NEED HELP WITH SENIOR DOG! - Page 3

NycVixen · ‎10-15-2010

@qvc chick wrote:
I know what is happening is due to old age. I just wanted suggestions on what to do that would help this situation. She is 90 years old. I am not dragging her back and forth to the vet. THAT would be inhumane. As I said, she is fine, and not in any pain. She loves to eat, and knows me and my daughter. And unfortunately, spending 10,000 on her would never be in the cards. I do not know how people have that kind of money to spend. We love her to death, but I know her time is coming

Try to find a corner in the garage or somewhere other than your kitchen where you can keep her if you can. I have a puppy and when she was very small and we were potty training her this is what we did. It was still a mess but better that it was in the garage and not in the house. Changing her diet is also a good option. Talk to your vet without having to take her to see if this can help. With age she may not be able to tolerate the food she is on in her system even if she is eating normally. Lastly, maybe a supplement may help as well. Best of luck. I would not even consider putting her down. We all get old. When we take on a pet we take the good with the bad.

I just found this article. It states that the decrease of hormones due to aging can lead to incontinence. Your vet can give you medication to treat this.

http://dogtime.com/article/senior-dogs.html

~Live with Intention~

GingerPeach · ‎03-12-2010

Let's not put our dogs in the garage, please. Garages are not temperature-controlled. Not good for either a puppy or an older dog, especially in many areas of the country that are so hot these days.

A 'puppy' pen is made to confine them in one area of the house. They are not expensive. Please don't banish your pets to a garage.

[was Homegirl] Love to be home . . . thus the screen name. Joined 2003.

NycVixen · ‎10-15-2010

@GingerPeach wrote:
Let's not put our dogs in the garage, please. Garages are not temperature-controlled. Not good for either a puppy or an older dog, especially in many areas of the country that are so hot these days.

A 'puppy' pen is made to confine them in one area of the house. They are not expensive. Please don't banish your pets to a garage.

I have an indoor garage like many people do and is temparature controlled since it has a door that connects to the main part of the house. This is when I was living overseas where my dog is now. OP needs suggestions and this worked for me when I had the same issue with a puppy. I'm trying to help. Maybe we should not assume that posters are suggesting to put the dog in a hot or cold garage and should perhaps ask if the garage is temp controlled.

~Live with Intention~

GingerPeach · ‎03-12-2010

I'm pleased you had the rare temperature-controlled garage when you were living overseas. I would guess that at minimum 95% of garages in the US are not.

[was Homegirl] Love to be home . . . thus the screen name. Joined 2003.

NycVixen · ‎10-15-2010

@GingerPeach wrote:
I'm pleased you had the rare temperature-controlled garage when you were living overseas. I would guess that at minimum 95% of garages in the US are not.

Perhaps. But since I don't know how everyone's house is or for that matter the OP's living situation I'd rather give her some useful suggestions that may work for her like it did in my case instead of not suggesting it all all because other posters make assumptions that are not relevant. The OP needs viable suggestions and putting the dog down is not one of them. She said she's at her wits end. I'd rather she put the dog somewhere comfortable than putting the dog down.

~Live with Intention~

tends2dogs · ‎05-08-2010

I have to comment that even though this is a tough subject, it does my heart good to to deal with this. Having gone through this with more than one dog (not at the same time, thank you God), I know how stressful this is. Everytime you come home, you know you most likely will have something to clean up. I am so thankful that my husband was right there with me.

Also, as I said before, this is not a put down on anyone who chooses not to take this on. BUT, don't judge me because I choose to do it and I am so glad to see that I am not alone.

Fear not Brothers and Sisters! I have read THE BOOK..........we win!!!

meem120 · ‎03-09-2010

Abby

How do you manage this at home? Will the vet give you some kind of medication to help? We are going through this with our 15 year old lab. We want to keep her home also.

tends2dogs · ‎05-08-2010

@tends2dogs wrote:
I have to comment that even though this is a tough subject, it does my heart good to to deal with this. Having gone through this with more than one dog (not at the same time, thank you God), I know how stressful this is. Everytime you come home, you know you most likely will have something to clean up. I am so thankful that my husband was right there with me.

Also, as I said before, this is not a put down on anyone who chooses not to take this on. BUT, don't judge me because I choose to do it and I am so glad to see that I am not alone.

I just reread my post and part of it is missing. My first sentence was suppose to say that it does my heart good to know that there are so many people out there that have chosen to deal with this. Often your family members or friends don't understand it.

Fear not Brothers and Sisters! I have read THE BOOK..........we win!!!

Abby Grace · ‎06-12-2011

@mcall1020 wrote:
Abby
How do you manage this at home? Will the vet give you some kind of medication to help? We are going through this with our 15 year old lab. We want to keep her home also.

mcall 1020, We knew we were getting close, and had the discussion with out vet at her last visit. My daughter mentioned that someone at work had just had a family member with a vet that came to their home. We confirmed that our vet didn't make house calls, and we called the vet the other family used. They wouldn't come to our home becasue we were too far away. My daughter called every local vet, and we found one that came to our home.

The DR, and an aid came at a scheduled time. They called about 15 minutes before they arrived to allow us time to say goodbye. We had already garthered the immediate family, and everyone had visited that day, or were present at the appointment. Our baby was an Akita, and we were on the floor with her, holding her & cuddling her in our arms. We sang to her, as the DR administered the medications. It was very peaceful, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Bless you & your beloved lab on the journey......

PS, edited to add I'm going to heart your post because I think that is the fastest way for you to see this post.

RinaRina · ‎03-13-2010

@tends2dogs wrote:
I have to agree with Rina. Go to another vet. I could be wrong, but it sounds as if your vet listened to what was going on with your dog and chalked it up to them being a senior dog - 90 years compared to a human. That would be like taking your parent to the doctor with a complaint of incontinance and having them say, "They are old."

=========================
The four vets I went to did that. The last of the 4 bad ones gave me "the lecture". The lecture is "quality of life, your dog IS OLD, blah, blah ... Same ol' ******. Frankly, most vets are too LAZY to figure out what's wrong with an old dog and will frame their words in such a way to make you inclined to end your dog's life. Based on what you've posted, your dog needs help, NOT death.
Unfortunately, by the time I'd found a "good" vet, it was too late. I was a basket case and couldn't think straight. I even talked to her on the phone last nite for 30 minutes and for the life of me, I can't remember one thing she said. Honestly, I think euthanizing my dog has put me in a state of shock.
When I started chain-smoking, not eating and neglecting myself, I couldn't take it anymore. I knew it had to end it. I HOPE you find a good vet before you get to that point.