Signs of confusion in an older yorkie

[AbbysMom08]

Oh, what a cutie he is!!
I'm so glad to hear that your little guy is doing better.
I will continue to keep him in my prayers.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by BonBon

I'd like to introduce Alexander to everyone.

Attachment 326996 Attachment 326997

Oh my! He's absolutely beautiful! What a sweetheart! So glad the news is good! Made my heart smile to hear of him running around and being playful once again.... So happy for him and you!

Originally Posted by lisaly

Alexander is such a beautiful boy, and I love seeing his photo. I am so happy that his blood work is good and that the new medication for arthritis is helping him. I am praying that Anipryl can also help him. You are an amazing mother, and Alexander and your other babies are all very lucky to have you. I am feeling very encouraged by what you wrote. This is wonderful news!

When my vet was only able to get the capsule form of selegiline and Ashley hated it (it was also difficult to divide a capsule evenly), I filled the prescription at my supermarket pharmacy (Stop and Shop). There is a national shortage now, and I don't think a generic is available. I was paying $2.00 for each 5 mg pill for the generic at the pharmacy. When they no longer could get it, I got the Pfizer Anipril pills for the same price as the generic that I was paying at the pharmacy. Each pill is blister sealed. When I originally bought 30, they sent them to me in the box. When I bought more the next time, Dr. Foster's and Smith kept them in the blister pack and put them in a prescription bottle. They worked for Ashley, so I am sure they sell the genuine Anipryl pills. I broke the pills in half, so each pill lasted 2 days. When the generic comes more readily available, they charge $.50 for each pill, but I don't think it's available now. There are places that sell the medication for more than $2.00 a pill, so you need to check around. I would only want to deal with online pharmacies that are known with strong ratings to be assured that they are genuine.

I would like to thank everyone on this thread for all of your compassion. It has helped a lot to be able to read stories from others who have dealt with this. I remember being afraid months ago to say that I wanted to make sure that I was doing what was right for Ashley, and not what my husband and I wanted. I thought others might think we just didn't want to deal with Ashley's care. Nothing could have been further from the truth, and I feel blessed that we were able to have that special time devoted to her care. I usually don't care if people don't understand why we made the choices we did with Ashley, but I think some of it might sound crazy to others. Never once did you make me feel like "the crazy dog lady." I've never been called that (at least to my face), but even I think it's funny what we had to do to get Ashley to eat heartily. You made me feel safe enough to share some of the things I did without feeling that others would be laughing at me, and I appreciate that greatly. I do think there is a lot of value in this thread; I wish I would have known some of the things that were shared in this thread when we were trying our best to protect Ashley and help her cope with issues relating to her dementia. Thanks, Bonny, for starting this thread. So many of us care about you and Alexander, and we feel emotionally invested in how he is doing. Your excitement brought such joy to my heart, and I am feeling very hopeful about Alexander. Both of you will be in my thoughts and prayers, and so will the other babies and families who are experiencing health issues with their seniors. I would not have traded the time we spent with Ashley for anything.

You're too sweet! I think alot of what we Yorkie owners do for our little ones goes a bit 'outside the box' if you will... but only we, as owners, know what we have gotten in return! I also plan to steal some of your ideas for when I am nursing my oldster... so I can add to my list of things I never mention to the General Public! (Ha, I know... it's there now!)

And you know... what one does for their pets is such a personal thing, and the fact that you constantly questioned yourselves shows that you were more in tune to Ashley's needs... but it is a very fine balance, and until one receives a sign of sorts, one cannot know for sure if that time has come. Especially with old dogs, who knows them better than their owners?

Another horrible thing happened to me tonight... While walking Peek A Boo for his nightly wee, he started being freaky about the road. So I'm watching him and he's walking all off to one side then the other and really being weird. So not to prolong the drama... I realized he just figured out the road was different.... it had been repaved a year ago, so it's still all nice and new. Normally he walks with 1-3 of his friends, who must distract him enough to where he never noticed the road was repaved.... when we returned to the yard his confidence returned and he seems fine...
Or early onset of CCD?

[BonBon]

Originally Posted by margaritaville

It's great to hear Alex is doing a little better. Many of us on here understand what you are going through and the pain you are feeling. They are like our children. Hobbes, my Bichon was 17 1/2 yrs old when the quality of his life was at a low point. He had been incontinent for about 5 yrs before that. He had IBD. The medication and diet caused him to have bladder stones and he had to have surgery. He was incontinent after that and wore a belly band with a kotex in it but otherwise he was healthy. As he aged he began to have vision and hearing problems but was still healthy. But in his last year he became confused started having seizures. Our vet was very good and together we decide when it was time. I wish that medication would have been available then. You are doing wonderful things to protect Alex from danger and to keep him in the best shape for a long as possible.

