Caring For The Oldies

[Henrietta]

My Stafford Gracie is 13 now. She has always been a happy and fairly chilled dog who takes any opportunity for a run/walk/play/trip to the beach etc. So while she has always been active and a tad excitable in her younger years, for the most part she is a very relaxed dog.

She is going to have surgery soon to remove a lump in her mouth and get her teeth cleaned at the same time. Subject to results of liver and kidney function test. We need to get the lump tested to make sure it isn't malignant. She had surgery three year ago to remove a lump in the same area, but it was benign.

She is night blind now and seems to be going deaf. The blindness is easy to take care of, but for some reason the deafness worries me. How do you make things easier for a deaf dog.

The other thing I've noticed is that in the mornings, where once upon a time she'd be up and raring to go, she would rather just stay in bed. To a degree, I think fair enough, so would I. I can certainly entice her out with food or a game/walk. But she is definitely sleeping more. All normal for an older dog I suppose?

She has never said no to the opportunity of fun or exercise and her favourite thing to do is run along the beach, in and out of the water. She seems happy within her self. She had her cruciate ligament done when she was two and there is some arthritis there, but it doesn't seem to give her any trouble and I put that down to exercise and keeping her in a decent condition. The warmer climate up here helps a bit as well I think.

So all and all I think she is doing ok. But the deafness and the slowing down in the morning worries me. And just the need to make sure I am giving her the best care as she is slowing down. I've actually not had an older dog as an adult (as a child we did but it was a long time ago). What other things should I be aware of?

Oh, I should add that appetite is good. She has always drunk a hell of a lot of water compared to most dogs I've known but she has done that consistently throughout her life.

Edited February 7, 2015 by Henrietta

[sandgrubber]

My Stafford Gracie is 13 now. She has always been a happy and fairly chilled dog who takes any opportunity for a run/walk/play/trip to the beach etc. So while she has always been active and a tad excitable in her younger years, for the most part she is a very relaxed dog.

She is going to have surgery soon to remove a lump in her mouth and get her teeth cleaned at the same time. Subject to results of liver and kidney function test. We need to get the lump tested to make sure it isn't malignant. She had surgery three year ago to remove a lump in the same area, but it was benign.

She is night blind now and seems to be going deaf. The blindness is easy to take care of, but for some reason the deafness worries me. How do you make things easier for a deaf dog.

The other thing I've noticed is that in the mornings, where once upon a time she'd be up and raring to go, she would rather just stay in bed. To a degree, I think fair enough, so would I. I can certainly entice her out with food or a game/walk. But she is definitely sleeping more. All normal for an older dog I suppose?

She has never said no to the opportunity of fun or exercise and her favourite thing to do is run along the beach, in and out of the water. She seems happy within her self. She had her cruciate ligament done when she was two and there is some arthritis there, but it doesn't seem to give her any trouble and I put that down to exercise and keeping her in a decent condition. The warmer climate up here helps a bit as well I think.

So all and all I think she is doing ok. But the deafness and the slowing down in the morning worries me. And just the need to make sure I am giving her the best care as she is slowing down. I've actually not had an older dog as an adult (as a child we did but it was a long time ago). What other things should I be aware of?

Oh, I should add that appetite is good. She has always drunk a hell of a lot of water compared to most dogs I've known but she has done that consistently throughout her life.

Sounds like you're doing a great job caring for a dog going through normal old age problems. Deafness is common in older dogs. Worst problem is loss of recall . . . but that's not so much of a problem in a slower moving, low energy dog. I doubt it bothers her much. Good luck on the lump. Probably nothing, but better safe than malignant.

I'm 66. Have to admit to taking the occasional afternoon nap these days. I'm pretty energetic compared to others of my age. Gracie's symptoms sound very familiar. She's a lucky dog if she doesn't have arthritic aches and pains to boot.

[Scottsmum]

I dont have any real advice.

