Returning from a blogging and social media break (sort of)

We are back!!  Sort of.

I wanted to share that I'll be taking part (later this month) in the Caring for Critters Round Robin, which is sort of like a blog hop except folks can't just hop on and post -- it's an assigned thing.  Our post will be live on Sept 28th, so mark your calendars!  The Round Robin is hosted by Jodi and her pups, Sampson and Delilah of Heart Like a Dog.

We took a month or so off from blogging and social media due to some family medical issues of both the human and canine kind.  I promised I would keep the the human stuff private, so you won't hear about that here. This is the dog and cat blog, anyway!

Our dear senior pup, Hobie, has been having health issues, on-and-off, all year.  There were at least four times this summer when I thought we were going to lose him, but he recovers miraculously and this week was no exception.  After bringing him to the vet two days ago, when he seemed to be on death's door, we awoke this morning with a rather energetic Hobie on our hands.  Just now, he wanted to go down the big stairs into the back yard (he went UP them this morning for the first time in weeks).  I decided not to allow him to go down.  It's a bit too much, too fast, after weeks of him being unable to maneuver just ONE step, let alone 13.  It's nice to see him "chipper" for a change, and now I am starting to wonder if the pain meds we've been giving him for a year were causing his ongoing issues in some part. His kidney tests came back normal yesterday, but he is a tad anemic. We have him on anti-nausea meds for the weekend, and then we'll have the vet run more tests next week to try to determine what may be causing the anemia and constant bouts of vomiting every two weeks or so.

Hobie resting after going to the vet this week.

During this month, we've had lots of doctor appointments to go to, and big schedule changes regarding work and other things.  I did manage to get to the Tori Amos concert, which was so meaningful to me and I'm grateful for the four or five people who helped me out at home so that I could attend the show.  It meant the world to me.

Good seat, bad picture!

The cats have been a source of steadiness, comfort and delight through all of this.  They are the ever-present "anchor" of the household.

Cali on the roof of the car

Newman and Tux holding down the fort.

Other than that, I brought Charlie, just last weekend, to Pet Rock, which is a music festival for pet-related non-profits in our area.  It's been going on for 16 years, and they do a great job, it's a lot of fun for the dogs that is for sure.  I was so afraid Reactive Charlie would cause trouble, but he was amazingly well-behaved, and in fact he was one of the BETTER-behaved dogs at the event, overall!! At PetRock we saw our friends from Great Dane Rescue, Paws 4 a Cure and our human neighbor, who happens to be named.... Charlie! -- with his no-longer-nervous Newfoundland!  We may attend another event tomorrow, hosted by Second Chance Animal Shelter, if we're not too tired.  Two years ago at the same Second Chance event, I wrecked my shoulder walking Charlie, so I'm a bit hesitant ... but we shall see.

Charlie Brown at PetRock Festival

Feeling empowered, a few days later, I brought Cooper to PetSmart for the first time, ever.  Again, I thought Mr. Reactive Dog would be the one to cause trouble inside the store.  But nope! I was pleasantly surprised by my wonderful hound again!!  He was the perfect gentleman, and in fact it was ANOTHER dog that got all up in his face and started trouble!  Aside from Cooper nearly breaking my finger with his collar and leash in his enthusiasm to get inside the store, it was a great experience, and I'm going to bring him to the pet stores with me more often.

Cooper in the car after we went into PetSmart.
Good dog!

Our topsy-turvy schedule will continue for quite some time, so I will probably only be blogging occasionally -- probably on weekends and for special assignments such as the Round Robin mentioned above, DoggyLoot, and a few others.


Until next time!  Keep meowing, woofing and wagging!

5 Do-It-Yourself Ways to Test Your Senior Pet's Health Status

I've been wearing my veterinary hat this past week with Hobie (and Charlie Brown who got stung by a horsefly -- OUCH!).  [No, I'm not a veterinarian - just a pet mom doing the best she can.] Hobie had some kind of "attack" the other night, and we really thought we were going to lose him.  I feel that we saved his life, and we were given a great gift -- more time with our beloved senior dog.

I've had a ton of experience (and am so lucky to be able to say that) with senior pets.  But it's been a while, and this sort of snuck up on us.  Suddenly Hobie is "old".  We haven't had a senior pet since Maggie.  It took me a minute to get up to speed again!  Hobie needs me. There are things that need to be done that no one else but I will do. He communicates with me, and I know what he's trying to say. No one else has that connection.

