The problem with old pets

[Rusti]

is that the 'old' part eventually winds down to an end and you're never quite prepared.

My little 19 year old cat had one side of her face swollen this morning so I got her in to the vet and left with antibiotics and the echo of what's been on my mind for the last couple of years having been voiced aloud by the vet bouncing around in my head.

Her teeth have been horrible for a while now, but she's simply too old to anesthetize her and clean them/pull the worst ones, and this morning I'm sure was just a symptom of that, but if antibiotics don't help, I'll have things I must consider. It's funny how these past three years or so I expected her undoing to be her kidneys, (and they may yet be!) and never considered her teeth to be a crisis sort of issue. Funny how pulling a tooth could probably solve it, but she also probably wouldn't survive the anesthesia.

Funny how us pet lovers choose this kind of heartache over and over and over again because it's so worth it.

She may yet make it to 20, which she'll be in February, but this morning was a reality check I hadn't quite mentally prepared myself for.

 

[divinegoddessoaps17]

So sorry to hear. My cat lived to one month shy of 20. That was 2 years ago. Will always miss her.

 

[PrairieLights]

Ugh. I understand. I lost my dog last summer. I had a few months of her not seeming herself to prepare for it. Ouch. My husband says no more pets - because neither of us want to go through this again. But alas, we have 2 cats and 1 dog to go... :-(
Reminds us all to enjoy and appreciate who we do have in our lives, rather than what we have. Life matters, not "things". Now I need to go snuggle my big fluffy marshmallow puff (dog). <3
So sorry, Rusti, that you are facing this. It sucks. <3 <3 <3 Praying the antibiotics work.

 

[toxikon]

Funny how us pet lovers choose this kind of heartache over and over and over again because it's so worth it.

So so true. And it never gets easier. I've had lots of little rodent pets who only live for a few short years, but I mourned them all. Sweet little buggers. We have our first pet dog now, she's only 5, but I can't help but feel sad when I think about when she leaves us eventually. It's so hard.

 

[divinegoddessoaps17]

Life is just better with pets!

 

[dixiedragon]

It is so true. For me, it does get easier in that it isn't so shocking. You know it's going to happen and you can prepare.

Re: teeth cleaning. I'd really encourage you to consider it. We had the same sort of issue - an elderly dog (in this case she also had a bad heart - 4 daily heart meds) and we put off the tooth issue for several years, because she was frail and we didn't want to put her through that. Well, we finally did it - and I will tell you, she really perked up! Her teeth had been more painful than we were aware. She passed away several months afterwards (unrelated) but her last months were much more comfortable with her teeth fixed.

 

[Kittish]

Losing pets to old age is hard, but I can cope with that fairly well. It's a reminder that life includes dying, going round and round and round. All of my pets that have passed of old age, I saw it coming and was able to emotionally prepare myself for the inevitable. I've had two cats pass in my arms, one naturally and one that had to have a little help (the second one was harder, but it was the kindest thing to do for her- it was either that or watch her basically starve to death). It's losing a young pet suddenly that just throws me completely out of whack for a while.

Currently we've got a dog and two cats. The dog is a (mostly) sweet, but increasingly grumpy old lady and the cats are both only a few years old each. I'm afraid the dog is starting to show signs of actual senility, so her time is getting short.

 

[Rusti]

It is so true. For me, it does get easier in that it isn't so shocking. You know it's going to happen and you can prepare.

Re: teeth cleaning. I'd really encourage you to consider it. We had the same sort of issue - an elderly dog (in this case she also had a bad heart - 4 daily heart meds) and we put off the tooth issue for several years, because she was frail and we didn't want to put her through that. Well, we finally did it - and I will tell you, she really perked up! Her teeth had been more painful than we were aware. She passed away several months afterwards (unrelated) but her last months were much more comfortable with her teeth fixed.

The vets (more than one) at this clinic and I have discussed it, and it's really a catch 22. Her kidneys are bad, were bad when we first discussed her teeth, which means she won't process the anesthesia drugs very well, may even exacerbate kidney issues (i.e. we clean her teeth and her mouth is so much better, but now she's in a renal crisis because of the gas). She was an 11 pound cat. She weighs 6.25 pounds now. She has no muscle mass to speak of, nothing to help her kidneys metabolize things. Even if I got shirty and demanded it, I don't think any of the vets at my clinic would do a dental now.

I love her dearly but I also have to be realistic. She's 19, I'm on the same page with the vet in that my main concern now is quality of life. If she has to be on antibiotics daily from here on out, we'll do that, but I'm not in a rush to put her through the gargantuan stress of a dental with extractions when I can measure the time left in months.

She's still happy, she ate her usual amount of food yesterday and loudly demanded treats from me when I took her back home before I came in to work this morning.

