My Quincy will be 11 yrs old soon and is showing his age.
 

Quincy will be 11 years old on June 6th and it is so hard watching my senior Yorkie Quincy struggle to do even the smallest every day things.

He has been having difficulty climbing the 3 stairs to get to and from the house to the dog run. I had to buy him a stool so that he can get up into the only chair in the house that the dogs are aloud on and he is even having problems with that. He hates being groomed so I've cut him shorter than he has even been in his almost 11 years. He has no issues with eating thou, which is a good thing. Only that instead of taking a mouth full into another areas to eat he now eat standing over the bowel. He has become a whiner. He whines when he sleeps, I can see and hear him taking deep breaths and give out a little whistle when he exhales. He still get excited and does his little back and forth pounce when the treats come out or when someone comes to the door and of course when mommy gets on the floor for play time. It just scares me, he's getting older and more fragile. I never want him to loose his personality and that Quincy Spunk that I'm use to.

He just had his yearly vet check a few weeks ago and except for his rear left knee joint is a bit loose, he's healthy!

i understand the feelings you are having about Quincy, who looks like a wonderful dog and I know you love with all your heart!!

You may have already thought of this but I was wondering if your vet suggested 1/2 or 1/4 aspirin each day for pain relief for his joints? We have been giving Hansel 1/2 aspirin each day and it has helped him tremendously. Before he was having trouble climbing the stairs to go to bed at night and he's really too heavy for me to carry him very far. Now, with the aspirin he bounds up those stairs like he was still a young pup.

Sending warm hugs and prayers that Quincy finds some relief from the aging process and you find some peace knowing you are doing all you can. Blessings!!

Oh he is such a handsome fellow.

No they have not suggested that but I will be sure to ask them, thanks Diane.

Some of his problem may be due to his weight also. He is one of my 4-Porky Yorkies and weighs in at 14 lbs. Its so funny, if he's taking his good ol time getting in from the dog run or is tired that is when he struggles the most. But when he comes in running and has a heard start he makes it up those stairs pretty easily. Thinking about making him a ramp or a small step so he can get up the last step into the house. I think it is about 10-11' high. He just need a little boost. We've been having to help him up these past few weeks. :)

Quincy is a handsome boy. :)

Have you tried cutting back his food to take some weight off? The extra weight as you know is really hard on the legs, and makes the heart and lungs work harder.

Yes I know and we have, I started about 2 years ago. They have all lots weight and I am very proud of them. Brandi is the only one who isn't at all happy with the new rations. She always want more and sometimes I have to stop my DS and DH from giving into her when she begs. They have all lost 2-3 lbs each and have maintained it. :thumbup: There still tea pots !!

Very good to hear that they have lost weight. I know how hard it is when other people in the house are generous with the food. I've cut my boys' lunch in half and I finally have dad measuring the kibble more carefully.

Sucks that we have to be the kibble police when it comes to food rations but what ever it takes to get them to a healthy weight. :)

chester is almost 11 and he does good except he likes to sleep alot and gets worn out quicker

Hmm. I second the pain meds (no aspirin though). I'd make sure the stair avoidance is nt pain related.


My girl is 11, has IVDD, a LP, and arthritis all over and she clibs stairs. I'd try Metacam or Tramadol.

He just had a check up and vet said the only issues are his knee and his weight/ He never seems to be in pain. I'll make him something to help him get up into the house so he doesn't have to struggle.

Oh my, it's so dreadful isn't it when our babies get older, and we notice all the differences....:(

Not with Harry, but with Rosie our Labrador - we tried Metacam but it didn't seem to make that much difference in the long-term, it worked for the first few months but then I think her body kind of got used to it.

So we put her on Glucosamine supplements - it eased her arthritis within a week or so, and generally gave her back a little of her old 'bounce'. :)

Might be worth just looking into? I'm so sorry you're sad....Sally x

Thanks Sally, if things get any worse I will ask my vet about it but for now he seems to be pain free.