The older dog...

JellyBeanSkittle

JellyBeanSkittle

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We are potenially going to be able to offer an older dog (13yrs!) a home to see out his twilight years. He has little teeth but is still eating really well, arthritis in his hind legs which is managed by the vet and has generally been neglected by his previous owner.

I wanted to know what things I could do to improve things around the home for him maybe and looking into nutrition for his joints etc. Are there any other things I should be considering?

He needs to be carried as cannot do stairs but we don't have any so won't be an issue.

Poor wee mite. Makes me so mad to think of all the people out there who neglect their animals. They are a privilage, not a right! :(
 
That's a lovely thing to do .
I have an very elderly lab .
He hates being cold so we keep somewhere warm for him all the time .
He needs to keep his old bones well padded So I have bought lots of big beds and dotted them about the house .
He likes a dodder around the garden and stables so I make sure we go together am and pm .
We put a bed out when it's sunny he likes to sleep in the garden.
He's picky with food I pander to this he's old and won't be here long if he wants chicken he gets chicken.
We need to clip his claws often as he does not wear them much now.
I make sure he gets a quiet time if the younger ones are being lively .
He has a waterproof coat with a fleece lining which he loves wearing in bad weather.
Good luck with your old boy.
 
What a lovely thing to do.

Goldenstar listed most stuff that we did with our old gsd, I used to take him for a bimble in the field up until he died, but we had to go really slowly! He had cod liver oil and glucosamine. Not sure if it helped but it didn't hurt. He also loved a brush as his coat became quite thick and coarse. I'd love to give a home to a senior one day, I just need a bigger house! And less bouncy junior. They have such dignity and really can teach us a lot about enjoying old age imho.
 
Well, we brought him home.. and his elderly lady too! So we now have two 13yr olds and my sensible 6yr old who has been such a superstar :)

They both had to be given full dentals and a nail clipping session as their claws had grown into their pads.. the girl has had to have several stitches on her body and head.... :( Needless to say, they are still rather sore.

They are going for a potter in the garden at the moment a few times a day but think it might be a little while before they can manage a walk. Arthritis is one thing but skinnyness and muscle wastage from being kept confined is another.... what horrid people they must have been and hope they got what was deserved for doing this to these two oldies :(

As I type, they are all cuddled up together on a huge bed with lots of fluffy clean blankets. The way they should be treated. I had lots of content and happy tails this morning at breakfast, not cowering and scared. Makes me so mad!
 
amymay said:
Bit leaky eyed now.

Please keep us updated on how they get on. What lucky, lucky dogs xxx
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Quite agree, Amymay - lucky dogs. I guess the only thing I would add is that, like all dogs, they will benefit from a routine. Once they know when they get fed/go out/go to bed, they will soon settle - everything else seems to have been taken care of :)
 
Amymay & Camilla4 - when we were getting ready to take them home, the old boy started howling through stress and worry about what was happening. I too burst out crying in this poor foster lady's lounge!
 
JellyBeanSkittle said:
Amymay & Camilla4 - when we were getting ready to take them home, the old boy started howling through stress and worry about what was happening. I too burst out crying in this poor foster lady's lounge!
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Bless you. Poor dogs. It must be such a confusing time for them. It will be amazing to see how they come out of their shells over the next couple of weeks.

What are their names?
 
JellyBeanSkittle said:
Amymay & Camilla4 - when we were getting ready to take them home, the old boy started howling through stress and worry about what was happening. I too burst out crying in this poor foster lady's lounge!
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Oh hell - that must have been dreadful! Dogs of that age will always find it harder to adjust to new surroundings but I'm pretty sure you'll soon have them settled. Make sure they have all the time they need to explore their new home, take in the smells etc and don't be tempted to over-fuss them. They really are so lucky - not many people are prepared to take on older animals.
 
Truly lovely thing you have done and I am sure your dogs will soon settle...

Once my staffords pass 7, they get blood tested annually to show anything coming up. It's how I found my oldest bitch had thyroid issues. Also if arthritic, I would've recommend JD mobility as it keeps my middle boy going and he has elbow displaysia. Saved him being operated on and other friends with arthritic dogs have used this with great results. It is a low cal feed though so you might need to wait till you have your dogs upto the right weight.