But my old girl went deaf quite a bit before she lost her sight. We didn't realize she was deaf -or getting there til about 12. We just thought she was ignoring us. Lol

We coped remarkably well. We always made sure we stomped into rooms & moved into her line of sight before touching her. If we needed to wake her, we'd ruffle her bedding and stomp first. Only touching her if yhat didnt work.

For night blindness we set up night lights & later on carried her up & down stairs. and in & out for wees.

We also made sure we didnt move furniture around & picked up shoes & other things she'd trip on.

Bowels etc stayed in the same spot. She naturally learnt to keep us in sight when out on walks & dictated how long her walks were depending on how she was feeling.

We put her to sleep, just shy of her 15tg bday as she lost all sight & was completely depressed. But all in all her golden years were very easy & we were all very lucky. I wish you the same.

[meggie]

I think you're doing fine too.

My Stafford girls both made it to 15 & my old boy is now 13, very deaf & going blind too. Thor has arthritis, but seems happy in himself, eating is still his favorite occupation, & he is keen on a short stroll every morning, but his world is shrinking & his routines changing a bit. Last year he gave up chasing his ball which had been a regular routine straight after I finished my breakfast coffee. Silly as it sounds, I miss it.

He also sleeps much more, day & night. Takes himself off to the bedroom about 7.30 p.m. so I follow & turn the fan on for him since it's summer now or cover him in winter, he snoozes a while, comes out for a night time wee about 10ish & then snores on the bed till I get up (even if I sleep in to near 9 a.m.). A big change from being woken by this enthusiastic licky dog bouncing in at sunrise. If he wants to sleep, I let him.

One thing I have noticed is that he likes to be accompanied more often. He will stand in the hallway waiting for me to escort him to bed, or at the laundry door to go out instead of using the dog door some times.

He had all his lumps & bumps removed a year or so ago, so his teeth were cleaned & a couple removed then. Hope it's a smooth run for Gracie & all is well.

Scottsmum's advice is very sensible. We do much the same & take the same precautions though, TG, I don't have to carry 20 kg outside.

As long as there aren't drastic changes to their home or routine, I think the oldies adapt pretty well. If they're in reasonable health, the later years can be good, though in a different way. It's just the same as with us.

Best of luck.

[Henrietta]

Sounds like you're doing a great job caring for a dog going through normal old age problems. Deafness is common in older dogs. Worst problem is loss of recall . . . but that's not so much of a problem in a slower moving, low energy dog. I doubt it bothers her much. Good luck on the lump. Probably nothing, but better safe than malignant.

I'm 66. Have to admit to taking the occasional afternoon nap these days. I'm pretty energetic compared to others of my age. Gracie's symptoms sound very familiar. She's a lucky dog if she doesn't have arthritic aches and pains to boot.

Thanks Sandgrubber. I don't believe she has many aches and pains, because I have at least seen her when her leg is playing up and she won't bear weight on it etc. The only thing is that she has always been a very tough, stoic dog so it can be hard to know. She is certainly slower going up and down the stairs. But she is undoubtedly in good spirits.

Speaking of recall, we did have that issue the other week down at the beach. I'm lucky to live somewhere quiet where you can quite often have a whole stretch of beach to yourself. Gracie normally stays fairly close anyway, but I got distracted with a friend looking at something or rather and Gracie had run quite far ahead and I physically had to run after her because she couldn't hear me.

[Henrietta]

I dont have any real advice.

But my old girl went deaf quite a bit before she lost her sight. We didn't realize she was deaf -or getting there til about 12. We just thought she was ignoring us. Lol

We coped remarkably well. We always made sure we stomped into rooms & moved into her line of sight before touching her. If we needed to wake her, we'd ruffle her bedding and stomp first. Only touching her if yhat didnt work.

For night blindness we set up night lights & later on carried her up & down stairs. and in & out for wees.