My buddy needs me, and I'd do anything for him.  It means giving up my summer vacations and trips to Cape Cod this summer.  It means sticking close to home and taking a "stay-cation".  It means sleeping on the couch, in case he needs to relieve himself in the middle of the night.  He is not able to bark.  We think he may have "lar-par" (laryngeal paralysis).  We will be having that checked out by the vet, and if he is a candidate for lar-par surgery, perhaps it will improve his quality of life.  He can't wag his tail because of paralysis in his spine.  His back legs collapse, sometimes.  Sometimes he slowly spins in circles with one leg "stuck", almost like a painful-to-watch ballet pirouette.  But he's happy.  He is always with us, right in the middle of the room, "where the action is".  He isn't hiding in a corner, brooding or depressed.  He greets us at the door, even if the other boys knock him over in their enthusiasm.  He gets up, dusts himself off, and participates.  He reminds me when it's time for his medicine!  He is not ready to die.

Today (and it isn't even cool outside) the darned dog walked up the long stairway from the backyard up onto the deck!   He hasn't been able to do that for a couple of weeks.  He still cannot go DOWN the stairs.  I carry him out the front door (only 4 steps) and we walk to the back yard.  It's our together time, twice a day. This morning,  I turned my back for a second, and there he was up on top of the deck! The little bugger!  So, yeah, he's having a good day.

A few people have told me we should euthanize our dog.  One was just someone who doesn't get it -- that this is a member of our family! You don't just "kill the dog" because the dog has become an inconvenience.  Others are fellow dog parents who have had to go through it themselves. Everyone wagging their finger at me, telling me not to be selfish.  Me?  Selfish?  Sorry, but I am one of the most un-selfish people I know, and people are always telling me how un-selfish I am.  So, no, it is not Hobie's time yet, and when it is, we will "do the right thing".  We will do what is best for the dog.

We are not beginners at pet parenting, far from it.  We've had a lot of elderly pets.  But as hard as it is to believe, we've never had to euthanize any of our many (many!) pets.  They've all been taken by mother nature (or, in two cases, accidents) before we had to make that decision.  Sometimes on the eve of the decision... "I'll call the vet in the morning..."the animal passes away in the night.  We've been blessed not to have had to make this decision. It's clear to me that, probably because Hobie is the one I've loved the most, he's going to be "the one" that we will have to make the decision for.  And I dread it, I will not lie about that.  But not today.  Today is a good day.

Wondering how to determine if my pet needs euthanasia, I started searching around online.  Experts say there are five things you should keep track of, and if any of these become problematic that requires you to evaluate your pet's quality of life.  Evaluate these things daily, and keep a journal.  Remember that pets sometimes "rally" or bounce back, only to have a terrible day the next day.  Here are the five quality-of-life signs you should watch out for:

• Peeing
• Pooping
• Eating
• Drinking
• Playing

The first four (peeing, pooping, eating and drinking) are going great for Hobie.  The last one, Playing, was difficult to determine because he's always been one of these dogs who doesn't really play.  He "kills" toys instead of playing with them.  He's a relatively "serious" dog, even as a puppy he was like that.  But, I picked up one of the other boys' antlers off the floor and held it up.  Hobie came lumbering over and grabbed it in his jaws!  Check!  Yep, playing!

We get another day with Hobie today.  A gift.  And it's a good day.  He's calm.  He's in a cool spot in the house.  His ears are forward and his eyes are alert.  He ate breakfast.  He has fresh water.  We took our walk together from the front yard, to the back yard.  Then, dog-gone it, he climbed the stairs!

#WordlessWednesday Look who used the stairs today (twice!)

Pay no attention to our pee-ruined lawn!

A to Z Challenge: S is for Senior Dog

Life with a senior dog sure has its ups 'n' downs.  Yesterday, Hobie wouldn't use the stairs, and I had to carry him outside, down the front steps.  He weighs less nowadays, but not THAT much less!  We walked up the street and he even got his feet wet in the lake (brrrr!).  Last night, he seemed worse, and this morning he seemed much, much, much worse.  Not only would he not use the stairs (I let him poop and pee on the deck), he could not stand up.  His legs gave out while he was eating -- but, he kept eating.  Someone once said to me that you'll know when it's "time" when the dog's quality of life deteriorates to the point where he has poor or no quality of life.  Well, there he was EATING, but unable to stand up.  Feisty little devil!

