GoldenOldie

My 14 yr. old lab. had the best results with Metacam but within 4 months was suffering bad stomach upsets; tried plt along with antacids to combat side effects with no success, mobility improved but stomach upsets again; now on Synoquin which I get from Vet uk and so far so good. Not as effective obviously as the steroidal preps. but he's able to walk without limping, get in and out of his basket and get up and lie down with no discomfort - speedily if food is on offer!

You're right - state of the art kennels and anyone can walk in, choose a dog, pay and walk out.

I have been contacted by a former colleague from work this morning as I have been helping to rehome a Tibetan Spaniel and he seems just right for her. She is a sensible retired lady with 2 grandchildren who visit a lot and a cat. She and her husband visted local kennels a few weeks ago and were taken with a staffie x bitch which had been in the kennels for 4 days. They were allowed to take her home that day and within days she was growling at the grandchildren and was difficult to manage on walks because of dog aggression, in spite of being lovely with people. They sadly had to take her back so it was a no win situation for them and the dog. I think it was entirely irresponsible of the kennels to let a dog go without homecheck etc. although they knew about the children and the cat and I also think that in 4 days, with no proper history (they were told) the kennels could not have known much about this dog and it's behaviour. 2 years ago I went to a very well known kennels with my daughter to see a dog and while I was there watched with some interest some new doggy fosterers looking at an entire male staffie needing to go into foster care. It was playful around the would be fosterer and the children but the moment a dog came into sight became anxious and aggressive, nearly pulling her off her feet to get to the other dog. the same happened when they walked it through the cattery. I was appalled to hear the kennel manager telling them he would settle down in a home environment and was just excitable. This is not a rant against bull breeds as I have owned bull terriers and a staffie in my 30 years of owning dogs and love them, it is just coincidental that in these 2 incidents the dogs were staffies; my argument against irresponsible kennels applies to any dog which is homed without proper assessmet and sold on to average pet owners who should not be expected to manage unpredictable behaviour whatever the cause. It is sad for would be owners and dogs, particularly the dogs, as they often then get into the cycle of homing and return, or worse, which they don't deserve.

Sorry for your sad news.

Depressing, but how good to see people pay with massive fines and/or jail for wanton cruelty to their animals.

Snow clearing quite well but only needs another fall like Monday and the smaller roads will be too dificult to attempt again. Main roads fine. Very poor gritting so roads very hazardous. Where I live the road is still covered in snow as are the pavements but are safe to drive/walk on.

The author of 'Marley and Me' was on BBC Breakfast this morning and was saying that having that mad labrador in the family had made them more patient, tolerant and understanding. He quoted the time his wife had a miscarriage and returned from hospital having been unable to cry. Marley met them at the door in his usual mad rush but froze as the wife walked in then quietly and gently went to her and laid his head in her lap;he describes her holding Marley's head and letting out all the tears ' like a dam breaking'. As I write my own 3 'just a dogs' are waiting for their bedtime treat and for all the muddy paws, dog hairs, massive bills and resposibility I wouldn't be without them!

So sorry, but a peaceful end knowing she was loved.

What a lovely picture of contentment!

I managed to get an image on the gallery but missed out the heading - uselss or what? Help!!!

Hopeless and hapless that's me! How do I add pics?

Thick snow in High Peak - very pretty but travel will be awful tomorrow.

Thank you everyone for your messages. Yesterday another oldie called Lady came into my life and I am now a failed transporter for the Oldies Club - about which I will post more later with pics.