Pictures please!!!
 
What a lovely thing to do, well done you. There are so many disgusting people in the world, I do hope there is karma! Would love to see photos of the poor old dogs after obviously years of neglect they must think they're in heaven and I wouldn't think it will take them long to settle in to their pampered new life :-) Keep us updated and good luck.
 
No real advice although I also have a 13 year old (well 12 and 3/4's) he is going blind, deaf, has a heart murmur and arthritis but is still full of beans although we manage his pain with NSAIDS and tramadol.

A diet that is easy on the old tummy, a magnetic dog collar and one of those dog coats with the ceramic type lining keeps the old joints and bones toasty and relaxed.

Can't wait to see some pictures and hear how the get on with you!
 
What lucky dogs to have found you, are you sure they are as old as you think? You may find that with your wonderful TLC they look totally different in a few weeks/months, here's hoping. Huge admiration for what u r doing x
 
*Hoping this works!*

This is Billy with our boy, having cuddles and helping keep the old chap comfy by acting as pillow!
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Thankyou for all your lovely messages :') it has definately been an emotional few days! They are both permanently ona pain medication (metacam sp?) for their arthritis and gums, I want to try and find something herbal perhaps that might benefit them - may chat with the vet about that next week when we go back.

We feed them what our boy has, James Wellbeloved and natures diet wet food. Everything has to be soggy due to no teeth!

They have all just had a day of chillaxing, cuddles and treats :)
 
Oh my goodness, cavvies!!! You are wonderful for giving them a much-deserved loving home. But.... MANY more pics needed!!! Well done you, they look so happy now :)
 
Karma- you'll be rewarded big time at some point.

What a gorgeous thing to do for two oldies who are obviously taking home comforts well!! You could look at glucosamine supplements/ fish oil/ etc to help with their old bones.
 
My parent's 13 year old collie is staying at ours at the moment as they are on holiday, his back end is what lets him down and he struggles to get up, but once he is up and going he is great, and can manage a mile a day at a steady pace. He is one a range of supplements but the one that benefits him the most is Loxicom which he has on a bit of bread before bed, this really helps him get going in the morning.
 
How very kind of you to take on these two and give them a loving home for the rest of their lives. Old dogs have so much to give and I'm sure they'll reward you well and as someone mentioned earlier, karma! I'm a big believer in it.
 
Hello!

The first night went well considering, we are lucky enough for them all to share a room together. They were initially unsettled as can be expected - they just didn't know what to do.. lots of crying (mostly from Billy, and then me..!) and cuddles later, they were all comfy with sleepy eyes. Our lovely Cav has had such a soothing, calming effect on them! He is always by their side and has been super in sharing his space (especially his bedroom! Lol).

Last night was loads better with everyone choosing a spot and settling down for lights out without any protest. I am sticking to similar times to get them in a routine too.

Charlie is proving to be a keen stealth slipper pincher! Went in the bathroom to have a bath with two slippers, came out with one! Haha. She doesn't chew them but takes them to her bed and cuddles up to it. She has obviously had her fair share of litters, bless her, so guessing it may have something to do with that?

Have been out today and bought them a joint supplement "YUMOVE" which contains glucosamine, green lipped mussle, HA, VIT C & E and also maganese. In addition to a few toys and new dog coats of course... ;) They so deserve to be spoilt!

All are currently asleep and snoring, dotted around the lounge :) I have arranged for a friend who is a dog groomer to come to us next week to give everyone a bath and a smarten up as they have been too weak to have baths so far, so have only had the matts off and brushed. Charlie will have had her stitches out by then too. Both are noticibly brighter and tails were wagging continuously today when being patted instead of cowering. I'd say that was a pretty big step in their trust in just a few days :))))

Billy made me laugh this morning when everyone was up and about, he stayed in bed to have a stretch and a yawn, rolling over when I came in to investigate where he had got to, for me to rub his belly! Only once he'd had a scratch and a good stretch he got up and investigated the kitchen...

Will update again over the weekend, hopefully we will have some more photos too! :)
 
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