Sweet Seniors

[Mistysmom]

Senior dogs are the sweetest! Our senior greyhound Misty is 14 years old now. She has been through discospondylitis, kidney and urinary tract infections, anaplasmosis, and now arthritis. We have been very lucky with her health after adopting her as a two year old, but after a while, old age catches up. Right now she is experiencing another health crisis and we're not sure she will pull through considering her age. I want to share some things that we believe have helped give her a long, happy life and things we are doing now to keep her comfortable.

 

Good quality food is a must. I've always fed Misty good quality kibble, going through a lot of different brands over the years including Wysong, Natural Balance, California Naturals, Earthborn, EVO, and most recently, Blue Buffalo chicken and rice. She loses interest after a while and she relishes a change every so often. I supplement this with homemade food, carefully following the instructions in Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats. At times I fed her only homemade food, but I found she liked the kibble and ate better with the mix. I also use good quality canned food.

 

We have a very good vet who works with me to minimize invasive procedures while still keeping up with Misty's health. One thing that I believe helps is to do only one immunization at a time, not several at a time, despite the need for more vet visits. I believe this is easier on her system. I also ask my vet do titration tests to see if vaccines were necessary. I think the less you do the better, as long as you are keeping up with the necessary vaccines to protect them.

 

Now that our sweet girl is in her golden years, it's hard to get her to eat. I've managed to tempt her with baby food (Beechnut stage 1 chicken and chicken broth is a favorite), Castor and Pollux canned food, and homemade chicken or beef stews. She will also usually eat ham or pork chopped up and mixed in her food or in the recipes from the Pitcairn book for a better nutritional balance. Hamburger and rice works great for diarrhea. She likes Stonyfield Farm yogurt, often right from the spoon. When she has been really sick and dehydrated I have fed her by smearing baby food into the side of her mouth, carefully dripping pedialyte or Gatorade (not artificially sweetened) into her mouth with a big syringe, and spoon feeding yogurt.

 

We recently bought a Ruffwear harness, which I wish I had bought before. It's a little bit of a pain to put on but it can be done by holding the leg strap at floor level and lifting the foot just a little, then sliding the rest over her head. A soft coat fits over it, modified with a hole cut for the handle. The handle on the back is perfect for helping her outside and boosting her up from lying down. My husband built a ramp so she can get in and out of the house--heavy planks with wooden strapping for traction.

 

Her Christmas presents included a supersoft blanket and a Crazy Warm pet from the Green Pet Shop. I don't understand how it works, but it contains tourmaline which reflects the dog's body heat back and keeps them warmer. She loves it and sleeps on it for hours. Her beds have grown in size as it seems more comfortable for her to stretch out now. Her bed in the living room is a combination of a bolster bed plus an orthopedic bed so the whole thing is the size of a child's mattress. Despite her current condition, she sleeps on it very comfortably. She loves to be covered by a soft blanket or pashmina shawl (yes, she has her own collection of pashmina shawls).

 

Due to her current condition, she is now on gabapentin, mirtazipine to stimulate her appetite, and prednisone to help with inflammation in her spine and legs due to arthritis. X-rays show something going on with her left lung, possibly a tumor. At this point we are not going to put her through further testing or extreme treaments. We are trying to find the balance of comfort care, possible improvements, and non-stressful treatments.

 

I'd love to hear how long other's greys have lasted and any other tips to help keep our Misty comfortable.

 

[Remolacha]

As Jan (Fiveroooers) says, old dogs are the best dogs! So wonderful to hear about your sweet Misty I agree, feeding a good quality food can make a huge difference. Conner is now my oldest greyhound at 12.8, I adopted him at 9 after his person passed away. I hope he can make it to 14! He is on Gabapentin and Body Sore for mobility issues, but otherwise healthy.

[BatterseaBrindl]

 

Nixon is 12.5 and doing very well.... only some slight stiffness getting up and down.

He can still get upstairs and onto the bed He has been started on Cartrophen (just finished 4 weekly injections, then we will follow monthly) and I can see an improvement in his movement going up and down the stairs.