On Monday I lost my elderly foster dog Lady, a wonderful GSD suffering from epilepsy and CDRM. She came to me 4 months ago from a local sanctuary having been found as a stray 2 years previously. She was very loved and cared for in the kennels but was fairly institutionalised after that length of time. Lady was in a post ictal phase when she arrived and was still confused and disoriented and a bit wobbly on her back legs. My 2 elderly labs. and 4 cats looked on in amazement as this very large girl wobbled her way around around my very small terraced cottage, exploring everywhere, falling over them occasionally and "collecting" things, which subsequent experience taught me was a feature of her behaviour in the post ictal phase of her cluster fits. Items included plates, tea towels, plant pots. a bread knife (removed from the washing up bowl in the sink) and dog leads; she liked to chew dog leads, teatowels and plastic and twice daily poop scooping was an exploration into the unknown in the first days of her arrival, multi coloured/textured poops were a regular feature! She wandered a lot at night and rarely reacted to anyone, never wagging her tail or licking and walks were a matter of head down plodding along. Within a week she began to change and slowly began to take an interest in her surroundings on walks, loved the car,became calm and settled in the house and played with my daughter's young dogs. She was completely clean in the house, wonderful with the other animals and with my grandchildren and demonstrated pleasure and excitement with tail wags, twirling and lots of noise!10 weeks on( the longest seizure free phase she had experienced) she had a series of fits and after 2 days she stayed at the surgery until she was stable, which took a further 3 days. I went to see her in the surgery and in spite of being sedated she got up and when I reached out to stroke her she licked my hand for the first time - which completely broke me up. Lady was already on a raft of medication to keep her stable and required additional medication which was unfortunately given in the wrong dosage so her recovery was slowed down because she became very unsteady and weak until the dose was reduced.She was also on a special hepatic diet as the anti convulsants had caused some liver damage. In spite of her health issues she had a happy and peaceful life although the CDRM became more of an issue and she had days when a walk wasn't possible and she struggled to manage the small steps into the garden unless she had help. She couldn't manage hard floors and I had a series of non slip mats in the kitchen and conservatory to help her grip; in between she was the first at the door when the leads came out and led the way up to the farm track for a walk and then back home for food/treats/naps. Her recall was excellent and it was wonderful to see her exploring the grass verges and pottering off on her own . The sanctuary was unstinting in it's support in maintaining her health and covered all the vet's bills ; she had food supplements, vital for her liver problems at a cost of £100 monthly which they also covered. From Xmas she had more bad mobility days than good and at times I had to walk her, if at all, without the other dogs as I sometimes needed to support her back end to steady her. She loved her food but started to lie down to eat and in the last weeks became distressed if she wanted to go out and couldn't get up without help. In all this time she never had an accident and managed to go outside even hours before the end although I was padding the kitchen and conservatory with newspaper and discouraging her from going out.Last week she suddenly had a burst of energy and every day managed a good, steady walk with the others and was in and out with just an occasional wobble. 2 hours after her teatime walk on Friday she was staggering and this progressed over the weekend until she was virtually unable to stand on Monday morning. She also fitted on Sunday morning . I had already discussed with the sanctuary and the vet about letting her go with dignity if her condition deteriorated and on Monday I knew that time had come and her tired eyes told me she did as well. She 'd had enough. The dogs and I sat with her until the vet arrived and they peacefully shared lots of treats, her diet no longer an issue. It was interesting to see all 4 of the cats also scattered around the living room as their morning routine is normally to be upstairs on the bed or outside. Lady had a peaceful and dignified end at home surrounded by love and is yet another example of older dogs who adapt to changes in their life and bring so much joy to the people they own. I have worked in animal welfare for 30 years and taken many old, sick and distressed animals, all of which have been loved, but occasionally , as all animal lovers know, along come the ones that squeeze your heart ; Lady was one such of these. I lit a candle for her this morning.

I am very clear on my recommendations from homechecks and say if I have any reservations; I do think with experienced homecheckers, and with any assessments, gut instinct is a fail safe. I assessed a large schnauzer x for a very large rehoming centre many years ago and recommended an experienced 'only dog' , adult home for him with a lot of exercise and training and patience. He was homed with an elderly lady who he bit quite badly. completely against my rec. , was then homed with a young mum with a small child with the inevitable consequence. So frustrating! Sounds like the dismissive comments made by the prospective owner to purple mog have raised enough doubts for her .

My elderly GSD is very restless after fits and hungry and thirsty in the extreme - can also be a side effect of the meds. Good luck - the post fit phase is often very difficult.

Sorry - forgot to add that she lived with 6 other dogs and my home remained fairly constant in terms of where furniture was placed etc. The only thing she no longer did was to get onto my bay windowsill when I pulled into the drive, that was the only thing that defeated her and she could even negotiate her way to the car and get in the passenger seat when I took her out. Most dogs adjust quite well. Could you put one of those portable battery operated lights halfway up the stairs?

My yorkie developed a cataract in her good eye (other one blinded in an accident) at the age of 7. She had surgery and it was very successful although with a prognosis of developing in later years. She was 12 when her sight failed again and was totally blind for the remaining 3 years of her life and remained lively and active to the end. The 5 years of sight the surgery gave her was so well worth it and that was 13 years ago so I'm sure techniques are even more advanced now. Good luck.

I'm fostering an elderly GSD bitch who was picked up as a stray and started to have fits a year ago after being in kennels for a year. She has been diagnosed with canine epilepsy and has cluster seizures, which means more than one over a period of hours or days. Before I was asked to foster her she was having them frequently but with medication was down to episodes every 6 weeks or so; although on phenobarbitone she also want into status and needed rectal valium. She went 10 weeks without seizures after I got her then 3 weeks ago fitted over a period of 4 days and was kept at the vets. She is on phenobarbitone and bromide twice daily and has a special hepatic diet and supplements as the medication has impaired her liver funcrion. I have had dogs over the years which have had fits but associated with other causes such as fever; there is a lot of very useful information on the internet about canine epilepsy and especially useful is information from owners of dogs with the disease as the dogs behaviour pre and post seizures can be very strange. Dogs with epilepsy can have a really good quality of life if the seizures are managed and it has been wonderful to see the progress of this old lady from living in a home environment instead of kennels, even to playing with other dogs and living with dogs/cats/visiting grandchildren! Very high maintenance but very well worth it!

I really like the idea of these but how safe are they?

My daughter is a fugee but doesn't often have time to go on the website; she lives in Hazel Grove and works at Stepping Hill Hospital. Have told her to look at this post. Both Social Services and the Hospital have their own websites as well.

Of my current 3 oldies 2 have the names they came with because they suited them, Winston and Tammy, both elderly labs. My 3rd. oldie is a fostered GSD who was microchipped but the owners couldn't be traced when she was found as a stray. The kennels kept her given name of RIO but she is now Lady, which I think is more fitting for this lovely girl. I've very often changed my rescue dogs names when they come to me and they have always adjusted very quickly.

Wonderful article with photos and really promoting the cause for Oldies. My oldie epileptic foster GSD is currently in the vets where they are trying to stabilise her after a series of fits this week and the prognosis isn't that good; this article provided a welcome - if brief distraction.