Aging Houndie, Eyesight, And Confidence On Stairs

[Guest sorenkkg]

Not sure if this is medical or behavioral? I chose here...

 

Her eyesight isn't an acute problem-- just age related (we have an eye Dr. for her b/c of her uveitis from the other year). He says there's some clouding, some hardening of the lens, all normal for her age-- she's 12.5.

 

Her willingness to do stairs-- both outside (closed though, not open in the back) and inside (carpeted in dark brown)-- is decreasing. A lot.

 

We just got sod in the backyard-- and she doesn't want to go down the stairs to frolic on it (but if she's carried she frolics, and then struggles with the stairs to come back up).

 

At night, every night-- after eating, she comes to get me, and I turn on the lights, and she goes up the stairs to her bed in our room.

BUT this past couple days, she really balked, and while she finally did get up, I can tell her confidence is waning. She was panting and just seemed a bit freaked out (she did slip a bit at the top also, but I can put another carpet there).

 

What should I do? Do I continue to encourage her to come up to bed? Do I let her stay downstairs with Haka (who can do the stairs, but just chooses to stay downstairs-- they're littermates, so he's 12.5 also, but just handles stairs better. No known eye issues either).

 

suggestions? I've never dealt with aging hounds before

 

Soren

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

I would build a ramp for outside to make things easier for her to get outside to eliminate. As for inside, maybe a baby gate at the top of the stairs and carry her up to spend the night with you. Going down stairs shouldnt be a problem if you just grab her collar like a suitcase (slip 4 fingers through the loop that the "d" ring is attached to) hold her head to your hip and just slowly guide her down the stairs. My oldest is turning 10 this year and I am going to plan a late summer project of building a ramp from my deck to the yard for them before it is a requirement.

[Guest sorenkkg]

I should mention, she doesn't "go" in the yard She just likes to run around on the grass and dig in the mulch! She may pee, but we walk them 3x a day, and they've never used the yard to eliminate. weird eh?

[Guest Energy11]

We have all seniors, too. We finally had a guy come and build a ramp. It is has small wooden slats, spaced about 8" apart, and it carpeted with indoor/outdoor carpeting. They LOVE their ramp, and even Staggerlee, my eldest, 11.8, can handle it, with his bad arthritis. I have a friend who now sleeps downstairs with her girls, because one of them cannot go unstairs anymore. I am lucky not to have stairs, and we go no place that has them.

 

The outside ramp is cheap to build, and I'd wouldnt' chance your boy going upstairs anymore.

 

Good Luck! Seniors are wonderful, but they are a challenge, and I know I worry all the time about mine (five).

 

Hugs to yours!