The old guy is usually eager to go for walks ...slowly and not as far as the other two...and still enjoys the occasional zoomie in the yard. We have had bitter cold temps the past few days so outdoor activities have ceased for now.

He has not had any vaccines for 2 years. He had a molar removed about a year ago and was slow to recover from that, but otherwise has never had any major health issues.

 

Ruby is 10.75 and thinks she is 3! Love love loves her walks...she is a speedy girlie

She also visits at the local old age home. She handled her vaccines (each one a week apart) just fine. Those will be her last. She has also had a couple of molars removed.

 

Nigel at 9.5 is also super healthy and enjoys his school visits twice weekly where he gets read to by 3rd graders as well as lowering anxiety in a special needs class. He also deals with 5 Autistic 6 yr olds once a month

His teeth are in great shape.

 

All three eat a raw mix diet with MSM added on for breakfast and get Coscto Natures Domain kibble for supper. None have ever been picky eaters.

 

We have good luck with a few dogs living long healthy lives.

Our GSDX lived to be 14.5. PointerX developed lung tumor at 12.5

 

Love my seniors!

Edited December 29, 2017 by BatterseaBrindl

[Mistysmom]

It's great to hear from other sweet senior owners! I forgot one good point you both made...the older dogs do need fewer vaccines, so that's one less stress on them.

 

I also had good luck with the egg white supplement Movoflex, which I get through my vet. She was on it for two years and it made a difference in her mobility. She did long flights of stairs up until last year (when we moved away from the apartment with stairs) and was able to manage the seven steps up to our deck pretty well until recently. We have always done a lot of gentle walking, which I think helps a lot, and I think the daily stair climbs made her stronger.

 

She is sleeping most of the time lately, but still able to get up for short walks. I feel bad that it's so cold out lately. She is a trooper! She ate a little better last night, which gave me a little hope for her lasting a little longer.

[Mistysmom]

An update on Misty...her energy was so low just after Christmas that I almost gave up. Then, after the prednisone kicked in, she had a better three or four days of eating, having more energy and strength to go on walks, and seeming more comfortable. Then last night she had a terrible night of hourly diarrhea. We were up all night going out in the freezing wind. I called my vet in the morning (she gave me her personal cell phone number--she is an amazing vet) and she let me come in on her day off an pick up a probiotic powder ( Proplan Fortiflora) and some metronidazole. Poor girl is exhausted from last night and was still having bouts of loose stools all day. After eating a few spoonfuls of food with the probiotic and taking the new med, she seems more comfortable and is sleeping on her bed. I hate all the stress she is going through going out on these awful days of zero and below weather and wind. I wrap her up in coats but it's still too cold. I sometimes just put down a pad and have her go in the house, but she desperately wants to do it outside.

I fed her a lot of baby food and chicken/oatmeal puree yesterday--maybe too much for her system. She was so hungry. Today I've only given her a little baby food, some chicken and oatmeal puree, and a few spoonfuls of yogurt. My vet gave me some easy to digest food but I haven't even tried it yet. Unsure if I should keep on with all the meds or not. Yesterday she was bright-eyed and alert...today she's exhausted again. So hard to know what to do. I'm supposed to go back to work on Tuesday but don't even know if I can leave her with my friend for the day.

[Remolacha]

I am sorry Misty is struggling. Their systems are so delicate when they get old, and they don’t have the resources to bounce back I hope she feels better.

[Mistysmom]

Thank you! She is actually doing a little bit better. I got some more food from the vet. She is eating dog food again for the first time since Christmas. I'm mixing the California Natural with Hill's ID care chicken stew. I'm happy that she has an appetite and is enjoying her food again and pooping normally. The metronidazole (flagyl) seems to have stopped the diarrhea. I also gave her a little bit of cinnamon mixed with water in a dropper--a friend said that cinnamon stops diarrhea too. So I'm not sure if it was the medication, the cinnamon, or the food switch. She is a little stronger and able to walk outside a little better. Her back legs are still so weak...I don't understand why that happens to old dogs.