We also made sure we didnt move furniture around & picked up shoes & other things she'd trip on.

Bowels etc stayed in the same spot. She naturally learnt to keep us in sight when out on walks & dictated how long her walks were depending on how she was feeling.

We put her to sleep, just shy of her 15tg bday as she lost all sight & was completely depressed. But all in all her golden years were very easy & we were all very lucky. I wish you the same.

Grace has always had a touch of selected deafness throughout her life, so it took me a while to realise that she really was deaf! I can see myself carrying her down the stairs eventually, especially at night. No big deal. It sounds like your girl coped very well. What breed was she?

Thank you for your kind thoughts! :)

[Henrietta]

I think you're doing fine too.

My Stafford girls both made it to 15 & my old boy is now 13, very deaf & going blind too. Thor has arthritis, but seems happy in himself, eating is still his favorite occupation, & he is keen on a short stroll every morning, but his world is shrinking & his routines changing a bit. Last year he gave up chasing his ball which had been a regular routine straight after I finished my breakfast coffee. Silly as it sounds, I miss it.

He also sleeps much more, day & night. Takes himself off to the bedroom about 7.30 p.m. so I follow & turn the fan on for him since it's summer now or cover him in winter, he snoozes a while, comes out for a night time wee about 10ish & then snores on the bed till I get up (even if I sleep in to near 9 a.m.). A big change from being woken by this enthusiastic licky dog bouncing in at sunrise. If he wants to sleep, I let him.

One thing I have noticed is that he likes to be accompanied more often. He will stand in the hallway waiting for me to escort him to bed, or at the laundry door to go out instead of using the dog door some times.

He had all his lumps & bumps removed a year or so ago, so his teeth were cleaned & a couple removed then. Hope it's a smooth run for Gracie & all is well.

Scottsmum's advice is very sensible. We do much the same & take the same precautions though, TG, I don't have to carry 20 kg outside.

As long as there aren't drastic changes to their home or routine, I think the oldies adapt pretty well. If they're in reasonable health, the later years can be good, though in a different way. It's just the same as with us.

Best of luck.

Your boy sounds very similar to my girl. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

Did you find that he recovered slowly after surgery or did you find that his age made no difference?

Gracie has been under anesthetic three times - desexing, cruciate ligament surgery and for the mouth lump/teeth three years ago - and she's always come out of surgery really well.. in fact I remember it being a nightmare when she was 2 and was supposed to be resting after the cruciate ligament surgery.

All the best with your boy!

[Loving my Oldies]

....., but for some reason the deafness worries me. How do you make things easier for a deaf dog.

The other thing I've noticed is that in the mornings, where once upon a time she'd be up and raring to go, she would rather just stay in bed. To a degree, I think fair enough, so would I. I can certainly entice her out with food or a game/walk. But she is definitely sleeping more. All normal for an older dog I suppose?

What other things should I be aware of?

To be aware is the first thing and you are that

Regarding the deafness, just make sure she is aware you are there before you touch her. If you have wooden floors walk heavily so the vibration will alert her to your presence.

My oldest dog is Danny who is approx 16. He is going blind and deaf as well and has less sight in one eye than the other, so I always try to make sure I am on the side with better sight if I want to gain his attention.

As for sleeping ----- it is what they do best LOL. As hard as it is when we recall their younger selves, we need to get used to it. Some mornings, I can hardly wake Danny up to give him his multitude of medications.

I empathise as many DOLers would. The hardest thing, I think, is recognising that our dogs are getting old and many are on borrowed time.

ETA a pic from this morning of my old boy

Edited February 14, 2015 by Dame Danny's Darling

[Scottsmum]

I dont have any real advice.

But my old girl went deaf quite a bit before she lost her sight. We didn't realize she was deaf -or getting there til about 12. We just thought she was ignoring us. Lol

We coped remarkably well. We always made sure we stomped into rooms & moved into her line of sight before touching her. If we needed to wake her, we'd ruffle her bedding and stomp first. Only touching her if yhat didnt work.