Originally Posted by jacquelinebabco

I had tears running down my face as I read these threads. I took my cavalier to the vet tonight for anal gland problems. When I came out of the office there was an suv with the back open. Inside was a man and a woman over a dog softly petting and talking with him. I cried all the way home wondering if there was anyone else as emotional as me. I still can't talk about my Ember who I had for 16 years without crying. I thought to myself as I held my dogs that I will have to go through that once again and wonder if I can.

Your babies were very blessed to have been loved so much and so well. Thank you for sharing them with us.

I can't imagine how I'm going to feel when my time comes and all my furry little loved ones are there to meet me at the bridge - bouncing and smiling and playing. I'm crying and laughing both at the picture in my head right now.

The love and joy these babies have brought to my life make every ounce of pain seem small by comparison. I dread when Alex's time does come, dread it so much my stomach hurts, but I wouldn't trade one minute with him to escape what's coming.

Hugs,
Bonny

[BonBon]

Originally Posted by lisaly

Alexander is such a beautiful boy, and I love seeing his photo. I am so happy that his blood work is good and that the new medication for arthritis is helping him. I am praying that Anipryl can also help him. You are an amazing mother, and Alexander and your other babies are all very lucky to have you. I am feeling very encouraged by what you wrote. This is wonderful news!

When my vet was only able to get the capsule form of selegiline and Ashley hated it (it was also difficult to divide a capsule evenly), I filled the prescription at my supermarket pharmacy (Stop and Shop). There is a national shortage now, and I don't think a generic is available. I was paying $2.00 for each 5 mg pill for the generic at the pharmacy. When they no longer could get it, I got the Pfizer Anipril pills for the same price as the generic that I was paying at the pharmacy. Each pill is blister sealed. When I originally bought 30, they sent them to me in the box. When I bought more the next time, Dr. Foster's and Smith kept them in the blister pack and put them in a prescription bottle. They worked for Ashley, so I am sure they sell the genuine Anipryl pills. I broke the pills in half, so each pill lasted 2 days. When the generic comes more readily available, they charge $.50 for each pill, but I don't think it's available now. There are places that sell the medication for more than $2.00 a pill, so you need to check around. I would only want to deal with online pharmacies that are known with strong ratings to be assured that they are genuine.

I would like to thank everyone on this thread for all of your compassion. It has helped a lot to be able to read stories from others who have dealt with this. I remember being afraid months ago to say that I wanted to make sure that I was doing what was right for Ashley, and not what my husband and I wanted. I thought others might think we just didn't want to deal with Ashley's care. Nothing could have been further from the truth, and I feel blessed that we were able to have that special time devoted to her care. I usually don't care if people don't understand why we made the choices we did with Ashley, but I think some of it might sound crazy to others. Never once did you make me feel like "the crazy dog lady." I've never been called that (at least to my face), but even I think it's funny what we had to do to get Ashley to eat heartily. You made me feel safe enough to share some of the things I did without feeling that others would be laughing at me, and I appreciate that greatly. I do think there is a lot of value in this thread; I wish I would have known some of the things that were shared in this thread when we were trying our best to protect Ashley and help her cope with issues relating to her dementia. Thanks, Bonny, for starting this thread. So many of us care about you and Alexander, and we feel emotionally invested in how he is doing. Your excitement brought such joy to my heart, and I am feeling very hopeful about Alexander. Both of you will be in my thoughts and prayers, and so will the other babies and families who are experiencing health issues with their seniors. I would not have traded the time we spent with Ashley for anything.

Lisa, I wish you were closer so I could give you a big hug. Your Ashley was blessed with amazing parents, as were her sisters. The care you gave them sets an example for the type of parent I want to be for my babies. I'm honored that you shared Ashley's story with us here. You've helped give me confidence and courage to do what I feel is right, without worrying what those around me might say or think. Bless you.

Hugs,
Bonny

[BonBon]

Originally Posted by yorkieusa

I'm glad Alexander is better. How funny about the liver! Miss Kacee won't touch anything liver flavored! She turns her nose up at it. Now, Muffin liked it.

Thank you! Well, it seem Mr. Alexander doesn't like liver either. I'm having to hide the pills in a bit of cheese before he'll take them. That's ok, though - he deserves a little treat mixed in.

[BonBon]

Originally Posted by AbbysMom08

Oh, what a cutie he is!!
I'm so glad to hear that your little guy is doing better.
I will continue to keep him in my prayers.

Originally Posted by kjc

Oh my! He's absolutely beautiful! What a sweetheart! So glad the news is good! Made my heart smile to hear of him running around and being playful once again.... So happy for him and you!

Awwww, thank you both!! I may be just a bit biased, but I think he's pretty handsome, too.