She is sleeping more comfortably on her beds and is much perkier during the day. She has started to bark at visitors again and notice what we are eating and if she wants some of it! She was well enough so that I could go to work this week and leave her with my friend. I'm happy to be with her today for a snow day.

Has anyone had any experience with the heart medication Vedmedin? My vet recommended it because of an elevated level of a heart enzyme, perhaps indicating congestive heart failure or possible side effect of the lung tumor. I started her on it before she got so sick, then I haven't continued it. I'm thinking about reintroducing it now that she's eating again.

[Remolacha]

I am glad to hear she is feeling better!

 

My first grey had heart problems. The cardiologist didn't put her on Vedmedin right away because it can cause kidney damage, but later when her heart got more enlarged, he did. It helped her a great deal, but she ultimately died of kidney failure, which I am pretty sure was caused, at least in part, by the Vedmedin. However, I am sure she would have died of heart disease much sooner without it, so I think it was worth it. She was on it about a year before the kidney problem started.

[schnookums]

Oh my, how these dear old doggies trial us emotionally and physically. Schnookie was on vetmedin, stiboestrol, gabapentin and metronidazole. I believe that the vetmedin improved her quality of life as she had a stage 5 heart murmer. Didn't improve my quality of life 4.30am vetmedin before her 5.30 breakfast seven days a week for 5 months. Alarm set so 12 hourly dose wasn't missed. My vets all assured me how safe Vetmedin is. Schnookie lived till almost 15. She had extensive arthritis, glaucoma, a heart murmur, dementia, incontinence, a skin cancer, lumps and bumps, and compromised kidneys. With a lot of perseverance we managed to put her weight from 24kg up to 26kg. Our food shuffle included minced steak cooked, cous cous and pork scotch fillet, Good O's dog food chopped finely, cooked chicken and rice, store bought roast chicken. chicken kiev (a winner!!) and beef scotch fillet. Just like Misty she seemed to be hungry, but just couldn't find quite what was appealing to eat. We had several occasions of runny accidents (I am the worlds best carpet cleaner). And always a celebration when solid stools appeared. Schnookie didn't die from renal failure. I helped her lovingly across the bridge when we both had had enough.

I am glad to hear Misty is going okay and I understand the emotional rollercoaster you are riding here.

All my love to you both.

 

[Mistysmom]

Thank you Remolacha and Schnookums for sharing your experiences. Yes, the senior dog rollercoaster is a rough one. We don't know from one day to the next what to do or expect. Misty is still eating well and is enjoying the addition of homemade meatballs today. I did start the Vetmedin because I would be so upset if she had a heart attack after just beginning to recover! I have to grind it to a fine powder and mix it with her food because she refuses to eat the "chewable" pellets. She has her own definition of "chewable." I was excited to find a pet pharmacy where I could get the gabapentin in the lower dose (50 mg) that she does better on instead of starting my day cursing the brittle, powdery capsules that I was trying to divide in half and seal off with butter. Of course, if she detects any gabapentin powder in her food she will reject the whole dish. Possibly slightly spoiled doggie...

There is a lot of dosing, switching medication and food, and early mornings and late nights of meds and emergency trips outside with these sweet seniors! Thank you for the food suggestions...I'm sure she will be sick of the I/D food soon and I will be shuffling again...all worth it for our sweet girl who has been so brave.

[BatterseaBrindl]

Sigh.

After being quite pleased with how Nixon was doing after his cartrophen injections, he has now been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma.

Damn.

[Remolacha]

Sigh.

After being quite pleased with how Nixon was doing after his cartrophen injections, he has now been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma.

Damn.

[Neighsayer]

So sorry to hear of the osteo diagnosis. Hope you have more time with him. You need to keep ahead of the pain to keep him going.

My oldies are doing ok. Brandy turned 12 today. She is in good health. Ive had her for a little over a year.

Reba, my deaf tripawd, turned 14 last week. She is my first dog to make it to 14. Ive had her for almost two years. I have no history on her, so have no idea how/why she lost the leg. She is in good health.

Sasha, my mixed breed, will be 14 in March. She is in good health, but recently cost me $6000 as a result of a fight with two of my younger greys.

