Kate lives at my parents full time. I see her as much as I can- usually a few days a week. We go for walks, we hang out in the yard, cuddle on the couch, play with a toy. Or brush...They have a hard time keeping up with the brushing- German Shepherds shed a lot. Like more than any other dog I've ever met. It's crazy. To combat that I go over every few weeks and spend a few hours brushing. This photo was taken on a non brushing week during the start of shedding season. Crazy eh? You can see the tufties starting on her chest already. And as tempting as they are to pull- once you start you've created a mess that you have to finish...
Anyway, this past weekend was a bath, blow dry, and brush out day for Kate. It took a couple hours. :) But she looks SO good now. During the bath I really noticed how she has lost muscle mass, and how her feet have flattened. I noticed that she is much stiffer than she was just a few months ago at her last bath. That getting comfortable on a table is impossible. And that she is old.
She still has a great coat, and is not too skinny. She is happy, and pretty mobile. She doesn't turn so well- and she doesn't like to sit. Her teeth are in rough shape, and she has a very dry nose. I am going to get some Vitamin E for it. Figure it can't hurt (any other suggestions?!). She is very stiff and uncoordinated- lift one leg and over she goes. She has had a few good tumbles this winter, and my dad has had to carry her up the stairs more than once. But she has a good appetite, and can still get up on the couch if she takes a run at it.
All in all she is is aging pretty well I think. Some breeds seem to age better than others, and I've always thought Shepherds age a little too fast and not very nicely. Kate has been an exception, which is odd considering the amount of agility, etc that we did when she was younger.
I don't like my dogs to be in pain, and I can't help but wonder how much pain she is in- due to her joints, and her teeth. It is hard to not start thinking about making that final decision for her. It is never easy, and my own personal guidelines have been about pain. How much pain are they in? Can they still enjoy the little things. So far yes. She is able to play with soft toys still, although can't squeak them over, and over, and over again like she could (my parents are probably happy about that). And like I mentioned- she can get on the couch, and enjoys short little walks.
I like to hope that Kate will let me know when it's time. And that I will know in my heart when she is ready. Until then I will enjoy every moment I spend with her, and try and make a few more good memories of her senior years. Having a senior dog is never easy...
7 comments:
When my Cavalier suffered with a dry cracked nose and as well as Vitamin E I used to use Vaseline. I would put it on either before a walk or before being fed so he wouldn't lick it off. It helped lots for the dry cracks.
That's the curse of being human and loving dogs. We know what's coming as they get old. It's never easy....
Amen...we are facing the same with our 11 yr old GSD, Maggie. She has spondylosis and has really declined the last few months. We can control the pain with rimadyl, but not the weakness in her rear. She still has zest for life....but has great difficulty with steps. Damn, I hate this.
I completely sympathize with you. Sam is getting on in years and I can really see him aging; poor skin and coat, weight loss, loss of muscle, arthritis, etc. I spend a lot of time thinking and talking about what can and should be done and when. It's heartbreaking. On the other hand, I know that thinking about it is also helping me work through the grief of losing my bud. We both have time to prepare for the inevitable.
What a pretty girl Kate is!
Its so very hard when they start to show their age. Not sure if already are doing this, but there are some supplements that can help with her stiff joints.
glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM...those are all good for arthritis.
fish oil & vitamin C have also been shown to have some anti-inflammatory properties.
just a few thoughts, you may already be doing those.
Murphydog's Mom
Oh my gosh, a glimpse of Walter as an old man... (if I'll be so lucky)
Kate is beautiful, and with that noble, wise shepherd thing going on... but yes it is so incredibly hard to see them make that change into seniorhood, and the accompanying thoughts that inevitably start creeping into our minds... Sounds like she still has a lot of great stuff (and people, of course) in her life, though.
Betsy, my shar pie lived to be fifteen years old. The only fault that a dog has is its short life.
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