Had to take Hanna to the emergency room

[LindaLS]

Well things seem to be going from bad to worse for my furbaby. First she is 15 1/2 years old and yeah I know I should not be surprised but I am and it is breaking my heart. Even the vet always said you would never know Hannas age because she is so lively and happy. That was till this last Sept, she does have some arthritis in her hips but not real bad. Last Sept I took her in for a check up and discovered she has developed a heart murmur and it will progress into congestive heart failure.

Well I'm dealing with that and I have made a few changes as to not walking her on real long trips and being careful with how active she is and for how long. But than we notice she has begun to act strangely and talked to the vet about this a few months ago and she said Hanna had developed dementia. Or a doggy form of it. Ok I will adapt and deal with this too. This is what Moms do, but when she has that confused look it is a bit sad.

This morning we get up and my husband let the dogs out and didn't watch them. The yard is fenced but I always watch them go down the steps because of her hips. Nothing happened that we know but when she came in she kept wandering around the house. Lay down, get up, wander, whine, lay down get up and continue to whine. I called the vet and got her in there thinking it was her arthritis.

This was the weekend vet not her regular one but was as sweet as he could be. He took an xray and came back with the results. Yes she has arthritis but that isn't the problem. It's her back. She has degenerative disc disease and two of her disc are pressing together plus they have spurs. And that is where her pain is coming from, vet said she may have just moved wrong and aggravated them.

Well now she is on two different pain meds and will be for the rest of her life. I've been told this may not be a great idea because of the liver so
I asked him how her heart was doing and he said it is at about the 2 1/2 stage so no meds for that yet. But she has begun the cough every now and again. I asked him what he thought could be her life span that is left, naturally he said he couldn't give an exact time but would guess 1 to maybe 2 years at the most. If that is all she has than she will have the meds and have all the relief I can afford.

With everything hitting her this year, one thing after the other, has me scared to death over this. My husband and I were gonna go on a trip this Aug to the longest yard sale in the world and than on up to NY for our 44 anniversary trip. We were gonna take the slide in camper but I told him today we had better not do that. I believe Hanna would get too stressed in that small camper for a week.

But we will take the big 5th wheel as that is like a second home to her and just skip the 3 days of yard sale. No big deal we can do it some other time. Well this had turned into a mini book and all I wanted to say is my baby is all of a sudden getting old and showing so many signs that it is scaring the pee out of me.

Guess I just needed to share my pain. I want to cry just thinking about not having her. Sorry for being so long and thanks for listening.

[lisaly]

I'm so very sorry you and Hanna are going through this. It will be five years in June that I lost my little gir, Ashley close to her seventeenth birthday. She had an enlarged heart, and she developed CCD, a form of canine dementia, the last year of her life. Anipryl helped with her anxiety and a little with her confusion. Keeping her safe was a challenge because they loose depth perception with CDS (another name for Canine Cognitive Dysfunction). Ashley loved being he'd close because she felt safer that way. I pray that you and Hanna share many, many more beautiful moments together and that the medications help her pain.

[yorkiemini]

I am so impressed that you have a 15 year old baby! My previous baby lived to be 11 but had had some tough medication years with necrotizing encephalitis. Lots of love has been shared in your 15.5 years and many of us would envy that.
I can only imagine how you feel. The love and care you are giving her is so admirable, and yes the big yard sale will be there another year. Hold her tight and know that lots of folks on YT share your joy in having her all these years and concerns with the path you are having to follow now.
Blessings to all of you!

[107barney]

I'm sorry. I know how you feel. My little boy is 14.5 and he isn't going to be around much longer due to his heart disease. He's currently recovering from pneumonia that came out of the blue. It's tough to see them perky and lively one minute and then see them struggling the next. I am pretty sure I'll be canceling my upcoming vacation because I'd rather be with him and the thought of being unable to call the shots in this part of his life is too hard to think about. I plan to put him to sleep before he has even one day of suffering. Hang in there, meds do help them and you're little friend will tell you when it's enough.

[LindaLS]

I want to thank you all for replying. It is so good to hear from others who know exactly what I feel.

Even my daughter said "Mom get a grip, no matter how you look at it she is only a dog" (they have outside dogs) Well I blew and told her no matter what she had better get prepared because when it does happen I am gonna fall apart and grieve her like my baby she is.

This morning at 5:30 am. she woke my up whining. Took them outside (I also have an 11 yr old Shih Tzu Chihuahua mix) and then brought them in and gave Hanna her meds.