Watching them go downhill as they age is tough. I lost five dogs in 2016. One 12 year old died in his sleep, with no prior illness or warning. A 9 and 12 year old were taken by osteo a few months apart. They both lasted less than two weeks past diagnosis. I was not able to manage the pain. Another 12 year old was sick for several weeks and lost twenty pounds in a month. I let her go after they finally diagnosed a brain tumor. I still feel bad that I put her through so many tests and procedures. I also lost a seven year old. I thought he was just constipated, but he had a large internal mass that was probably cancerous. They would have had to remove his colon to get it out.

I will continue to adopt seniors and older returns. Ill love them while I have them and mourn them when they leave. There is just something so special about the oldsters!

Edited January 5, 2018 by Neighsayer

[BatterseaBrindl]

((( Irene )))

[schnookums]

Sigh.

After being quite pleased with how Nixon was doing after his cartrophen injections, he has now been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma.

Damn.

Oh "Bugger" Sometimes I think the Universe is so unfair!!!

 

So sorry to hear of the osteo diagnosis. Hope you have more time with him. You need to keep ahead of the pain to keep him going.

My oldies are doing ok. Brandy turned 12 today. She is in good health. Ive had her for a little over a year.

Reba, my deaf tripawd, turned 14 last week. She is my first dog to make it to 14. Ive had her for almost two years. I have no history on her, so have no idea how/why she lost the leg. She is in good health.

Sasha, my mixed breed, will be 14 in March. She is in good health, but recently cost me $6000 as a result of a fight with two of my younger greys.

Watching them go downhill as they age is tough. I lost five dogs in 2016. One 12 year old died in his sleep, with no prior illness or warning. A 9 and 12 year old were taken by osteo a few months apart. They both lasted less than two weeks past diagnosis. I was not able to manage the pain. Another 12 year old was sick for several weeks and lost twenty pounds in a month. I let her go after they finally diagnosed a brain tumor. I still feel bad that I put her through so many tests and procedures. I also lost a seven year old. I thought he was just constipated, but he had a large internal mass that was probably cancerous. They would have had to remove his colon to get it out.

I will continue to adopt seniors and older returns. Ill love them while I have them and mourn them when they leave. There is just something so special about the oldsters!

Oh my, you are just so special............................. Lucky old darlings to have someone like you. Your angel wings have already grown.

[schnookums]

Thank you Remolacha and Schnookums for sharing your experiences. Yes, the senior dog rollercoaster is a rough one. We don't know from one day to the next what to do or expect. Misty is still eating well and is enjoying the addition of homemade meatballs today. I did start the Vetmedin because I would be so upset if she had a heart attack after just beginning to recover! I have to grind it to a fine powder and mix it with her food because she refuses to eat the "chewable" pellets. She has her own definition of "chewable." I was excited to find a pet pharmacy where I could get the gabapentin in the lower dose (50 mg) that she does better on instead of starting my day cursing the brittle, powdery capsules that I was trying to divide in half and seal off with butter. Of course, if she detects any gabapentin powder in her food she will reject the whole dish. Possibly slightly spoiled doggie...

There is a lot of dosing, switching medication and food, and early mornings and late nights of meds and emergency trips outside with these sweet seniors! Thank you for the food suggestions...I'm sure she will be sick of the I/D food soon and I will be shuffling again...all worth it for our sweet girl who has been so brave.

 

Vetmedin comes in a solution, with a syringe. Please check it out, More expensive, but a dream to administer. Was great for Schnookie. Gabapentin is a curse to give! Maybe try cream cheese. Also always dose with 3 treats...give one without the meds, letting your dog see the second treat with meds. Give the med treat with the third treat close to follow in sight. Often the anticipation of the third treat so close will make them gulp down the yuckies. Good Luck

[smurfette]

Andy will be 12 in February. Last week I started him on onsior for his back pain. He came to me 7 years ago with a tremor in his hind legs. It was so bad he couldn't stand for a longer time without his legs shaking badly.

I took him to physiotherapy and accupuncture and he thrieved on it. De went to a monthly appointment and upped the visits to every 2 weeks as he got older.

