Living with a Senior Dog
Our sweet boy Buck turned 13 years old on January 1st. How did all this time go by so quickly, and how could he appear so youthful yet so old?
I am sure many of you have experienced a pet aging, and while they all can go through aging so differently, this is the first time as an adult that I am experiencing this.
Buck was our first puppy as a married couple. We learned so much with him and about the breed. I always loved the German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP) and knew one day I would have one. Buck was mischievous as a puppy, really testing our patience, and got into everything! To give you an idea, once, when my husband was painting the basement window frames, Buck came over, looked at him, and immediately stuck his head into the paint. Believe it or not, GSPs are very smart and loyal, so while Buck was a challenging young dog, he proved to be a quicker learner and great hunter.
Besides hunting, Buck loves going camping with us. As a pup, we have memories of him stealing bones out of the trash and running in circles while we chased him to get them back (his favorite game has always been keep away). He also played this game with all the kids, a great Facebook video memory I get every year.
He was also an only dog until he was about five years old; he accepted Finley into his home but really did not like that he had to share his humans. Buck has the kindest soul and would never hurt a fly (true, he wouldn’t). So his new little sis took advantage of that kindness and became the house boss. To this day, he still lets her get away with everything. While they might not have the bond I see in other housemates, I do believe that having two dogs is the best thing I have ever done. They do keep each other company, play together and learn from each other (good habits and bad, lol)
This past August, Buck gave us a scare and became suddenly sick after a camping trip. Multiple trips to the vet and then a two night stay in the emergency vet we discovered he had some sort of infection in his Blatter, liver and gallbladder. He was so weak, so sad; my heart was breaking. When he came home, it took several days to get him back to some normalcy. During this whole ordeal, we uncovered a mass on his liver. The vets do not think it is cancer, but we will need to watch it for growth. Shout out to VECMNH as well as Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital for taking such good care of my boy and my soul. VEC sent me photos and updates via text while they cared for him. Mass Vet got him in to see the specialist, who was the nicest woman and answered all my questions. BTW our Vets and Vet Staff deserve tons of support and understanding these days. They truly care for your pet but are way understaffed and underappreciated. Please be kind to them!
Fast forward to the present day, I see my sweet boy struggle to find a piece of food sitting in front of him; I see his strong and steady walk give way to slips and slides, and I watch as he can no longer go down a set of stairs to our basement. These challenges are no different than our own challenges as we age (and boy, do I know this!). So, I focus on caring for him the way I would want to be cared for as a senior, with patience, support, kindness, and understanding. I pay attention to his changes so I can always be there for him, no matter what is needed.
I have heard from other GSP owners who mention that this breed whines a lot when they get older. I have checked Buck for every ache and pain I can, but every night, just as we settle down to relax, Buck begins his nightly whining. It’s not crying; it is just a whine, a constant whine for attention; that is the best way I can put it. I plan to talk to the vet about this at his next appointment.
Even though he still plays with his sister daily and runs around (slower than he used to), I know we are in god’s hands with the time we have left. Every day is a blessing, and even though he has selective old dog hearing and, at times, can drive me crazy, I love this big, goofy boy, and I can’t image this home without him.
Thank you for reading about my old, sweet guy and letting me share a bit about him. I hope you also enjoy a few photos of him from over the years.
