I just wanted to post to get a general consensus from chazzers. I know several of us on here have doggies that are showing some grays and getting up there in age and while I am in complete denial and Maddie is going to live forever, I had some questions, and I wanted to hear some stories of what others are going through.
I have been concerned about a couple things with Maddie, and I am unsure if I am overreacting or nit-picking, or if there is reason to be concerned / I should persist with the vet and want medications, etc.
I really only have two dogs that I grew up with that I have experience with knowing them when they were young and as they were aging. With Nikki, the sheltie I grew up with she was very sedentary in her later years so there were never any "weird" problems... And both dogs were VERY overweight so my experience with that part is limited as well
I wanted to share a list of I've noticed with Maddie lately, I voiced my concerns to the vet and he told me to journal things and we'll go over it at her next appt. All of her blood work, fecal, urine, eye tests came back good (minus the one eye she's blind in, lol, of course.) She has lost a lot of her hearing...
She gets walked daily and since its so cold we play ball in the house, her activity level is the same, she's always go-go-go unless she's sleeping, which she does sleep more than she used to.
My Mom has read over and says I am over-reacting and this is all normal-again-dog stuff. Which if that's true I'm good with that!!
* Hearing - she sleeps like the dead. Like, dead ferret sleep for those who know how that is She doesn't hear me come home, so no longer greets me at the door or is excited to see me When I wake her she excited-startles wiggles her butt at me, but doesnt want petted, immediatley wants to go outside. Nikki never lost her hearing but from what I've read online that's normal
* Speaking of outside - she plays the out/in game. A LOT. She used to do this when she was bored, when she was younger. Sometimes she "goes", but most times she just walks around and wants back in. We used to cuddle on the couch and watch movies all night but I'm letting her out 5-6 times in like 2 hours(give or take).
* Hungry hungry hungry, but has lost some weight. Maybe normal muscle tone loss in an older dog? Not sure. I am feeding her twice what I was to maintain (including some wet)... but as far as her appetite, its the same lol in the sense that she's always been a starvin' marvin' Thyroid is normal
* She had a couple of accidents a couple weeks ago. She hasn't had an accident in YEEEEARS and hasn't had any since. Very weird. My brother is almost always home to let her out (and she always "asks" to go out, but she didn't this time) my schedule was inconsistent, but I was home when she had the accidents and she did it almost right in front of me (went behind my chair)
* All of the sudden out of nowhere she's been running off, even trying to door dart - which makes me sad because this is a dog who's been offleash / hiking pretty much her whole life. And now that her hearing is going I can't call her back so she has to be leashed unless she's in a familiar space and a very secure fence
*The other day the leash snap was frozen and busted when she hit the end of it (which is also knew behavior, leash charging) she took off. Normally, she comes back within 5-10 minutes (she ran off twice when we first moved in last year. Pushed the door open with her paw, never got the chance to since then). But she go confused and lost and I couldn't find her for nearly 2 hours. (Bailey was out with me in the freezing cold looking for her). Eventually she went the the neighbors back door 3 houses down because they had a door similar to ours. She was scratching and crying to be let in, and then freaked when they went to let her in and they were strangers. Oy.
* At night in bed she is way more clingy and cuddly than she used to be. This is not a complaint at all lol. But she has to be touching me, or often lays on top of me all night long. She used to need her space, and I kick a lot so she used to prefer her bed lol
* Anxious/Antsy outside of the house, won't settle down even in familiar places. Car is fine. Parents house, friends houses, she can't lay down and is up my butt or playing the out/in game if I am not actively working with her, like training class. It may sound petty but its enough to make me leave her at home instead of taking her like I usually would if I was helping my parents or a friend move furniture or something. This goes back as far as Thanksgiving because I remember I left earlier than I normally would because I wanted to get her home.
