calliecritturs
Posted : 6/4/2012 10:49:10 PM
oranges81
Callie, it's a full movement. Nothing odd about it. I'll be making a vet appointment for him tomorrow. I didn't realize that it could be a big deal. I've never dealt with a dog this old.
EACH elderly dog is completely different. There's nothing writting in stone about "all elderly dogs do this" -- you're talking about a pretty extensive loss of feeling in the back end if there's that complete a lack of control. And because there is a lack of bowel control that does *not* mean there is no feeling or pain. There can be "pain" when the only other sensation is numbness.
Each dog is so unique. Prissy lived to be almost 21 -- I regret and WILL regret to my dying day what she had to go thru because of our financial situation AND my emotional state at the time. Foxy was 19 -- and really only declined the last two week s-- but it had nothing to do with 'wanting food" -- Foxy USED food to tell me he was 'done', but HIS criteria were that he couldn't walk on his own, couldn't keep track of ME like he wanted to, and it was just plain time for it to be OVER. it was his "life" to take care of others ... and when that wasn't possible ... DONE!
Kee Shu? Unlike either one -- she was likely 18 or 19 -- but truly learned **very** late in life how to take comfort from a human. She was incredibly frail ... but that late-learned "trust" she had in David and I brought her much joy in her last year. She'd had such a very very difficult life, and her last 3 1/2 years were so very different from the rest of her life. When she first came to us she was literally terrified to be "held" by a human. Particularly by me. She was a very interesting dog and the last couple of months, David and I both almost fought over the "quality of life" issue (me, incredibly, being the one who really thot we should send her to the Bridge). But one afternoon after bathing her for the fourth time in as many hours, I suddenly realized how much **she** was completely enjoying the comfort she found in my arms that day. Being warm, cuddled in a warm towel, she was fully and completely relaxed. Awake? Yes sir!! Something she'd never ever had -- accepting love and comfort from a human. For her, that was something precious. Yet again I had to learn something from a dog -- she'd gained something in the midnight of her life -- and for yet a little time she wanted to savor that. And ... honestly, she made it VERY clear when she *was* "done".
An extenuating circumstance that I'm only citing because NONE of them are "normal".
Each was very very different, but very "elderly" in the dog sense.
A very wise person told me once -- you have to look at THAT *unique* personality. What has defined their life? What has been what **they** wanted to do?
To be bluntly anthropomorphic, if they were to find voice and sit down with you for a cup of coffee what would they say? How active has this dog previously been? "Don't let me get to the point that I ________"
I missed that badly with Prissy (because I was too weak to let her go -- **my** fault). I got it right with Foxy. We also got it right with Kee (and that one was truly a shared effort cos she was such a little oddity)
I hope you ask the vet some pointed questions tomorrow ... and I know Dipstick isn't "your" dog. But ... you also have hung out here a LONG time, and you know the wisdom Jackie is sharing here. It's not necessary to let an animal go "as long as they can" to be kind. For most of them that is NOT "kind".