My baby passed away a little over a year ago a month shy of her seventeenth birthday. We were still walking two or more miles a day (weather permitting), and I could still see the puppy in Ashley much of the time. She had dementia the last year of her life, but she was very loving and responsive with us. Once we placed her on Anipryl, it controlled some of the symptoms of Canine Cognitive Disorder, and we were assured that she had a good quality of life. Ashley was diagnosed with an enlarged heart when she was ten, yet she still lived almost seven years after that. She needed surgery for an anal tumor when she was fourteen and she also had two tooth infections which required her to undergo anesthesia. Ashley had yearly dentals prior to diagnosing her with the enlarged heart, but her doctor didn't want her to have anesthesia unless it was absolutely necessary after that. Her last time she went anesthesia was when she was sixteen, and she did fine. Although it was risky, we didn't want her to be in pain if there was something that could be done to prevent it. I was afraid every time she had surgery, but Ashley came through just fine. Senior dogs require a lot more attention and care, but I wouldn't have given up a second of the time we had with Ashley. Ashley still had a lot of life left in her when she passed away. She had a number of ailments that we were treating her for, but she was mostly a healthy and very happy little girl all of her life. Enjoy every precious moment with your babies. I wish you much health, love, and laughter with them. |