 

[Dahila]

losing my last dog was too much for me, I had not get over it, it still hurts,
Getting old (I am getting old) does not help. I do not want to have dog and if something happen, the dog goes to strangers....... Rusti I am so sorry that your cat is sick, We know that they are getting older but no one is prepared for it, You can not. Your pet is a member of family and you never get used to losing him/her. It is tough,
The "god" did not think it through. Dogs should live as long as the owner.....

 

[navigator9]

It's really tricky knowing the right thing to do. I always fed my cats dry food because I heard it was better for their teeth. But when my female cat developed kidney disease, I switched both of them to canned, because the vet said the increased moisture would be beneficial. I lost her anyway, and then my remaining cat developed terrible tartar and inflamed gums and horrible breath. He's not too old to be anesthetized, but he's in heart failure and a very skittish cat with everyone but me, so the vet is trying to limit his visits, because when he had an echocardiogram a few months ago, he freaked out really badly and ended up at the emergency vet for 4 1/2 hours that night. The vet thought that he'd thrown a blood clot, and had a stroke from all the stress, but thankfully, it was just a major freak out. A $500 freak out.

Long story short, I switched him back to dry food and his tartar is gone, and his gums aren't inflamed any more. Today we went to the vet to have his bloodwork checked, and now the vet wants to try him on a kidney diet. I'll give it a try, but if he doesn't like it, I'm putting him back on the food he does like. He's in heart failure. It's only a matter of time. I want him happy and comfortable in the time he has left.

We can only do so much. There comes a time when quality of life is more important than quantity. When the time comes, I'll hold him in my arms while he goes to sleep, I won't let him get to the point where he's in pain and distress. Rusti, my heart goes out to you. You love your cat. You've had her for almost 20 years, so you know her very well. You will do what's best for her, whatever that may be. And yes, it's funny that we choose this kind of heartache, because every time I lose a pet, I say never again. But I think when that pet you've lost knows that you're ready, they send you another one to be loved . And my heart tells me that we'll see them all again one day. Best of luck to you with your sweet girl.

 

[lenarenee]

I'm sorry Rusti. The end comes despite anything we do.

I do agree with your focus on quality of life. My kitty was 15 when diagnosed with renal disease, but still able to have a troublesome tooth removed in relative safety at 16. But at 17 when a mysterious mass was found during an xray, and a needle biopsy was unrevealing, I said no to risky exploratory surgery. She wasn't in pain, nor would I put her through any cancer treatment at her age. We let nature take its course for another year; I promised her when she didn't enjoy life, I would help end it. The day came when she didn't want to be petted, didn't purr, and that was that.

Strangely it was an easy choice for me to make. I've seen pets whose owners waited too long, and they pets suffer in the end and I'm incredibly grateful to have learned that lesson from them, without having my own pet pay the price.

The grieving process is easier too, when you know you served your pet as well as possible.

It sounds like you're asking the rights things, and doing what's best, Rusti. I wish you the best.

 

[Spice]

So so true. And it never gets easier. I've had lots of little rodent pets who only live for a few short years, but I mourned them all. Sweet little buggers. We have our first pet dog now, she's only 5, but I can't help but feel sad when I think about when she leaves us eventually. It's so hard.

My dogs are the same age, and they are nearly 10 years old. They are Boxers and they have cancer. I cry because they have been with me for that period of time. They are my life, and now I have to lose them both, maybe one right after the other. That will suck.
I realized that feeling sad for the day that will come only makes it harder to accept reality, and, it takes away from today. Enjoy your pet and be happy today.

 

[Rusti]

She's laying on my feet right now. She's still 'Midnight' as far as 'Midnight' goes. She was up on my pillow IN MY FACE this morning at waytoofreakingearlyforSaturday screaming at me because I wasn't up. So, she's fine, will be fine for a little bit yet, I expect. The antibiotics have helped her face for sure. I took her back yesterday because she was in and out of the litterbox like she had a UTI, but that's passed too. Gave the vet a dirty look for the thermometer and was completely unimpressed with the gushing compliments over her eyes and how sweet she was.

So, sad has passed for now. I'll take the screaming at stupid AM on a weekend and the overheating my feet for a while longer.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Aye, still time to enjoy together

 

[PrairieLights]

So, sad has passed for now. I'll take the screaming at stupid AM on a weekend and the overheating my feet for a while longer.

WOOHOO!!!
:grin:

 

[Sonya-m]

I've not been around for a while since I've really not felt like talking since we had to say goodbye to Buster in May.

I'm glad I read to the end of the thread to find for now your cat is feeling better.

You will know when the time has come. We knew it when Buster just lay down halfway round his walk. At first I felt immensely guilty for making the decision so quickly and for making it at all. But looking back it wasn't made quickly, it was just made at the time it needed to be made.

I won't lie, it still hurts a lot and not a day goes by that I don't think of and miss him but it has gotten easier and I can at least think about him and smile now.

Enjoy your furry friend for as long as is good for her, she will let you know when she's tired and had enough.