I started to prepare myself for what would come next.  I'd have to call Gil, since he's out of town at the moment.  Oh, what if I have to make that decision (the big one) now, with Gil away?  I called the vet and explained I couldn't come in today anyway, but any suggestions on what to do.  Basically, we came up with the ol' "wait and see" approach.

After my own doctor's appointment this afternoon, I zipped home (it helps to live in a 5-mile world!) to check on Hobie.  He seemed "ok" but not great.  He went outside on the deck, and did his business, and then I went back to work.  I got home tonight at 7:30 and he's so much better!  The only thing I can figure out is that he does not do well in the warm weather.  Yesterday and today, temps were near 70 already.  Funny, he navigated the stairs all winter long, ice and snow and all, but as soon as the weather warms up, nope, he's done.  The rain came tonight, and he is better.

I'm grateful for every moment with this dog.  I've made so many mistakes with his predecessors when they reached a similar point in their lives.  I suppose that is what gives us experience.  I want to do right by him. He is the canine love of my life.  I don't want to feel guilty about this one, like I do about all the others before him.  But I know that's unrealistic.  Unfortunately, I know enough about grief to know that guilt is just part of the package.

So, for tonight, he snoozes peacefully and is apparently not in pain.  He didn't use the stairs, but he was walking and standing normally -- or as near normally as he can at this point.

For that, I am grateful.

A to Z Challenge, Day 3: C is for Canine Cognitive Dysfunction #atozchallenge

Otherwise known as "old dog syndrome", canine cognitive dysfunction is doggie senility, dog dementia,  or doggie Alzheimer's.  Telltale signs are confusion, lack of (or a change in) interaction with humans, change in appetite, soiling indoors, and more.

At 14, Hobie is starting to show signs of this, but "old dog syndrome" symptoms can be similar to other illnesses, such as kidney disease, so tests are necessary to rule out other causes of these behavioral changes and confusion in a senior dog.

Pacing and walking in circles is one of the signs of canine cognitive dysfunction.  Lately, Hobie paces and pants, paces and pants, and walks back and forth.  Not really in circles, but as close to a "circle" as you can get in a very small, rectangular floor plan.  I keep hoping this is just a problem we encountered due to the terrible winter weather we had this year.  He had one little path through the back yard that he could walk, back and forth, back and forth.  Now that the snow has melted, he has been able to walk through the entire back yard... that is, when he is able to navigate the stairs, which sometimes is not possible.

Here are some possible signs that your dog may be experiencing canine cognitive dysfunction:

Staring at walls or staring into space
Not interacting with humans
No interest in attention or praise from humans
No interest in playing
Loss of appetite or hesitancy to eat, drink or take treats
Learning new commands or a new route or location is difficult or impossible
Withdrawn, unwilling to go outdoors, no interest in going for walks
Becomes lost in familiar places, either indoors or out
Gets trapped in a room or stuck behind a piece of furniture dog was otherwise familiar with
Difficulty locating doors or exits
Cannot negotiate stairs
Does not respond to name or commands (assuming hearing loss has been ruled out)
Does not recognize familiar humans
Shaking or trembling, particularly when standing up or attempting to lie down
Pacing and wandering through the house
Soiling in the house, even if brought outdoors often
Daytime sleep that is more frequent, and being awake during the night
Becomes startled by lights, TV, other normal household sounds (that was not previously startled by)

Unfortunately for us dog lovers, this geriatric behavior problem is common.  Many dog owners attribute the changes to "he's just getting old", but veterinarians are now placing more importance on these behavior changes in senior dogs, and there is a new veterinary movement to bring awareness to this all-too-common issue.

As with Alzheimer's in humans, there is presently no cure for "CCD" (also known as CDS = cognitive dysfunction syndrome).  There are expensive drugs available, the side effects are numerous, and it is not clear if they are effective or helpful.   Studies suggest that providing moderate activity, mental stimulation and interaction with the family, interactive toys, and a diet including antioxidants may be helpful.  Check with your vet first before changing any dietary or activity levels.

Avoiding changes in the household (such as moving or replacing furniture), sticking to a routine, keeping commands simple, interacting with the dog as much as possible, and eliminating clutter are helpful do-it-yourself tools for dealing with old dog syndrome.

Above all, be compassionate and understanding.  Your old guy or girl has been there for you through thick and thin.  I would do anything for Hobie, and am!  This is a challenging time for us.  We just got done raising two puppies who needed to go out every few hours, and now our senior dog is in need of extra care.

