Power Kite Forum

OT question for the dog lovers *UPDATED

soliver - 20-4-2013 at 05:48 PM

We have a 15 yr old dachshund who has become both deaf and blind in the last several months. She has come to the habit of getting herself stuck in corners or on the bed or in a chair or wherever the last place she was sleeping. She does spend much of her time sleeping. When she's not she wanders aimlessly through the house running into walls or cabinets or getting stuck in corners. We can tell she's wandering around because of the frequency of thuds we hear about the house. Usually this is followed by the clean up of her bathroom mess.

When she wakes from wherever she is sleeping she sits up and yelps and whines until one of us picks her up and carries her out to the middle of the yard where she "takes care of business" then stands same spot and yelps and whines until we pick her up and carry her to the water bowl until she has her fill. From there she stumbles around running into things or gets stuck or lost and yelps until someone comes and picks her up.

I can tell you, she is not debilitated just kind of sad.

We have discussed "putting her down" but we both feel that since she is not in any pain (so far as we can tell) and she gladly eats her food, there is no need for this. Not to mention she is a 15 year member of the family, and greatly loved. My wife jokes that the dog has been around longer than the husband (we've been married 11 years and dated for 3 before that).

We love her dearly, but all in all it has just become a little annoying, especially when she wakes at 2:00 in the morning, and you have to tend to her needs for the next 20 minutes before you can get her settled back down and back to sleep.

Have any of the dog lovers in the crowd dealt with a dog in this or similar situations? Any recommendations? What did you try or do that helped you deal with your "handicapped" pooch?

Susie aka "the Suze"

B-Roc - 20-4-2013 at 06:18 PM

As an animal lover I feel for you. They really are part of the family and its tough when they start suffering or losing their senses. I dread end-of-life decisions for my pets. Those are terrible days.

My neighbor had a deaf cat. She use to tap on the floor and the cat could feel the vibration and would know she was being called and would come. But she had the benefit of sight. You might want to try tapping as a means of leading her but as far as the bathroom part goes, that is tough. We all have to go when we have to go and can you imagine if you were deaf, blind and confused how difficult that would be?

There are also diapers for dogs. I know I've seen them on animal planet. Not sure if they are regular kids diapers or ones especially for dogs.

3shot - 20-4-2013 at 06:51 PM

Dachshunds are awesome!!!
Agreed Soliver. She is part of the family. Nothing to do but make her as comfortable as possible. Like all dogs, they and you will know when "that time" comes. Pet smart carries the doggy diapers I believe. That may help with the 2am potty just in case you can't get her out in time.
Also a pet lover here. Have owned a lot of different breeds of dogs, and dealt with all sorts of ailments.
I do love the Dachshund breed. Great little watch dogs, and great with immediate family members. Kinda yippy with frends and other family though.

Here is our current poochies. 2 miniature dachshunds.
A issabella dapple male named Beans
A double dapple male named Weinie
and a female French Bulldog named Mia.

I can relate. Weinie is blind in one eye, and hard of hearing because of the side effects of cross bread Dapples (a big no-no).
He is a little arse sometimes, but we love him the same. LOL
I'm sure we will have issues with him as well in his older years.
But, he doesn't know he's any different!

soliver - 20-4-2013 at 07:36 PM

That's an awesome pic of some awesome lookin pooches 3shot!! Wifey and I love it!

I didn't think to mention it, but we have tried the diapers, and that weird dachshund shape is just not compatible with doggie diapers,... She walks right out of them. We have a toddler in the house, and I've even tried to modify one of her diapers to fit the dog and that didn't work either,... But it sure did look funny.

indigo_wolf - 20-4-2013 at 08:27 PM

16 Tips for Working with Your Blind and Deaf Dog

Lessons I Learned from a Blind and Deaf Dog

Quote:
From Dr. Sherry Weaver:
"I think the hardest part of living with a dog losing senses is when we see them struggling or bumping into things. I have experienced this with my own dog Einstein, who at 18 years of age has lost most of his hearing and vision, but no one could look at him and say he is not still enjoying life. Remember, as Cesar says, a dog does not intellectualize. She just accepts and enjoys what the world gives her!"