For night blindness we set up night lights & later on carried her up & down stairs. and in & out for wees.

We also made sure we didnt move furniture around & picked up shoes & other things she'd trip on.

Bowels etc stayed in the same spot. She naturally learnt to keep us in sight when out on walks & dictated how long her walks were depending on how she was feeling.

We put her to sleep, just shy of her 15tg bday as she lost all sight & was completely depressed. But all in all her golden years were very easy & we were all very lucky. I wish you the same.

Grace has always had a touch of selected deafness throughout her life, so it took me a while to realise that she really was deaf! I can see myself carrying her down the stairs eventually, especially at night. No big deal. It sounds like your girl coped very well. What breed was she?

Thank you for your kind thoughts! :)

"A touch" of seletive deafness wiuld have been a kind way to describe Guin! She was a foxie cross so the logistics of carrying here up & down stairs were simple.

We alao baby gated her downstairs during the day after a nasty fall.

[meggie]

Your boy sounds very similar to my girl. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

Did you find that he recovered slowly after surgery or did you find that his age made no difference?

Gracie has been under anesthetic three times - desexing, cruciate ligament surgery and for the mouth lump/teeth three years ago - and she's always come out of surgery really well.. in fact I remember it being a nightmare when she was 2 and was supposed to be resting after the cruciate ligament surgery.

All the best with your boy!

Never any problems after his few ops, though I was willing to say yes to all the extras for the removal of his lumps & teeth. With an old boy & a bit of a heart murmur, I didn't want to make it any tougher for him. And yes, he was also a nightmare after his desexing (complicated slightly with an undescended testicle). No way was he taking it easy as he as supposed to.

I think the Staffords are generally pretty sturdy & their pain levels very high. She should be fine.

Also, selective deafness seems to be a Stafford trait. That vague "Who? Oh do you mean me?" look ...

[Henrietta]

Never any problems after his few ops, though I was willing to say yes to all the extras for the removal of his lumps & teeth. With an old boy & a bit of a heart murmur, I didn't want to make it any tougher for him. And yes, he was also a nightmare after his desexing (complicated slightly with an undescended testicle). No way was he taking it easy as he as supposed to.

I think the Staffords are generally pretty sturdy & their pain levels very high. She should be fine.

Also, selective deafness seems to be a Stafford trait. That vague "Who? Oh do you mean me?" look ...

I am thinking it will much the same for Gracie as well. Yep extra fluids this time. Pre-op blood test was taken today, so fingers crossed she'll be in good health and get the green light.

What food did you feed your boy during recovery (for mouth)?

:laugh: Gracie so does that vague look, even well before she actually had an excuse. But pick up a lead, ball or food... someone's very attentive all of a sudden.

And that cheeky grin and tail wag that goes with it. Cracks me up every time.

[westiemum]

1423870614[/url]' post='6647658']

1423273360[/url]' post='6644002']

....., but for some reason the deafness worries me. How do you make things easier for a deaf dog.

The other thing I've noticed is that in the mornings, where once upon a time she'd be up and raring to go, she would rather just stay in bed. To a degree, I think fair enough, so would I. I can certainly entice her out with food or a game/walk. But she is definitely sleeping more. All normal for an older dog I suppose?

What other things should I be aware of?

To be aware is the first thing and you are that

Regarding the deafness, just make sure she is aware you are there before you touch her. If you have wooden floors walk heavily so the vibration will alert her to your presence.

My oldest dog is Danny who is approx 16. He is going blind and deaf as well and has less sight in one eye than the other, so I always try to make sure I am on the side with better sight if I want to gain his attention.

As for sleeping ----- it is what they do best LOL. As hard as it is when we recall their younger selves, we need to get used to it. Some mornings, I can hardly wake Danny up to give him his multitude of medications.

