The Social Network for Dog Lovers
Senior dogs
My dog rusty is a rescue dog..We have had the honor of loving him 13 years now. Rusty was 2 when we adopted him. He has given us so much love..Now that he is 15 he has lost the rufness on the bottom of his paws. The Vet said this happens as dogs age..He slips and slides. Even on the carpet..Its really sad,,We are doing everyyhing we can to help Rusty. We put that non-slip rubber backing down near his dishes so he can eat without sliding. We have his dishes raised up. He slides on the stairs we are so woried he will slip and fall. We help him up and down the stairs. He is not arithric at all. dose any one notice this in thier senior dog.
Rusty has also gone totally deaf..We taught him hand signs and he has one eye. He lost to cancer 4 years ago..The same time I lost my leg. He does well. We really love him and want to give him the quality of life he so deserve.
Rusty has also gone totally deaf..We taught him hand signs and he has one eye. He lost to cancer 4 years ago..The same time I lost my leg. He does well. We really love him and want to give him the quality of life he so deserve.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Chris Yancy on -
We had our lovely Princess (fox terrier/rat terrier) for 16 years. Her birthday was Sep. 1 (A guess). We got her June 1 from the Rescue League and the Vet thought she was about 9 months old. She went totallty blind about a year ago (it's hard to remember when exactly). She also went deaf shortly after that. She didn't like to do much but when "Daddy" asked her to go for a walk, somehow she knew and happily went. She loved to eat fruit. Grapefruit with Grandpa was the weirdest of all. She knew when you had fruit out. Nothing was wrong with her smeller! She was always extatic when our son would come to visit. He was in High school when we got her and she spent many hours in his room then and during the college years with the waterbed, computer, stereo, refrigerator, goodies to eat and lots of love. When he married and moved out she was a bit confused but had her "Mom, Dad, and Grandpa" to spoil her. She got so she had no quality of life this past year with being blind and deaf. She had trouble with bodily functions and wouldn't go up/down stairs well. She would get up off her pillow, walk a few feet, turn around and go back to sleep on her pillow. She did slip on the kitchen linolium and she got so she would fight going for walks, etc.It hurt to watch her but we didn't want to let her go. It got so bad for her we talked to the vet and had her put to sleep the end of this January. It is the most hurtful thing we ever did and I still cry often watching dogs do whatever. I know she's in a better place, but it hurt. We have to try to remember we saved her, gave her a good (and spoiled!) life, and lots and lots of love which she gave right back to us so much more. She was the best and we shall never forget. We did what was best for her. I'm probably not helping, but I just needed to talk about her.
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Permalink Reply by Karin on -
Chris thanks for sharing about your dog Princess! She she sounded like a real Princess. Iam sure you gave her a wonderful life it sure sounds like it..She was lucky to have you..
My Rusty is doing ok..I hate to see him get old..Dogs are just not around long enough..
Again thanks for you story I enjoyed it!
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Permalink Reply by Karin on
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Rusty has been doing good the last few weeks..Runs ariun like a much younger dog! He is so darn cute!
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Permalink Reply by Linda on -
I have a 14 or 15 year old Chihuahua that slips and slides a lot. We have steps so he can get on the bed and spends a lot of time sleeping and resting. He still goes outside and eats good but he doesn't have the same balance or steadness he use to have. He is almost blind in one eye and getting hard of hearing but walks close to furniture and kitchen cabinets when he goes outside. My main problem is my 1 yr old Maltese that is young and wild and doesn't understand but my Chihuahua names Speedy (he use to be speedy) hates to have him near him and is able to get this across. Most of the time we help him up on the couch to lay by us and the rest of the time during the day we watch him but treat him the same and he seems to manage his problems pretty good. There isn't a lot you can do but feel so sorry for them. They always seem to cope with whatever problem they have. We know he is getting up in years and starting to go down hill but give him all the love we can and he wants. He is my husbands buddy most of the time. I know he might only be with us a few more years but try to keep him as well as we can and comfortable as we just had to put our Lhapsa Apso down last year and it was a horrible deal watching him go down hill and have to eat laying down. I don't want them to suffer we just have to keep them happy and comfortable while they are here. They do make little booties for dogs. I am not sure if they have any traction on them or not, they are mostly used for wet or snow weather but you might try them. If they have traction on the bottom it might help in the house at least part of the time.
Good luck and I am glad your little one is feeling good otherwise.
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Permalink Reply by Karin on
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Thanks! Rusty is doing good for a 14 year old boy..We love him to pieces and dread the thought of the day he decides hes tired and goes to doggie heaven. We also help Rudsty on the couch he use to be able to jump up just last year. I too do not want Rusty to suffer and we think we know when that will be. He gets confused too but he really is doing good. Thanks for sharing your story about your dogs. They sound real special and cute.
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Permalink Reply by Jeannie Lawler-Lunn on -
I know how you feel. I los tmy mini schnauzer Thaddeus last July. He struggled so, and when he finally showed no signs of enjoying even our time with us, we let him go. it was the hardest time of all for me, harder than anything I have gone through personally.. You mention you lost your leg. It must have been so hard for you to be going through that and losing such a dear friend at the same time,.
When Thaddeus passed, I thought I would die myself and couldn't stop crying. It felt so wrong to just let him pass without notice, so my husband suggested that I send out a Memorial notice to all of our friends and family. So I wrote up a wonderful Obituary, detailing his life, his loves, his favorite toys and activities and sent it out by email to everyone who had known him.
You wouldn't believe how many people responded with sympathy cards and notes of condolences and poured their hearts out to me about their own canine losses!
There is a bond so strong between us and our animals and I believe that God sent them to help us know what true love is...
Enjoy the time you have left and know that you have been both blessed and a blessing in this relationship. Rusty is lucky to have found you and you, him.
hugs to you both
Jeannie
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Permalink Reply by Karin on
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What a wonderful thing to do write a obituary! My husband and I discuss what we will do once our sweet dog decides to leave us..We may bury him under a tree in our yard..I really don't think though my husband or I will be emotionally strong to do that. Rusty seems to sence that Iam a little slower thanmy husband,, he will walk at a faster pace with him..But slows down for me..He watches me put on my prosthetic ans looks like he is saying.."I love you still" just like my husband! Your right the bond of a animal and owner is very strong. I think so people take better care of our dogs than some people do thier own children..In many was out pets are our children! lol! Thanks for replying and have a good day!
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Permalink Reply by Tracy Clark on
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This is a great discussion.
Karin... Your note about how he watches you prepare for your day and his look of love just proves a point that I've believed my whole life:
Humans love us FOR who we are.
(we're their Mother or father/their cleric or teacher/their friend or their spouse)
Animals love us DESPITE who we are.
Only we see what's incomplete about us. They only see their whole reason for living.
And once again... I find myself wishing that everyone could experience this kind of love and complete acceptance in their lives... at least once.
P.S. I have a 16 year old beagle girl (Indy Anna Bones) who also slips on the floors (even the conrete now) and needs a little help on the stairs and into her favorite chair sometimes... and my husband and I trip over each other to be the one who gets the honor. She has given us so much love... it's the least we can do.
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