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  1. #1
    Best Friend Retriever
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    So Hard to Watch our Babies Get Old.....

    Molly has been having trouble getting up lately, so we ordered her a lifting harness from Solv-it. We had so much ice & snow, & a couple of times she stepped into deep snow & pretty much got stuck. She also got sore from trying to get around on the ice. The harness is quite a contraption of buckles & straps, & I told her she looks like a cart pony so I'll have to buy her a cart so I can hitch her up & go for a ride.....she hates it, but sweet patient girl that she is, puts up with whatever we decide to do. I usually only put it on her to take her outside for walks, because if she were to fall & couldn't get back up, I'd never be able to lift her all the way up & carry her, but with this, I can help raise her rear so that she can get her feet under her.

    She had her appointment with the vet yesterday, & we rechecked her blood because for the past couple of years her ALT liver value has been a little high. Vet says not dangerously high, but a couple years ago it was 203 or so, then last year I think it was 278 or something like that, so she has been on Denamarin ever since. Now this time, it was back down a bit to 208, so still not normal, but vet said going in the right direction. Since she does have that issue with her liver, vet didn't really want to start Molly on Rimadyl, so prescribed Gabapentin instead. I really hope it will help Molly--it is so hard to watch her think about getting up, then try & haul herself forward on her front end & hope the rear end will follow. Then she hobbles around for a little bit until her legs get going again. The vet said there is a new product coming out that doesn't have all the side effects of Rimadyl, so she was going to check & see if it is available for order yet. I love this sweet girl so much, I don't know what I'll ever do without her when that time comes.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    It is so hard to watch. The best we can do is make them as comfortable as possible and helping them enjoy each day. I had to do the same for Melody and Mardi to help them walk.

    Check with your vet, but my vet had Potion, who did have altered liver values after taking Rimadyl, on Hepagen C (milk thistle) and wild salmon oil. They both help support liver function.

    Sending mojo and gentle hugs.
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  3. #3
    Best Friend Retriever annkie's Avatar
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    It's really depressing to watch them when they start to lose abilities. We said goodbye to ours a month and a half ago. You do what you can for them for as long as you can. He was also on Gaba for a bit towards the end. It makes them drowsy. I actually cut it because he was just laying there in a daze. I didn't like it. I hope it works for yours. Best of luck.


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  4. #4
    Senior Dog
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    It’s very hard ... we’ve been through it a few times. (((HUGS)))
    Annette

    Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
    Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015

    Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009

    And remembering:

    Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
    Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015

    And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014

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  5. #5
    Senior Dog
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    Yes...it is hard to watch them grow old....but having a senior dog is so special...

    If they could talk...here's a few things they would tell you:

    'I can't see as well anymore. I can’t hear as well either.'

    'I am a little more anxious now.'

    'I get cold more easily now.'

    'I can't move as well as I used to because my joints hurt.'

    'I may have the same appetite, but I can’t burn calories like I used to'

    'I get confused sometimes and may forget some of our old rules.'

    'I need a little extra care in grooming these days.'

    Though it may sound like a lot of work to care for your dog as he hits the senior years, such devotion has its own special rewards, including knowing that you’ve done everything you can for a companion that has been dependent on you from day one.

  6. #6
    Senior Dog Berna's Avatar
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    I know how you feel. Although Cookie is still pretty mobile and active, I miss all those things we used to do. And I have a tough time coming to terms that he is an old dog now.

    Sending gentle hugs to you and Molly.

    Cookie Black Snowflake
    July 12th, 2006. - May 25th, 2023.

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  7. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Berna For This Useful Post:

    annkie (02-05-2017), barry581 (02-06-2017), Kleb (02-04-2017), labsnewfy (02-05-2017), outrag (02-06-2017), Scoutpout (02-06-2017), Sue-Ram (02-06-2017)

  8. #7
    House Broken luvleeloo's Avatar
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    Yup, my two labs are going on 13. One can't hear too good and the other has mobility issues.

    Sending extra hugs for Molly.

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    Leeloo 4/12/04 - 12/29/18
    Happy Adopted December 8, 2013 (at 6/7 years old) - 01/03/19
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  9. #8
    Moderator
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    I agree. I've always felt that every day with them is a gift as they slow down, and issues associated with aging progress. I just try and enjoy that time as much as I can with them.

  10. #9
    Senior Dog Shelley's Avatar
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    "Better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all"... That's what I keep telling myself, it helps most days.

  11. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Shelley For This Useful Post:

    Annette47 (02-07-2017), annkie (02-07-2017)

  12. #10
    Best Friend Retriever outrag's Avatar
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    The new drug is Galliprant, and it's in the NSAID category for dogs but with much less side effects according to the clinical trials that were done. Yukon is in a similar situation where his ALT value got impacted while on Rimadyl and Doxycycline a few months ago. He's now on Denamarin daily and looking to try the new drug when available. He's losing mobility in his back end and is a little gimpy in the left front area too. I didn't think I would be dealing with this so soon with him (he's 10) but you just never know.
    Looking at some physical therapy as well as Adequan injections, laser light therapy.
    I had a Vet tell me years ago that when a dog gets old, they get old really fast...

    Bob
    Griffin growing up!

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    Griffin Male Black Lab 03/14/16 -

    Yukon My Wonderful Yellow Lab 11/20/06 - 03/12/19 Will cherish the memories!!!!
    My Precious Tanner Boy 11/25/02 - 6/25/15 Will miss you always!!!!

 



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