Bet, 16, struggling.

[Heaveho]

My favourite thing in the world is currently breaking my heart. She's obviously of an age where I regard every day as a blessing, and given what she's been through and recovered from in the past ( spleen cancer scare, arthritis, stroke, the gradual onset of dementia recently, deaf now, and poor eyesight ) , until recently she's shrugged all of it off with a resilience I wouldn't have believed possible, had I not witnessed it.

However, after her last health check, despite her apparent enthusiasm for life remaining all you could hope for, the vet suggested that due to her inability to settle during the night, she may be in more pain in her joints than we've realised, and has given her an injection of ketamine, despite the fact that we already add things to combat pain in her food, and have done for several years when her arthritis was diagnosed, seemingly with complete success.

This last vet visit was 2 weeks ago, and Beth has suddenly become disinterested in treats and food generally, regardless of what they are, something so unusual in her that it's concerning. She's also becoming more prone to having solid accidents in her sleep, something that was occasional previous to the ketamine ( and started after her stroke, 2 years ago ), but is now a regular nightly thing. She can still negotiate the stairs well, but is now finding wooden floors difficult.

I intend to request another visit to the vet tomorrow, but I won't lie, I'm in bits at what suddenly seems to be a rapid deterioration in her general health. I'm wondering if the introduction of the ketamine into her system would have any bearing on this difference in her. It all started at about a week later. Or am I clutching at straws?

Any input from those with experience gratefully received.

[Thevet]

So unfortunately you have an old hound who is beginning to fail. I do not understand the rationale for a single injection of ketamine, but I don't know the whole story. Pain is definitely an older dog issue but there are much better longer term options available, which you may already be using according to your post. From my experience, including the loss of my wife's favourite cate this week, once they start to refuse food for no obvious reason, then either you need more investgation of the cause, or you have to accept that the end is getting closer. Fifteen is a good age but many collie cross types can make it to twenty. Although there may be no great pain associated with the inevitable ageing, I ha ve seen the distress caused to some of my dogs as they become incontinent, it's an awful process that rarely gets better.
My thoughts are that you should either investigate further, understanding that many vets are unable to process the limit of their knowledge for your benefit, or make the last time as good as possible. It is crap losing a friend when even with my job you cannot stop the inevitable.
Not really much help I'm afraid

[moorx]

I have nothing very constructive to add, but didn't want to 'read and run' without sending you and Beth my very best wishes.

To see our pets getting old is horrible but Beth is very lucky to be so loved.

[Heaveho]

Thank you both. The ketamine injection wasn't meant to be a one off, it's in theory the start of regular injections. I obviously only want what's best for her. As time goes by I'm becoming acutely aware of how difficult things are going to be, both for her, which I want to protect her from as much as humanly possible, but also for me. I've had her from 2010 when she was an 8 month old rescue, and imagining life without her is too unpleasant to contemplate. I've had pets all my life, but I guess there's always one that gets to you like this.

I shouldn't complain, she's lived a long and happy life, and I haven't come from a background where I've suffered from the loss of anyone, so to get to the age I am before having to feel like this is something to be grateful for.

I won't allow her to suffer, I'll take whatever advice I'm given when the vet sees her. I'm hoping it's either a reaction, or she has another, as yet undiscovered and solvable issue.

[garythesign]

Heaveho said:

My favourite thing in the world is currently breaking my heart. She's obviously of an age where I regard every day as a blessing, and given what she's been through and recovered from in the past ( spleen cancer scare, arthritis, stroke, the gradual onset of dementia recently, deaf now, and poor eyesight ) , until recently she's shrugged all of it off with a resilience I wouldn't have believed possible, had I not witnessed it.

However, after her last health check, despite her apparent enthusiasm for life remaining all you could hope for, the vet suggested that due to her inability to settle during the night, she may be in more pain in her joints than we've realised, and has given her an injection of ketamine, despite the fact that we already add things to combat pain in her food, and have done for several years when her arthritis was diagnosed, seemingly with complete success.

This last vet visit was 2 weeks ago, and Beth has suddenly become disinterested in treats and food generally, regardless of what they are, something so unusual in her that it's concerning. She's also becoming more prone to having solid accidents in her sleep, something that was occasional previous to the ketamine ( and started after her stroke, 2 years ago ), but is now a regular nightly thing. She can still negotiate the stairs well, but is now finding wooden floors difficult.

I intend to request another visit to the vet tomorrow, but I won't lie, I'm in bits at what suddenly seems to be a rapid deterioration in her general health. I'm wondering if the introduction of the ketamine into her system would have any bearing on this difference in her. It all started at about a week later. Or am I clutching at straws?

Any input from those with experience gratefully received.

Good luck at the Vet.

Its so tough when they get to this age

[Heaveho]

garythesign said:

Good luck at the Vet.

Its so tough when they get to this age

Thanks, I live in hope.