All my greys profit from those visits - even Saoirse who will be 2 next month gets massages to loosen her muscles and to watch out for blockades. Over the years I never experienced pulled muscles or tendons during running or zooming.

I, too believe in high quality food as a prevention. I feed raw - beef from my region without genetic tampered food or sheep from my friend's herd. They eat better than me.

In addition I work with healing herbs and homeopathy.

Colin who passed 13,5 years old after a spinal stroke never needed regular meds. I even found a remedy for his beginning dementia.

 

I love dogs in all state of age - every timespan is special but the seniors are my favourite. Everything is more relaxed (and slightly impaired vision is great for long off leash walks, says Andy who just can't see little critters in the distance anymore).

[FiveRoooooers]

As Jan (Fiveroooers) says, old dogs are the best dogs! So wonderful to hear about your sweet Misty

Old dogs are the best dogs!

 

It sounds to me as tho you are doing everything possible and on the right track for Misty. Fourteen is a remarkable age! Having lost a seemingly healthy young'un at age seven, I've learned that age is a crapshoot. I'm pretty sure it's a mix of careful management, genetics, and simply luck. My angels' ages range from 7.8 up to 14.1 (7.8, 11.2, 11.8, 11.9(2), 12.2, 12.4, 12.9, 13.3, 13.5, 13.10, 14.1). The seniors both steal and break our hearts but they are such incredibly special souls. I won't adopt another young'un but the door is always open for a senior/s looking for a couch. We take one day at a time and celebrate the little victories.

Sigh.

After being quite pleased with how Nixon was doing after his cartrophen injections, he has now been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma.

Damn.

{{Nancy}}

 

So sorry to hear of the osteo diagnosis. Hope you have more time with him. You need to keep ahead of the pain to keep him going.

My oldies are doing ok. Brandy turned 12 today. She is in good health. Ive had her for a little over a year.

Reba, my deaf tripawd, turned 14 last week. She is my first dog to make it to 14. Ive had her for almost two years. I have no history on her, so have no idea how/why she lost the leg. She is in good health.

Sasha, my mixed breed, will be 14 in March. She is in good health, but recently cost me $6000 as a result of a fight with two of my younger greys.

Watching them go downhill as they age is tough. I lost five dogs in 2016. One 12 year old died in his sleep, with no prior illness or warning. A 9 and 12 year old were taken by osteo a few months apart. They both lasted less than two weeks past diagnosis. I was not able to manage the pain. Another 12 year old was sick for several weeks and lost twenty pounds in a month. I let her go after they finally diagnosed a brain tumor. I still feel bad that I put her through so many tests and procedures. I also lost a seven year old. I thought he was just constipated, but he had a large internal mass that was probably cancerous. They would have had to remove his colon to get it out.

I will continue to adopt seniors and older returns. Ill love them while I have them and mourn them when they leave. There is just something so special about the oldsters!

You are amazing! You have your own Camp Special Seniors

[Charlies_Dad]

Yup seniors are so very special and to those that adopt them, thank you and for those who don't, you don't realize what you are missing. Yes they may be more work medically but they are less work in other areas and so very sweet.

 

Nancy, I am so sorry to read of Nixon's diagnosis.

[Mistysmom]

Sigh.

After being quite pleased with how Nixon was doing after his cartrophen injections, he has now been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma.

Damn.

So sorry to hear this!!! What will you do? I hope you still have some time left with him...

 

Vetmedin comes in a solution, with a syringe. Please check it out, More expensive, but a dream to administer. Was great for Schnookie. Gabapentin is a curse to give! Maybe try cream cheese. Also always dose with 3 treats...give one without the meds, letting your dog see the second treat with meds. Give the med treat with the third treat close to follow in sight. Often the anticipation of the third treat so close will make them gulp down the yuckies. Good Luck

