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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Support thread for parents of senior dogs

36 replies

Billslills · 07/03/2023 04:15

Waaah, surely I can't be the only parent of a senior dog who is struggling with the almost daily anxiety of seeing my little guy getting old?!

I feel like I am at the vet every other week. I know it isn't that frequent, but it feels like it sometimes, and I feel guilty that he keeps getting prodded and poked and put onto different medications.

This is my first ever dog, who is all mine, and he is my whole world. It is so hard. Tell me I am not alone! Does anyone have any tips to stop worrying so much?

OP posts:
Konfetka · 18/07/2023 12:17

Ariela · 07/03/2023 11:21

I do wish you'd use the term 'owner'

Oh do bore off.

MadisonAvenue · 18/07/2023 12:30

Konfetka · 18/07/2023 12:17

Oh do bore off.

Show quote history

The thing is that you do ‘parent’ dogs. Just like with children you ensure they eat well, get exercise, are healthy, encourage good behaviour and deal with any issues that may crop up.

cocksstrideintheevening · 18/07/2023 12:38

@Chesneyhawkes1 we've had issues with food. He was on hills w/d but started refusing it and he has to eat to get the insulin right.

The vet recommended Chappie and he was great on that for a couple of years but they changed the formula taking it to 12% fat by dry matter which was too high.

He is now on burns white fish and rice which is around 8%. He loves it and glucose is stable. Only problem is he stinks!

I contacted all the ones like Butternut Box etc and they are all too high in fat.

I have in emergencies made my own using turkey mine and copying the composition from his current food which he loves but am worried I'm going to get it wrong.

cocksstrideintheevening · 18/07/2023 12:40

MadisonAvenue · 18/07/2023 11:57

Hi, our boy is 11 and a mix of Collie, GSD and probably a few others.

He was diagnosed with diabetes in Dec 2021 which came as a shock as he wasn’t overweight, got plenty of exercise and wasn’t overfed treats.

In January 2022 he developed cataracts and that really knocked him around, he couldn’t adapt to not being able to see. He lost his love of life and we wondered on more that one occasion if we were being kind to him.

However, we looked into cataract surgery, our vet referred him to a specialist and he had the surgery in April 2022. His insurance luckily had just renewed for the year and we maxed it out to get that done and it was honestly the best thing we’ve done, it gave him his life back.

He has insulin injections twice daily and two lots of eye drops morning and night.

I'm glad the surgery worked for yours! We did investigate it but we together with the vet decided it wasn't the right thing to do for him. Let's just say he's not a fan of vets / treatment and I don't think he would have tolerated the initial drop regime.

I had to muzzle him for insulin for the first six months but he's got a lot better at that now and waits patiently for it. I think he knows it makes him feel ok.

Chesneyhawkes1 · 18/07/2023 12:41

@cocksstrideintheevening yes I fed the jrt chappie after he had a bout of pancreatitis.

Then moved over to the low fat butchers after that. Which he seemed to love.

He had that attack aged 14 I think and thankfully it never happened again.

He was raw fed for years but they stopped making oily fish and tripe 🤢 which he loved!

Pasithean · 18/07/2023 12:56

I’ve had two. One made it to 16.5 and the other one 18 . 5. Current one is around 11.

Chesneyhawkes1 · 18/07/2023 17:11

@Billslills thank you ☺️

Original poster
Billslills · 13/08/2023 01:38

Hello everyone.

Unfortunately, yesterday morning we said a very sad goodbye to my little dream man.

We are absolutely heartbroken. He truly was the main character of our story and the centre of our universe for the past 7 years, but I do take comfort looking back through my 10,000 photos (😂) remembering how truly great his life was.

Lots of tears shed and I’m sure many more to come but we loved each other so, so much, it’s all been worth it. 🤍

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 13/08/2023 01:48

Sorry for your loss @Billslills 💐🐾.

userxx · 14/08/2023 20:22

It really does rip your heart out 💔.

Time is a healer.

Cieloazzurro · 14/08/2023 20:46

@Billslills So sorry for you loss. It’s heartbreaking. Try to take some comfort from the lovely life you gave him xxx

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