Originally Posted by kjc

You're too sweet! I think alot of what we Yorkie owners do for our little ones goes a bit 'outside the box' if you will... but only we, as owners, know what we have gotten in return! I also plan to steal some of your ideas for when I am nursing my oldster... so I can add to my list of things I never mention to the General Public! (Ha, I know... it's there now!)

And you know... what one does for their pets is such a personal thing, and the fact that you constantly questioned yourselves shows that you were more in tune to Ashley's needs... but it is a very fine balance, and until one receives a sign of sorts, one cannot know for sure if that time has come. Especially with old dogs, who knows them better than their owners?

Another horrible thing happened to me tonight... While walking Peek A Boo for his nightly wee, he started being freaky about the road. So I'm watching him and he's walking all off to one side then the other and really being weird. So not to prolong the drama... I realized he just figured out the road was different.... it had been repaved a year ago, so it's still all nice and new. Normally he walks with 1-3 of his friends, who must distract him enough to where he never noticed the road was repaved.... when we returned to the yard his confidence returned and he seems fine...
Or early onset of CCD?

You make so many great points here. Thank you for expressing my own feelings so well.

I'm not sure what to say about Peek A Boo. Since he normally walks with friends, maybe he just had more time to do a little exploring? Or maybe like you said, he didn't have the distraction and got a little bored? From what I've seen with Alexander, the OCD made him less interested in things. He quit sniffing, exploring and venturing into new territory. I know that each pup is different, but Peek A Boo's doesn't sound like OCD behavior to me. I'm sending prayers and gentle huggins for him.

[shodanusmc]

Originally Posted by BonBon

Thank you! Well, it seem Mr. Alexander doesn't like liver either. I'm having to hide the pills in a bit of cheese before he'll take them. That's ok, though - he deserves a little treat mixed in.

Tiny Pill Pockets....They make giving pills much easier. Carlo get the Large ones, Maxine gets the small ones.

Liver? Yuck

[BonBon]

Originally Posted by shodanusmc

Tiny Pill Pockets....They make giving pills much easier. Carlo get the Large ones, Maxine gets the small ones.

Liver? Yuck

I've seen those before but never tried them. I'll stop at the store and pick some up today. Thanks for the suggestion!

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by BonBon

I've seen those before but never tried them. I'll stop at the store and pick some up today. Thanks for the suggestion!

I use cream cheese. It hides any bitter taste and it coats the pill really well. Then when they start to eat it the thickness of the cream cheese sticks to the pills and hides any nasty pill taste. When I need to give a pill they would all line up like it was a treat so everyone would get a little. Mine always would eat the cheese and spit out the pill

[ladyjane]

I use Hostess Streusel cakes. Just a tiny bit around the pill...works like a charm. I have a couple of pups who get sick with cheese and I don't trust the Greenies company .. they bought out Pill Pockets and that was when I stopped buying them.

[BonBon]

Originally Posted by megansmomma

I use cream cheese. It hides any bitter taste and it coats the pill really well. Then when they start to eat it the thickness of the cream cheese sticks to the pills and hides any nasty pill taste. When I need to give a pill they would all line up like it was a treat so everyone would get a little. Mine always would eat the cheese and spit out the pill

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I use Hostess Streusel cakes. Just a tiny bit around the pill...works like a charm. I have a couple of pups who get sick with cheese and I don't trust the Greenies company .. they bought out Pill Pockets and that was when I stopped buying them.

I said 'bit of cheese' earlier, but actually it's a bit of Cheez Whiz. Alex loves it and I think it works a lot like the cream cheese - it sticks to the pills and also makes it harder for him to spit out. I've used this method for years, starting when Becca was first put on thyroid meds, and I've still been using it to give glucosamine to Alex every day. It always works for Alex and it's so easy to control the amount I give him. I just thought maybe since the Rimadyl was chewable and liver flavored he'd like to have it as a separate little treat, but he didn't go for that.

I'm gonna stick with the Cheez Whiz for his pills. He's used to it, I'm used to it and it works for us. Besides, he still has to take the Anipryl and glucosamine daily and it's so easy to just mush them all into a little mound of the cheese stuff.

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by BonBon

I said 'bit of cheese' earlier, but actually it's a bit of Cheez Whiz. Alex loves it and I think it works a lot like the cream cheese - it sticks to the pills and also makes it harder for him to spit out. I've used this method for years, starting when Becca was first put on thyroid meds, and I've still been using it to give glucosamine to Alex every day. It always works for Alex and it's so easy to control the amount I give him. I just thought maybe since the Rimadyl was chewable and liver flavored he'd like to have it as a separate little treat, but he didn't go for that.