That's all I've got right now. Her appt is next week, some think I am overreacting If I am, that'd be great. If there's nothing I should be medically worried about, just need to change a few thing here with me and her, that'd be great too. I am more worried she is sick or something medically wrong, you know? Ah nice little long vent here, sorry
I have been concerned about a couple things with Maddie, and I am unsure if I am overreacting or nit-picking, or if there is reason to be concerned / I should persist with the vet and want medications, etc.
I really only have two dogs that I grew up with that I have experience with knowing them when they were young and as they were aging. With Nikki, the sheltie I grew up with she was very sedentary in her later years so there were never any "weird" problems... And both dogs were VERY overweight so my experience with that part is limited as well
I wanted to share a list of I've noticed with Maddie lately, I voiced my concerns to the vet and he told me to journal things and we'll go over it at her next appt. All of her blood work, fecal, urine, eye tests came back good (minus the one eye she's blind in, lol, of course.) She has lost a lot of her hearing...
She gets walked daily and since its so cold we play ball in the house, her activity level is the same, she's always go-go-go unless she's sleeping, which she does sleep more than she used to.
My Mom has read over and says I am over-reacting and this is all normal-again-dog stuff. Which if that's true I'm good with that!!
* Hearing - she sleeps like the dead. Like, dead ferret sleep for those who know how that is She doesn't hear me come home, so no longer greets me at the door or is excited to see me When I wake her she excited-startles wiggles her butt at me, but doesnt want petted, immediatley wants to go outside. Nikki never lost her hearing but from what I've read online that's normal
* Speaking of outside - she plays the out/in game. A LOT. She used to do this when she was bored, when she was younger. Sometimes she "goes", but most times she just walks around and wants back in. We used to cuddle on the couch and watch movies all night but I'm letting her out 5-6 times in like 2 hours(give or take).
* Hungry hungry hungry, but has lost some weight. Maybe normal muscle tone loss in an older dog? Not sure. I am feeding her twice what I was to maintain (including some wet)... but as far as her appetite, its the same lol in the sense that she's always been a starvin' marvin' Thyroid is normal
* She had a couple of accidents a couple weeks ago. She hasn't had an accident in YEEEEARS and hasn't had any since. Very weird. My brother is almost always home to let her out (and she always "asks" to go out, but she didn't this time) my schedule was inconsistent, but I was home when she had the accidents and she did it almost right in front of me (went behind my chair)
* All of the sudden out of nowhere she's been running off, even trying to door dart - which makes me sad because this is a dog who's been offleash / hiking pretty much her whole life. And now that her hearing is going I can't call her back so she has to be leashed unless she's in a familiar space and a very secure fence
*The other day the leash snap was frozen and busted when she hit the end of it (which is also knew behavior, leash charging) she took off. Normally, she comes back within 5-10 minutes (she ran off twice when we first moved in last year. Pushed the door open with her paw, never got the chance to since then). But she go confused and lost and I couldn't find her for nearly 2 hours. (Bailey was out with me in the freezing cold looking for her). Eventually she went the the neighbors back door 3 houses down because they had a door similar to ours. She was scratching and crying to be let in, and then freaked when they went to let her in and they were strangers. Oy.
* At night in bed she is way more clingy and cuddly than she used to be. This is not a complaint at all lol. But she has to be touching me, or often lays on top of me all night long. She used to need her space, and I kick a lot so she used to prefer her bed lol
* Anxious/Antsy outside of the house, won't settle down even in familiar places. Car is fine. Parents house, friends houses, she can't lay down and is up my butt or playing the out/in game if I am not actively working with her, like training class. It may sound petty but its enough to make me leave her at home instead of taking her like I usually would if I was helping my parents or a friend move furniture or something. This goes back as far as Thanksgiving because I remember I left earlier than I normally would because I wanted to get her home.
That's all I've got right now. Her appt is next week, some think I am overreacting If I am, that'd be great. If there's nothing I should be medically worried about, just need to change a few thing here with me and her, that'd be great too. I am more worried she is sick or something medically wrong, you know? Ah nice little long vent here, sorry