She is doing much better this morning she is laying in the living room looking towards the bedroom waiting for Dad to get up. But there is no whining and pacing

In one way it hurts to hear about your babies going through senior changes and yet it is good to know I am not the only one. I am so sorry your babies didn't make it this far and I guess I am being selfish caring on about her. I am very grateful I have had her in my life as long as I have and will value each day we have left.

Again thank you for your responses and my heart goes to each of you

[matese]

My little girl is gone now 18 months. I went through the same thing with dementia, getting confused as to where she was, she would get stuck in corners and not be able to get out, this all happened at age 15, she started loosing sight and hearing, she had cushings disease at age 10 but was on meds and was doing good. If I went out she would cry and howling the entire time I was gone, this I was told by my neighbors, she was then 17 y/o sweet thing was scared and afraid to be left alone. She had a strong heart, ate good, was in no pain, it was painful to have her from a 8 week old baby to a 17 y/o baby, and see her declining, but my love fot her grew stronger each day. One day she was fine, the next day she wasn't, she spent 7 days in the hospital, she never came home, her organs were shutting down, I had to put her down, that was the most over whelming thing I have had to do. Yes, I had other yorkies that I had to put down, but this girl was with me the longest. I wouldn't change a thing, If you can keep your baby pain free, and she still has quality of life, love her each and every day, when it's her time to leave you, you will know. I miss my girl and think of her every single day, I was blessed to have her for 17 years.

[Yorkiemom1]

These are all issues we are all faced with when we are fortunate enough to have a wonderful devoted senior with us for that length of time. My seniors are on Glyco-Flex III for arthritis in hips and spine. It makes a tremendous difference, enabling a little old lady that could gotten to the point where she just would rather not get up at all, to once again chasing birds up and down the fence.....she moves a little slower than she did when she was young but the change after the med was started is nothing short of a miracle.

The congestive heart failure should be looked at by a specialist for the best, most cutting edge approach in meds....if she is beginning to cough a little, she may need some diuretic for the congestive failure that will/may be developing.....I had one on Vasotec and Lasix and she did fine with her heart issue for 8 years.... Milk Thistle for the assault on her liver from the addition of all the meds, could help her.....I give mine Milk Thistle because I know the benefits for their liver!

The dementia is tough to watch.....it breaks your heart to see the confusion and that "lost" look....supportive care and tenderness and love to help her with this....they have meds for that too, but I did not ever have one treated medically for that. Eye sight also goes...cataracts develop and that adds to her insecurity and feelings of being lost. Keep her very close to you, leave the house the same (dont rearrange furniture as this will add to confusion), travel in whatever mode she is familiar with, and I would maybe hold off on any adventures that would add fear or confusion to her day....

I lost my baby girl at 17 years old...and those last 3 years I devoted absolutely to her and what she needed and wanted....less stress and no changes in schedules or environment.....and I dont regret one minute of that restrictive, confined 3 years....I would do it all again if I could have her back for another 3 years under the same circumstances. Trust me, these are feelings you will also have, as you love and care for and make concessions for your baby girl's senior years. Her race is almost completed....clear her path, move all obsticles from her way, and help her finish victoriously!

[LindaLS]

So far Hanna has never gotten stuck in a corner nor under furniture. She still loves to travel as she has all her life. I've been watching her close today and she is only walking as she has to. No romping or bouncing I plan to get some ofGlyco Flex and give that a try.

Yes her eyes are going but her hearing is great if she isn't in one of her fog moments. We don't have those specialist here and to be honest I don't know if we could afford one. But I will be talking to her vet about her heart. I am taking her in every three months to keep our eye on it.

This afternoon she has developed mucus in her left eye. A big gob of it and that is not normally there. I cleaned it out and wonder if it could be a side effect of the Meds

[yorkietalkjilly]

The spurs in her spine are created from arthritic changes in the area and the disc disease is likely so painful for a little one, involving major nerves which hurt badly and send shooting pain, muscular weakness, numbness and tingling into the limbs posterior to the damaged discs. You can help her by using ramps so she never has any real hard pressure or sudden jerks put on her fragile or arthritic areas as when jumping.

Giving pain medication to a dog in great pain can truly affect their quality of life for the better. Medication is likely needed most after times of activity, during restless nights and mornings. Likely after much playing, walking a lot and romping around, which can even hurt while doing it with inflamed joints and two degenerated discs, once she lies down, gets still and begins to swell, she'll probably begin to hurt and may be restless because of it, feel more comfortable when up and moving around for a bit every so often. Being up and walking can decrease some of the stiffness and swelling - that's why lying still is so hard for those in severe pain. Same thing when sleeping - during the night injured or arthritic and inflamed areas tend to swell and the dog wakes swollen, stiff and in pain. So after activity, during a restless night and mornings are key times to watch for signs of pain and stiffness, caution in how she moves or fails to do things she used to do and to be sure she gets her pain medication if she's not on scheduled doses.

