the reverse--it is the heat that is an issue--and no, shaving her is not the answer. I won't go into why that doesn't really make a difference. She is a light-coated "smruffy" Saint (not really a smooth coat, not really a rough coat).
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Chef Munky
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CW,
Would a Nebulizer help her at all? Nebulizer compressor system - OptionHome - Respironics - OutpatientMD - Nebulizer compressor system - OptionHome
We, well I should say I. Bought a Guinea pig, ($26.00) she was all cute and such. Can't take me to PetCo either... Anyways, she developed pneumonia. We took her to an Avian Vet.. We were told that they usually don't live through something like that. But we had to try. Asked the Vet to do what she could. A few days with the Vet a $1.000.00 + bill later. She got over it. Outlived all the rest. I think she was like 5 maybe 6 years old.
Her home treatment she had to have her antibiotic shots and be placed in a box for her Nebulization treatment twice a day for 30 minutes. All we had to do was measure out the meds and let the steam do it's thing.
It really did help her with her breathing, weezing. I paid well over $150.00 for that piece of equipment. It was used to boot. You can find them online cheaper.
Maybe your vet could prescribe a liquid inhaler for her. If you have a crate, probably do. She could have her treatments in that. Ask your Vet friend if that's a possibility for her.
Munky.
Would a Nebulizer help her at all? Nebulizer compressor system - OptionHome - Respironics - OutpatientMD - Nebulizer compressor system - OptionHome
We, well I should say I. Bought a Guinea pig, ($26.00) she was all cute and such. Can't take me to PetCo either... Anyways, she developed pneumonia. We took her to an Avian Vet.. We were told that they usually don't live through something like that. But we had to try. Asked the Vet to do what she could. A few days with the Vet a $1.000.00 + bill later. She got over it. Outlived all the rest. I think she was like 5 maybe 6 years old.
Her home treatment she had to have her antibiotic shots and be placed in a box for her Nebulization treatment twice a day for 30 minutes. All we had to do was measure out the meds and let the steam do it's thing.
It really did help her with her breathing, weezing. I paid well over $150.00 for that piece of equipment. It was used to boot. You can find them online cheaper.
Maybe your vet could prescribe a liquid inhaler for her. If you have a crate, probably do. She could have her treatments in that. Ask your Vet friend if that's a possibility for her.
Munky.
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
Crate is not a problem, I have both wire and vari kennels that she likes. Hmmmm....
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
Just thought I'd let you know Isabelle is still with us. She's been coming to my house in the City when the weather is hot and humid--the central air seems to help re: her breathing. She is currently sleeping at my feet. She's had some bad days this summer with the heat, but so far, she's had more good days than bad. Her days are numbered--but she's been on borrowed time for about 18 months. She's happy, eating, still geriatric re: walking, but the ramp helps, as do the mats. And, there are times when her breathing makes me want to run the other direction. She tried to chase one of the new girls (hens) today. Isabelle couldn't catch her, but that didn't stop her from trying.
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CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
I had to run out this afternoon to get chicken food, etc. I left--it was bright and sunny. I left Isabelle in the living room, thought I closed the gate to the basement...a thunderstorm came up while I was gone. I got home, no Isabelle. I assumed the DH picked her up on his way home from his client. I didn't think anything about it. I fed Cliff in his crate in the basement, went about various things. I got an email from the DH (remember--no phone line) responding to mine where I said that I assumed he'd picked her up.
DH: "What do you mean, I picked up Isabelle?"
ME: "You better be joking!"
After I hit send, I jumped up and checked in the shower, the tub...no Isabelle. I went downstairs, and there she was by the woodstove. How she got down the stairs, I don't want to know.
I managed to get all 130 lb of her back upstairs using a couple of towels to support her (which my back will thank me for tomorrow). She was a bit thirsty, but other than that, she was fine. I have no idea where she was hiding when I fed Cliff. She sure wasn't in front of the wood stove which is about 5 feet from Cliff's crate. But, that does explain why the floor was wet by the backdoor. I thought "gosh, I know I walked through a couple of puddles at the feed store, but didn't think my feet were that wet..."
DH: "What do you mean, I picked up Isabelle?"
ME: "You better be joking!"
After I hit send, I jumped up and checked in the shower, the tub...no Isabelle. I went downstairs, and there she was by the woodstove. How she got down the stairs, I don't want to know.
I managed to get all 130 lb of her back upstairs using a couple of towels to support her (which my back will thank me for tomorrow). She was a bit thirsty, but other than that, she was fine. I have no idea where she was hiding when I fed Cliff. She sure wasn't in front of the wood stove which is about 5 feet from Cliff's crate. But, that does explain why the floor was wet by the backdoor. I thought "gosh, I know I walked through a couple of puddles at the feed store, but didn't think my feet were that wet..."
Poor baby! Storm must have really scared her. You are a good Auntie!
Dawgluver
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Awww, poor puppy! Poor CWS!
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