Good to know that it comes in a solution...I've had to stop giving her the dose for now because of further health issues. She had an "incident" last night that we think was possible vestibular disease. I hope it's nothing worse. After a good day in which she seemed to have improved a lot--eating well and walking almost normally--I woke at 2 a.m. to the sound of her thrashing around. She was rolling on her back, something she almost never does (especially at her age), flailing her legs, and panicking. I tried to help her get up, but she was completely disoriented and unable to stand. Her eyes were jerking back and forth repetitively (which is why I suspect vestibular, also because of her rolling) and she seemed to be unaware that I was there. I tried my best to support her, but she was crashing into the wall and bureau with her legs and head. It was horrifiying. My husband ran to help and we held her up while she vomited up what looked like her entire dinner. She did this twice, and also urinated on her bed (also unusual). I got her to lie on her bed and I covered her eyes with a scarf. After vomiting the second time, she calmed down and I was able to clean her up. She fell into a deep sleep and woke up about three hours later wanting to go out. She got up and walked almost normally and was able to get outside. She seems okay today and was walking better. I didn't feed her or give her meds at all until late afternoon after talking to my vet. I gave her just the prednisone with some famotidine. She ate a small amount late in the day and a little more just now.

Such frustration after almost seeing her improve only to have another terrible experience. She seems okay now but it seems to change day to day. I just wish for some stability for a few days.

Edited January 9, 2018 by Mistysmom

[Remolacha]

I am sorry to hear this. It sounds like a seizure to me. Possibly a reaction to the new meds? What did your vet think? I hope she is feeling better now.

[Mistysmom]

Sorry to have to report that Misty does not seem to be improving. She is comfortable and I think the prednisone and gabapentin are helping with that, but she is very weak and wobbly and not eating well. I'm so grateful that my friend takes care of her during the day and is so good to her. I spend a lot of time on Misty's bed just sitting with her and talking to her. My vet says I can bring her in for more tests anytime. I feel that more testing is just going to be more trauma for her and that as long as she is comfortable we will take care of her at home. If tests find cancer for sure, it will mean more meds and I don't know if it will improve her quality of life enough to be worth the stress to her. She still gets up from time to time and eats a little bit of yogurt or baby food, but mosty sleeps a lot. I'm just going day by day and enjoying cuddling with her.

[Remolacha]

It’s all about quality of life. Enjoy the time you have left with her

[Mistysmom]

I'm sorry to have to write this...on Thursday, January 11 we had to say goodbye to our sweet Misty dog. She tried so hard right up to the end...I think she wanted to eat and get up because she knew I wanted her to. By Wednesday she was not eating any more unless I spoon fed her and only drinking a little water or the pedialyte and chicken broth I fed her with an eyedropper. After a second seizure on Wednesday evening I called my vet, only to find she was in Florida! She felt terrible, but advised me to call the emergency vet. I desperately didn't want Misty's life to end with an hour in the car to a scary clinic full of strangers, probably with no hope. I only worried that she would suffer too much if I didn't. Thank God, she came out of the seizure and I got her through the night, most of it spent curled up with her on her bed. In the morning my husband and I agreed it was time. She couldn't walk on her own that morning for the first time and refused even water and chicken broth. We took her to our own vet clinic a few minutes away--Acton Veterinary Clinic in Acton, Maine--with a vet filling in for my regular one but all of our familiar vet techs who had cared for her through all of her previous illnesses. Everyone was wonderful.The end was very peaceful, with my husband and I cuddling her and telling her what a good dog she was. I felt all the stress and tension flow out of her body and mine as well, as we were so close we felt the same emotions many times. I was surprised by the serenity I felt. The hours before were worse, and then later the grief of knowing she was gone, but helping her pass on was an amazingly peaceful experience. I knew we had done all we could and that she was tired and ready to sleep.

 

We were so lucky to have her! She had a long and wonderful life full of beach walks, travel, fun and love from friends and family. She loved car rides, running fast, her Airdog toy, chicken treats, her pashmina shawls, and her boyfriends--Hunter, Diego, Griffy, and her special pal Hayden. She found her way into many hearts with her sweet face and her queenly personality. We miss her so much! Moonlight Misty will be forever in our hearts.

 

Thank you to everyone for your advice and support through this past month.

[juliemac]

I'm so very sorry.