I know how heartbreaking it can be to watch an elder dog struggle to deal with life and hope you can find some solace here by talking about it. Courage!

[LindaLS]

oh Praise The Lord, Hanna walked outside to go potty fairly normal. We have a ramp on the front of the house. Than when I was fixing their evening treat she walked in circles (ok not her normal hopping barking but much improved) we bought a ramp for her a long time ago to get on the sofa but she refuses to use it.

So We have a special bed for her on the floor and she prefers that. She has never been one to sit on our lap but always wants to be next to me. I am the only one she willingly allows to hold her, she will wiggle out of other people's arms.

You know what she really likes, I know this will sound odd. She loves it when I whisper in her ear. She is not your typical lap dog but she is my baby and we love each other.

I'm sorry for going on, I am so thrilled that she is showing so much improvement. Thanks everyone for caring.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by LindaLS

oh Praise The Lord, Hanna walked outside to go potty fairly normal. We have a ramp on the front of the house. Than when I was fixing their evening treat she walked in circles (ok not her normal hopping barking but much improved) we bought a ramp for her a long time ago to get on the sofa but she refuses to use it.

So We have a special bed for her on the floor and she prefers that. She has never been one to sit on our lap but always wants to be next to me. I am the only one she willingly allows to hold her, she will wiggle out of other people's arms.

You know what she really likes, I know this will sound odd. She loves it when I whisper in her ear. She is not your typical lap dog but she is my baby and we love each other.

I'm sorry for going on, I am so thrilled that she is showing so much improvement. Thanks everyone for caring.

Good for Hanna. Glad she's feeling better! Keep it up, Hanna, and NO jumping off that couch, girl. L

OL - I can tell you're thrilled. How sweet that she loves you to whisper in her ear. What does she do when you do that?

[capt_noonie]

It's always hard to lose one, but from the looks of it, she has had 15 spoiled and wonderful years. I'm sure you will have at least a few more with her. I hate to think about when mine will pass, but we all know it will happen one day. You are blessed to have her for 15 years already. I hope I can get that many years out of mine too. One is almost 10 and the other is 8.

[Tink04]

Originally Posted by LindaLS

I want to thank you all for replying. It is so good to hear from others who know exactly what I feel.

Even my daughter said "Mom get a grip, no matter how you look at it she is only a dog" (they have outside dogs) Well I blew and told her no matter what she had better get prepared because when it does happen I am gonna fall apart and grieve her like my baby she is.

This morning at 5:30 am. she woke my up whining. Took them outside (I also have an 11 yr old Shih Tzu Chihuahua mix) and then brought them in and gave Hanna her meds.

She is doing much better this morning she is laying in the living room looking towards the bedroom waiting for Dad to get up. But there is no whining and pacing

In one way it hurts to hear about your babies going through senior changes and yet it is good to know I am not the only one. I am so sorry your babies didn't make it this far and I guess I am being selfish caring on about her. I am very grateful I have had her in my life as long as I have and will value each day we have left.

Again thank you for your responses and my heart goes to each of you

I'm happy too see Hanna is doing better with the medications. There are far too many people who cannot fathom the love we have for these little guys, and no, they are so much more than "just a dog". Tink has been my best friend, protector, therapist, the list goes on! I hope and pray you have many more happy memories and years with precious Hanna.

[kay6688]

It is always hard to think about losing our fur babies! I have a soon to be 12 yr old (in May) that was diagnosed with a hurt murmur last year - he does cough a little and is on Benydryl right now for spring allergies. It definitely helps the coughing - he seems to not have the cough unless it is allergy season - Thank Goodness. He has some vision problems ( as the Vet said "if it was you or I, we would be wearing glasses") I don't want to think about when he won't be around.

[LindaLS]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Good for Hanna. Glad she's feeling better! Keep it up, Hanna, and NO jumping off that couch, girl. L

OL - I can tell you're thrilled. How sweet that she loves you to whisper in her ear. What does she do when you do that?

She is so funny. As I said she isn't one to be held but when I hold her and whisper in her ear real gentle, she presses her body to mine and presses her ear a little closer. Her body relaxes and she is ready for hugs. Strange but thats my Hanna.

She is still having trouble with potting in the house but I can deal with that. Clean it up and move on. She is walking about much better now so the meds have worked.

She gave up jumping about a year ago unless someone other than me picks her up. But all the family know that is a no no. Just wish I could get her or her sister to use the ramp I bought for the sofa.

Does anyone have any suggestions on getting them to use it?