I had 2 yorkies die at 13. One from cancer and one from kidney failure and my pom died right at age 13 from Cushing's disease. Karma died in '83 and Zorro in 1991. Back then I didn't know much about good diet and routine testing that is done now. I had Nikki a rescue that I took in when his elderly owner had a stroke. He was found on the streets of Chicago so no history is known. He was guesstimated to be close to 18-19 years old when he died of kidney failure. He was always skinny and my vet felt he had been abused from some scarring in his ears and knots on his rib cage. When I got him he was about 15. His eyesight and hearing was poor and I had to have all his teeth pulled. Over the 2 1/2 years I had him, he went completely blind and deaf and slept most of the time. Even though he was blind he would find his way down the ramp off the bed to the potty pads and down the hall to the kitchen to eat. Sometimes with Pixie guiding him. He never had an accident. I had never had a very senior dog and it was very rewarding. I don't know how people can dump their senior dogs at shelters and I see it all the time. I am hoping with good diet and vet care my girls will live long lives. |