[matese]

My last girl Matese had to be put down at age 17 y/o 2 months after her 17th birthday. She was a big girl, 17 lbs. She was playful as a puppy and still a very mischievous little tease until age 15 1/2 when she began to loose her sight, even then she was playful, but in a diff. way. She found new ways of playing with me while loosing her sight, dementia (although I did not know at the time that is what she had, I learned here on YT well after she left me,)set in about 16 y/o. She would some how get between the kitchen chairs, get under the table and could not get out, became confused, or end up in a corner, confused, not able to get out, but I never knew it was dementia, I would get her out of these places, she would lick my face for saving her lol, I loved her more at this senior time of her life.Her eyes although she had lost 85 % of her sight were still bright black, sparkling and shiny, you would never know she had lost so much of her vision, her hearing was also about 90% gone. Her hair was still shiny black and healthy, you would never know she was 17 y/o. Incontinence started at appox. 16 y/o. Two months after her 17th birthday she didn't eat for one day and had diarrhea , this was not like her to not eat, day 2 she didn't eat, was drinking water, still had diarrhea, I offered her boiled boneless chic cutlets, always my test, she refused it, I took her to the vet, she never came home, I was devastated beyond words, she was fine one day, sick the next day, came on sudden and unexpected. I miss that little girl 18 moths later. I cried for days and weeks asking God why did he take her, then he gave me my Cody. It is heart breaking to see a baby you had from 8 weeks old to a senior of 17, for me my love deepened for her and I wish she was still here with me now.