I'm gonna stick with the Cheez Whiz for his pills. He's used to it, I'm used to it and it works for us. Besides, he still has to take the Anipryl and glucosamine daily and it's so easy to just mush them all into a little mound of the cheese stuff.

Cheez Wiz Hostess Struedel Cakes As long as you let them wash it down with a veggie cocktail it balances it all out!

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by BonBon

I'd like to introduce Alexander to everyone.

Attachment 326996 Attachment 326997

What a handsome boy! Very happy to read the good news about Alexander's test results. Also happy that the meds and other things are helping him, and that he has been running and playing.

You are very good mommy Bonny and Alexander is lucky to have you.

[yorkieusa]

Bonnie,
The pictures of Alexander are so cute. He looks great and he looks so happy.

Originally Posted by kjc

You're too sweet! I think alot of what we Yorkie owners do for our little ones goes a bit 'outside the box' if you will... but only we, as owners, know what we have gotten in return! I also plan to steal some of your ideas for when I am nursing my oldster... so I can add to my list of things I never mention to the General Public! (Ha, I know... it's there now!)

And you know... what one does for their pets is such a personal thing, and the fact that you constantly questioned yourselves shows that you were more in tune to Ashley's needs... but it is a very fine balance, and until one receives a sign of sorts, one cannot know for sure if that time has come. Especially with old dogs, who knows them better than their owners?

Another horrible thing happened to me tonight... While walking Peek A Boo for his nightly wee, he started being freaky about the road. So I'm watching him and he's walking all off to one side then the other and really being weird. So not to prolong the drama... I realized he just figured out the road was different.... it had been repaved a year ago, so it's still all nice and new. Normally he walks with 1-3 of his friends, who must distract him enough to where he never noticed the road was repaved.... when we returned to the yard his confidence returned and he seems fine...
Or early onset of CCD?

I was going to tell you that our road was repaved this summer. Kacee is just 5 and she was freaked out walking on it after it was repaved. It took her quite a while to get used to it, too. So, who knows?

[lisaly]

Originally Posted by megansmomma

I use cream cheese. It hides any bitter taste and it coats the pill really well. Then when they start to eat it the thickness of the cream cheese sticks to the pills and hides any nasty pill taste. When I need to give a pill they would all line up like it was a treat so everyone would get a little. Mine always would eat the cheese and spit out the pill

Cream cheese worked for me for a while with Ashley. I had to use it when I could only get the capsules, and I would mix the powder in the center of the cheese and rolled it into a ball. After a while, that didn't work, either. When we were desperate (but we hated to do it this way), we put the powder in a syringe and filled it with water and slowly put it into her mouth. It tastes awful though, so we only did it that way if we exhausted all other options. Ashley loved broccoli with cheese sauce, and I gave her pills with that. She probably would have liked Cheese Wiz. It's amazing how good they are at eating around pills and spitting them out. We would watch Ashley for a while after we gave her pills, but still we would find them hours later sometimes, especially when she took herbs.

Originally Posted by BonBon

I said 'bit of cheese' earlier, but actually it's a bit of Cheez Whiz. Alex loves it and I think it works a lot like the cream cheese - it sticks to the pills and also makes it harder for him to spit out. I've used this method for years, starting when Becca was first put on thyroid meds, and I've still been using it to give glucosamine to Alex every day. It always works for Alex and it's so easy to control the amount I give him. I just thought maybe since the Rimadyl was chewable and liver flavored he'd like to have it as a separate little treat, but he didn't go for that.

Ashley took 1/4 tablet of Deramaxx each day, and she wouldn't chew those either.

[/quote]I'm gonna stick with the Cheez Whiz for his pills. He's used to it, I'm used to it and it works for us. Besides, he still has to take the Anipryl and glucosamine daily and it's so easy to just mush them all into a little mound of the cheese stuff.[/quote]

Originally Posted by BonBon

Awwww, thank you both!! I may be just a bit biased, but I think he's pretty handsome, too.



You make so many great points here. Thank you for expressing my own feelings so well.

I'm not sure what to say about Peek A Boo. Since he normally walks with friends, maybe he just had more time to do a little exploring? Or maybe like you said, he didn't have the distraction and got a little bored? From what I've seen with Alexander, the OCD made him less interested in things. He quit sniffing, exploring and venturing into new territory. I know that each pup is different, but Peek A Boo's doesn't sound like OCD behavior to me. I'm sending prayers and gentle huggins for him.

I agree, Bonny. When Ashley was taking Anipryl, I got so excited one day when I realized that she was sniffing around a lot on her walks again. Before that, she would just want to walk and walk. If we stopped to talk to people, she cried, unless it was someone she really knew. Before she had dementia, she loved seeing people of all ages, and her body would wiggle non-stop when she saw a small child or baby because she loved them so much.