I empathise as many DOLers would. The hardest thing, I think, is recognising that our dogs are getting old and many are on borrowed time.

ETA a pic from this morning of my old boy

DD Danny is just divine...

[Henrietta]

1423870614[/url]' post='6647658']

ETA a pic from this morning of my old boy

DD Danny is just divine...

That he is Westiemum! He looks like a very special man. All the best to you and Danny.

[Loving my Oldies]

Thank you Ladies. I think he is a bit cute LOL. He is going around licking the floors now , something that he has only started to do on the odd occasion in the past couple of months.

These oldies sure keep the worry levels high.

[meggie]

I am thinking it will much the same for Gracie as well. Yep extra fluids this time. Pre-op blood test was taken today, so fingers crossed she'll be in good health and get the green light.

What food did you feed your boy during recovery (for mouth)?

:laugh: Gracie so does that vague look, even well before she actually had an excuse. But pick up a lead, ball or food... someone's very attentive all of a sudden.

And that cheeky grin and tail wag that goes with it. Cracks me up every time.

Hope that bloods were OK & Gracie is going well.

As for post -op for Thor, we just followed the vet's overnight instructions & tried to keep him quiet. Spoilt him with puppy Maccas (from the emergency tins of Nature's Gift in the cupboard), but that only lasted till I caught him sneaking the whippet princess's biscuits & he went back to the usual mix of dry & wet.

Yes, there's something about that Stafford smile. My dad used to keep bull terriers & they were all lovely dogs, but I still prefer that cheeky grin.

And yes, that the photo of Danny is gorgeous.

[sandgrubber]

Thank you Ladies. I think he is a bit cute LOL. He is going around licking the floors now , something that he has only started to do on the odd occasion in the past couple of months.

These oldies sure keep the worry levels high.

Licking may be a sign of digestive problems. See:

https://thesciencedog.wordpress.com/2014/03/27/mr-licks-a-lot/

[Loving my Oldies]

Yes, Sandgrubber, it would be associated with Danny's gastro problems, poor darling. It makes very interesting and informative reading, thank you. Danny only does this very occasionally and when he does it can go on for quite some time. He can be quite frenetic about it as well and it is impossible to stop him.

[Henrietta]

Well, just a quick update. I'm relieved to say that Gracie had her surgery Thursday just gone after her bloods gave her the all clear.

She is doing wonderfully. In fact, despite her being a bit wobbly on her feet that afternoon, she was 100% her dear old self. She is certainly a tough girl. I don't quite remember it being so easy! She's been on soft food, but that didn't stop her chewing something hard outside when I wasn't paying enough attention. No harm done however.

Goodness, you don't realise how much you worry until that feeling of relief when you pick them up and realise that they are ok.

Bless you my darling girl. As a treat this weekend we are going to the Tablelands and staying in a dog friendly cabin. Should be lovely.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Henrietta

[Henrietta]

Thank you Ladies. I think he is a bit cute LOL. He is going around licking the floors now , something that he has only started to do on the odd occasion in the past couple of months.

These oldies sure keep the worry levels high.

Licking may be a sign of digestive problems. See:

https://thesciencedog.wordpress.com/2014/03/27/mr-licks-a-lot/

DD, Gracie will lick the couch repetitively on occasion. I must see if it corresponds with any sort of stomach upset. But really, she doesn't seem to suffer from that very often. Again, all the best to you and Danny.

[Loving my Oldies]

Well, just a quick update. I'm relieved to say that Gracie had her surgery Thursday just gone after her bloods gave her the all clear.

She is doing wonderfully. In fact, despite her being a bit wobbly on her feet that afternoon, she was 100% her dear old self. She is certainly a tough girl. I don't quite remember it being so easy! She's been on soft food, but that didn't stop her chewing something hard outside when I wasn't paying enough attention. No harm done however.

Brilliant news :thumbsup: So happy for you.

Have a wonderful time away.