Dogs Are So Good

[cosmolinguist]

One of the people we went to for help when we all started struggling with what turned out to be Gary's canine cognitive decline (what I call "doggy dementia" because that's basically what it is) has just posted about how one of their dogs, one of the dogs whose name provides the name of the dog-training company, is coming to the end of his life and their concern about him not suffering.

I don't know the dog, but from their description he has similar conditions and symptoms to Gary, and of course them helping us so much with Gary (it is no exaggeration to say that we wouldn't have been able to keep Gary with us if not for all the support we got from this person and their business partner), I couldn't help but draw parallels.

I left a comment

As you know Gary has CCD and he's on Librela injections for his arthritis now too. We are keeping such a close eye on his quality of life for exactly these reasons.

When he had that vestibular episode last year I was so sad at the prospect of losing him but what really hurt me was that he was clearly suffering on our way to the vet hospital, and the thought of his last moments being scared or in pain just tore me up. Having that "trial run," as it turned out to be, of facing a world with no more Gary assured me that I've got no regrets about how his life has been while he's been in my care and that's what matters to me too. Every good day is a gift and we treat them as such.

Next week it's October, and last October was when he had that episode. I don't know when his birthday is but I know he was a birthday present for someone whose birthday is in November so I've always kinda thought of that as when to tick over the number that we tell people when they ask how old he is. So now we're saying "he's nearly nineteen."

"Nineteen!" the strangers usually say. I would too.

He's so remarkable and I feel lucky.

He's been an angel all day, napping through an hours-long meeting so I can attend a lot more of it than I expected to be able to. Right now he's snuggled up on "his" duvet looking up at me. His ability to make puppy-dog eyes at me has been in no way affected by him having only one eye.

Comments

[barakta]

Yay wonderdog. I hope that your friend's dog is supported and peaceful and that Gary continues to be in good shape for as long as possible!

[cosmolinguist]

<3

[muchtooarrogant]

I don't know what type of dog he is, but nineteen is an amazing age for a Canine. So glad you were able to have him this long!

Dan

[cosmolinguist]

He's a jack russell. So they can last a long time, but even so he's doing well! I keep telling people he was nine when I got him and I thought he was an old dog then.

[jesse_the_k]

NINETEEN!

I’m so glad you still have joyful times together as well as such useful support

[cosmolinguist]

Yeah I've been watching from a distance as a pal's dog is reaching the end of their life, at 13, and everyone is saying "oh that's such a good age, a nice long life," and it absolutely is, and it just makes me appreciate even more how fortunate I have been to be able to have all this time with Gary.