ATB,
Sam

jeepersjoey - 20-4-2013 at 08:41 PM

I have three geriatric dogs.

At one point the dr described exactly exactly what you mention.

She said the the "getting stuck in corners" is a form of altzheimers (sp?)

Very sad to hear it.

I am dreading the day when I need to make the decision x3. I just hope they go in the right order so the other two do not suffer. To explain, the third is dominant and does not care about the other two. The first would suffer if he lost his best friend. The second would suffer if the third died. They need to go 1, 2, 3.

Very sorry.

Remember that sometimes you have to help them and make a choice that rationally you know is best, but difficult in your heart.

Good luck.

soliver - 20-4-2013 at 09:40 PM

Great reads, indigo... Great ideas in the first link, we may have to implement some of those.

@JJ thanks for the consolation... Def. not Alzheimer's,... She is blind as a bat and definitely deaf or at least 99% deaf. Wave your hand in front of her face or yell to her from only feet away and she will only flinch if you touch her.

We have distinctly decided NOT to "make that decision" as we feel she is not in pain nor is her quality of life bad... She has just yet to have learned how to effectively cope with her surroundings vs her sensory deficits and we haven't known how to help her. We'll see how it goes,... Dachshunds have a life expectancy of 18-20 yrs, so unless she's called home early, there's still several years yet to come.

soliver - 22-4-2013 at 06:09 PM

UPDATE ON THE SUZE...

So I got a text from wifey as I was readying to leave work that she saw our old maid had blood in her urine... So we both start to think this is it,... It's time to "make that decision"

She loaded up the kids into the car and carried Susie in her arms (imagine a 20 inch long snausage), and I left work to meet her at the vet. We all prepared to hear the worst, and hugged her and kissed her expecting it to be the last time. Handed my car keys to my wife and watched her emotionally stricken carry our poor old dachshund into the vet's office as I sat down in her car to take the little ones home.

After a good hour of waiting on test results, the vet says she is obviously not in pain, and there is nothing wrong with her other than she has a bladder infection,... Oh yeah, and she is 15 years old and blind and deaf.

So in spite of very old age (for a dog) she is hanging on for a while longer yet. (Enter Gloria Gaynor) she sings "I WILL SURVIVE!!! Hey hey..."

indigo_wolf - 22-4-2013 at 06:21 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by soliver
UPDATE ON THE SUZE...

So in spite of very old age (for a dog) she is hanging on for a while longer yet. (Enter Gloria Gaynor) she sings "I WILL SURVIVE!!! Hey hey..."


Glad to hear the update on the little miss.

Sigh.... the last paragraph put me in mind of one of my guilty pleasures... love this scene.



ATB,
Sam

soliver - 22-4-2013 at 07:13 PM



I should say she is definitely comfortable.

rocfighter - 23-4-2013 at 08:34 AM

That is a great picture. Living the good life.:D

BEC - 23-4-2013 at 11:23 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by rocfighter
That is a great picture. Living the good life.:D


Great shots of the dogs...Related but different old dog...My wife and daughter wanted to lay in the sun yesterday but it was still a bit chilly out so....My little girl runs inside gets some pillows and her sleeping bag...Mom and Emma loved it however I noticed that when they got up to go inside for a few minutes......"THE OTHER KIDS TOOK OVER"

downsized_0421131830b.jpg - 39kB

abkayak - 23-4-2013 at 11:42 AM

i have a 140# 9yr old dog w/ the hip pblms that you could fig on...really having a problem getting around now so i feel for you...glad things are going in the right direction.... good luck w/ that

Windy Heap - 24-4-2013 at 07:35 AM

Just put down our beloved 15 year old dog last spring.


It was time.


A tip instead of the dreaded vet visit, is that Vets can come out to your place, maybe a $50 house call, and my Rupert went to sleep at home....you can make a small shrine for them to forever guard the back yard even at 3 foot deep.