Old age is so sad

[rubyduby]

My 13 yr old girl as suddenly , well over the last 6 months, deteriorated markedly, she wants to go for a walk but when I take her out, she turns to go home, and only every so often does she actually go further, she will bark for seemingly nothing, needs to be directed to her food dish, cant get direction, she wanders into the wall or door, etc. she has itchy ears, suffers from Pancreatitis and hypothyroidism. Tho the latter seems under control. She sleeps an awful lot and suffers from confusion. She also feels the heat and is constantly looking to cool down and panting, this hot weather has been a nightmare for us....
 It all seems in common with a description VIXEN put on this site I while ago and seems the normal progress. She is the first Cocker I have had that has actually reached this situation, previously the 3 that got to 13 died from other issues, never showing any of this and tbh I am finding it so gut wrenching and depressing . I have a younger girl who is 4 1/2 she has allergy issues and sometimes I sit and cry and wonder what it must be like to have a healthy dog that actually dies of old age. I dont know what to do for my old girl to make her life better, if she goes near the vet she is so stressed I fear a Pancreatic attack, and tbh I never seem to get anything that helps or improves, from them other than large bills. I am at my wits end

[MIN]

i feel for you. its hard when you just don't know how to help them.   none of my dogs have died through old age, illness has took them all.  I really hoped Gemma dog would go peacefully at a ripe old age but it was not to be. It hurts what ever happens, hurts to watch them get old and decline, hurts to lose them middle aged with illness.   

[vixen]

I remember writing about Stevie who had dementia and Sundowners.
Reading about your girl has brought it all back (but to be honest it has never really left me and it is two years this month that I lost her).
 I did give Stevie Aktivait tablets as the reviews were good but sadly they did nothing for her.
I think seeing the signs of dementia are much worse for the loved ones though as hopefully the sufferer is oblivious to them.  Try to keep everything where it is in the house so she is familiar with its location.  If there are any gaps where she could get into, put something there to prevent her.  At night when the sundowners took effect, Stevie would try to get into places she couldn’t possibly fit and then panic and scream.  Gaps between the wall and tv unit, gaps behind the sofa, gaps under the kitchen chairs,  all of these places were areas Stevie tried to get into and then had no way of getting out of.  We also put old carpet on the wooden floors to stop her skidding when she was circling.  You understand your girl more than anyone else and already you are adapting to her needs.
But Stevie did have her good days when she recognised us and these were the times we clung to.
I lost her one month before her 14th birthday and 6 months after we lost her litter sister Marley but really we lost our Stevie a long time before that.
I really really feel for you and wish I could give you a big hug.  If you ever need to message me please get in touch.
 

[rubyduby]

Many thanks Vixen for you words , I hate all this , as I know it will only end one way and only god knows when.....

[Robbie34]

Two my dogs, Benjie and Charley, had dementia when they were about fourteen.  It was awful to see this.  It started with them soiling in the house when they had always been spotlessly clean.  They didn't want to go for walks and wandered around lost.  Once, Benjie got out without me knowing - I left the front door open when there was a delivery and never noticed him leave - and a neighbour called to say that Benjie was in the next road and didn't seem to know where he was.
It was very upsetting for me but Benjie lived until he was sixteen.  He took ill and was on a drip at the vets, but had to be put to sleep.  Poor Charley was pts at fifteen and a half as he was also deaf and blind with no quality of life.