Kimber update- October 2017
Kimber's world keeps getting smaller. She had to rest halfway through our walk around the yard yesterday. Three times, she tripped herself and needed help back up. There's one side of the yard that's a steep slope and she's really struggling with it, either up or down. We have three steps leading to the porch of our front door and almost every time now, she waits for me to help her down. (She's needed help up all the time for at least a year.)
She's pooping in her sleep about once a week, now. Even if she's eliminated before bed, or if someone's home to let her out.
When I do her Range of Motion exercises, I can feel how little muscle she has in her back left leg. The last appointment with the holistic vet for acupuncture and chiro work made her happy and energetic, but we didn't see the improved mobility we used to see.
I can see differences from even just a month ago, and they are not good differences.
Through it all, though, she's still so darn cheerful. When she falls, she tries to get herself up and if that doesn't work, she patiently waits for one of us to set her back up. When she poops, she seems oblivious when she wakes up. She loves sniffing the yard, and she often looks up the street, where we used to walk, in a, "Can we go that direction?" way. She wags happily when she sees us or when she gets praised, and if anyone is within 5 feet of the treat cup, she's your shadow. She comes running if she hears the cheese drawer in the fridge open. Now that it's cooling down, she wants to sit in the front yard and bark at deer (who have learned she can't chase them, and are now ignoring her, which makes her mad!) I dug out a Nina Ottosen game she hasn't played with in years, and she was just as curious and determined as she was as a youngster.
And of course, she's eating just fine.
It's really hard to watch her deteriorate physically while mentally, she shows no signs of aging or slowing down. We keep moving the goal posts for judging her quality of life. Six months ago, it was "can she do the three things she's always loved to do." But that came and went- she can't chase frisbees, or go for hikes, or do even rudimentary agility. But she's not in pain and she's still an active part of our life, so we say, Someday, but not today.
Hug your labs, guys. The years go too fast.