Eli turns 12

(I feel silly… I wrote this on the 12th but forgot to upload it… duh).

My German shepherd Eli turned 12 today, on the 12th.  In previous years I’ve been a bit melancholy on her big day because I could see her aging, but she’s had a great past year and she’s really in good shape.  I think the switch from Cosequin to Dasuquin has helped… if you have a dog who takes Cosequin, you might want to ask your vet about switching to the new Dasuquin supplement.  They’re both manufactured by the same company, but Dasuquin has a few new ingredients, and they’ve helped Eli so much that I’ve taken her off Rimadyl.  She’s not limping and doesn’t seem especially stiff when she gets out of bed, or rises from the floor.

Eli’s eyes are also doing well, and her pannus hasn’t progressed, and is completely under control with just Optimmune.  She’s supposedly getting some cataract development, but it’s nothing which I can see, and her vision seems perfect.  Of all her senses, the only one to be affected by old age is her hearing, and she’s been close to deaf for the last couple of years.  Except for the annoyance of not being able to easily get her attention, the deafness has eliminated her fear of fireworks and thunder.  She responds well to hand commands, and generally knows what is expected of her, so we don’t have trouble communicating.

There’s been one negative change in the past three or four months—she has leaky bladder.  It started with just some leaking while she slept, but it’s getting worse, and now she’ll leak when she’s awake and lying down.  If I take her outside and get her to pee, then she doesn’t leak, so I wonder if she has some hip pain which makes her want to avoid peeing?  It has seemed rather damp and cold in the time since this problem started, and perhaps the Rimadyl will be back in her future.  I know the bladder leakage can be common in older, spayed dogs, so we’ll get her into the vet and hopefully get it taken care of.  It’s been tough to find the money for such things with Bunny’s problems, illness with our two foster cats, and Dobby’s spay, but I’m working on it.

There’s one positive side to Eli being a senior citizen.  She’s no longer a high-strung, dominant, snappy dog.  She was sometimes possessive around food, and I worried that she’d try to bite a bold cat who tried to eat from her food dish.  However, Eli has become a bit senile, and she’s a bit doddering and batty in a really lovable way.  She loves the cats!  She’s never moody!  She likes to act silly and still wants to play outside!  She was always affectionate and sweet to me, but wasn’t always truthworthy around other animals.  She’s been in a few dog brawls in her life.  Now, she’s becoming a sweetheart who lies down with cats and touches noses with kittens.  The mellowing-with-age is a really good thing for our household.

I know my time with Eli is limited, and she’s been my constant companion since she was six weeks old.  Still, I’m glad that her senior years are being spent in relative comfort and happiness, and that she’s surrounded by people and pets who love her.  I just want her to be happy, and I think she is.

Sorry about the weird yellow eyes… this photo was taken with the cheap cell phone camera:

Eli_with_TJ

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 02/12 at 08:00 AM

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  1. What gorgeous old gal! I’m like you used to be when it comes to doggy birthdays, especially since my Berner has such a short life-expectancy, but you’re right to take comfort in the fact that you’re providing such a wonderful home for Eli.

    Posted by Calamity Jen  on  02/15  at  02:27 PM

  2. Aw sweet doggie love!

    Posted by Ryssee  on  02/15  at  06:16 PM

  3. Leaking while sleeping indicates that it’s an old bladder problem and not a pain problem- they do have pills for that.  Kenya’s erratic peeing was pain, because she never soiled her bed or peed in her sleep. My friend’s older dog Casey has to be on medication, otherwise he leaks and acts embarrassed about it. It’s akin to Flomax or Ditropan (Oxybutynin). You can probably take Eli in with a urine sample and get a prescription.

    Best way to get a urine sample is to take a saucepan lid and hold it upside down and walk your dog on a leash.  As soon as she squats, stick it under there and catch.  The rim on the saucepan lid should help keep it in the lid. (Worked for Kenya).

    Posted by Georg  on  02/16  at  05:03 AM

  4. Dasuquin is incredible stuff. Our vet started Rocky on it for bad knees (which we didn’t know he had, as we had just adopted him at the time) and it’s *amazing* what a difference it’s made. He can jump up on furniture on his own now, and he’s a lot more active.

    Posted by Helena  on  02/16  at  12:00 PM

  5. Hello, just read your blog for the first time and will be putting it in my favourites.
    It sounds as tho Propalin will help the peeing problem, I have had lots of clients who have been helped by this. Only from the Vets over here tho which is a shame.
    look forward to the next one.
    Sue

    Posted by Sue  on  02/21  at  01:40 AM
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