DoG only gives you what you can handle.

Senior dog gets lost in the snow, but this one has a happy ending

It's been a very challenging winter, and there have been quite a few stories going around social media lately about dogs going missing in the snow, particularly senior dogs.

I'm usually the one who screams the loudest with outrage that anyone could lose their dog or let their dog out of their sight.  How could people be so careless, so irresponsible.... bla bla bla???

And then, it happened to us.

If it were not for the quick action of my boyfriend, Gil, this story would have had a very different ending.  I would be writing a very different blog post tonight (or, more accurately, I'd be in the psych ward!).  I could be posting pictures of Hobie and to Facebook and Twitter, pleading for help in finding our beloved mutt, scouring the woods day and night.  But instead, Hobie is home, safe and sound, with the rest of the family, in our warm, cozy (that's code for "too-small") house.

How did this happen, anyway?

When Gil got home from work, he let the dogs into the fully-fenced backyard as he always does. I usually arrive home two or three hours after Gil. After a few minutes, like all good parents, he realized thing were a little quieter than usual. When he went to investigate, sure enough he discovered nobody was in the back yard. He went to the front of the house, and there were Cooper and Charlie, playing in the driveway. Good boys!  They hadn't run away, and they had stayed away from the frozen lake!  But Hobie was not with them.

Gil grabbed a flashlight, put the twins in the house, and walked up and down our snow-and-ice-covered dirt road, searching for Hobie.  With no sign of the dog in any of the usual spots, or out on the frozen lake (thank goodness for that part), Gil hopped in the pickup truck and decided to drive the neighborhood looking for the Hobester. At the end of our dirt road, where it meets the main road to Worcester; there, to the left, walking towards the bridge, the forest and the highway, was Hobie.  Gil drove up, parked the truck just before the bridge, and got out.  When he grabbed Hobie's collar, the collar came right off Hobie's head!  To make matters worse, Hobie seemed completely disoriented, did not recognize Gil, could not hear or see Gil, and had obviously lost his way home.  If he was using his nose, it wouldn't have helped much, since everything is covered in 10,000 feet of snow (ok, I exaggerate, but it sure seems like 10,000 feet!).

I looked at that same section of road tonight on my way home, and it is pitch black -- there are no streetlights.  We really do live in the middle of nowhere.

Now mind you, this is a somewhat heavily-traveled road for work traffic.  It's the main route from "nowhere-ville" to the city of Worcester, with 6-foot-high snowbanks at the moment, and no sidewalks. This all happened in the dark, during the 6 p.m. hour when people who work in the city are coming home.

Gil managed to trot after Hobie, grabbed him and put the collar back on, and then he realized.... "How the heck am I going to get Hobie into the truck?  He can't climb anymore."  Amazingly, Gil picked up all 80+ pounds of Hobie and put him into the truck's cab, drove back home, and then carried Hobie into the house!

He then asked a neighbor to help check the gates, and that's when the latch was discovered to be "frozen open".  I had just checked that latch the day before, and I know it was securely shut.  But with all the shoveling and plowing and snow-blowing going on, it got opened again, and not securely latched.  We've had a lot of people coming and going around here.  But everyone knows the rules -- they're all good friends as well as helpers/workers.  They know that "the big thing" is: never let the dogs out, always secure the gates.  We do not know exactly what happened, but somehow the latch on the far gate to the back yard, which we cannot see from either entrance to our house, became frozen in the open position.  The gate was "closed" but not secured.  Any dog could simply push on it with a nose or a paw, and the gate would fly open.  And that's exactly what must have happened.

So that's how we (almost) lost our elderly dog in the snow.

Our story has a happy ending.  Others are not so lucky.

I've learned two lessons:  don't trust anyone else to securely close the gates -- they simply are just not going to do it as diligently as we pet parents do; and 2) don't criticize dog owners who lose their pets -- accidents happen.  This could happen to anyone.

Above all, have a plan and make sure everyone in the family has a plan for "if the dogs get loose".  When I'm home, it's grab a leash, a handful of dog biscuits, and jog the neighborhood.  If the dogs are not in one of four usual "hangouts", go back, get in the car and drive the neighborhood looking for them.  Gil knew the plan, and took over in my absence.  He's not as used to it as I am, but he knew what to do, and he did it.  He's my hero.  He loves the animals as much as I do... come to think of it, he may even love them more than I do!