RIP Barney

[Crackpot]

THey think it's a thyroid condition. At this point we're going to try and manage her pain by getting her a round of shots over the coming weeks and see If we can get her some of her quality of life back (she's been moping in the basement) and take it from there.

[oldr_n_wsr]

Is that the cats "home spot"?
I know with my dog, when in pain he goes to his crate even though he is not been kept in his crate since he was being house trained. Seems to be his comfort spot when something is wrong.

[Crackpot]

It's hard to tell she's always been an odd cat. the thing is she doesn't come upstairs anymore even at bedtime when she'd hop on the bed to get some attention before we fell asleep. THe thing that's got us really is she spends alot of time mewing in the basement. That and the news that she's lost 3 pounds since her last vet's visit even though she' eating more than ever.

[oldr_n_wsr]

Can she make it up the stairs? Does it look like she's limping when she does?
It's easier going down than coming up, maybe a sprained leg. Just guessing. Hope they find the problem.

[Daisy]

Sadly the situation with my mum-in-laws little boy Ollie has become intolerable for him.

He's just over sixteen years old, and has been suffering doggy dementia for at least a year now... The last straw came when he snapped a second cruciate ligament last week and this has rendered him unable to walk. Cookie's mum and dad have been carrying him to the park twice a day do his doggy business since, but it's clearly unfair on the lad.

He's being taken for the final kindness tomorrow.

It's so sad, he was acquired after Cookie and his sister left home to help with his mums empty nest syndrome.

Godspeed little Oll x

[Gob]

Such a shame. Barney, who was never the shiniest bauble on the Xmas tree, benefitted greatly from "selgene" in his last year, though he was younger than Ollie.

[Crackpot]

Can she make it up the stairs? Does it look like she's limping when she does?
It's easier going down than coming up, maybe a sprained leg. Just guessing. Hope they find the problem.

She plain hasn't tried. She's had a little "stiffness" in one of her rear legs for over a year but due to her age and the fact it didn't slow her down much combined with her aversion to vets and medication we just let it go.

basically the vet said she has a heart murmur (she's had it for years and the cure is for more risky and traumatic (not to mention expensive) then leaving it alone) seeing how she's loosing weight while still eating leads the vet to think it's a thyroid problem. Unfortunately as I said she doesn't take kindly to meds so at this point we're trying a series of shots to help lubricate her joints and hope that does the trick.

THe real problem we have is by her nature we can't really judge her quality of life. is she really suffering or is she just being the princess she's always been? We're stuck in a real subjective area as to the level of her suffering (if at all)

[alice]

I'm so sorry to hear about Barney.

I haven't been here for a little while (other life things) and I found a few spare minutes to catch up with the news here. it was so sad to read this, and I'm sitting at my desk with tears streaming down my face. You were so good to Barney, and gave him such love and care. He was a lucky dog to have such a wonderful family.
The little film clip you showed just finished me off - what a beautiful dog, and so full of fun and enthusiasm in those earlier years.

Our dog Larry is nearly 13, and the kids dont remember a time when Larry wasn't part of our life. We are monitoring him closely and giving him all the care we can, but we have essentially resigned ourselves to the fact that we will have to make the 'quality of life' decision before the end of this season. I can't even write that without crying, but we know we will be doing it for his sake and for his comfort, and that we did everything we could for him - just like you did with Barney.

I'm seeing all the people in the comments who are talking about making the same decisions at verious times for their beloved pets. It's the only down side to having dogs and cats - knowing right from the beginning that the life expectancy is much, much shorter, and that our heart will be crushed. For me, Larry isn't the first dog I've had, and he won't be the last. And despite my heart breaking at the pssing of each pet, I think my pets have filled my life with so much love and joy and enriched me in so many ways, and have taught me so much. I cherish the memories and wouldn't give those up for the world.

RIP Barney.
And thank you Barney's family for introducing me to him and sharing a little of his life with me.

[Gob]

Thanks Alice, that was lovely.

Realised yesterday that it will be my first ever Xmas in Aus without Barney. We got him December 2002, six months after my arrival here.

[Lord Jim]

Ditto what Strop said Alice; that was beautiful.

Alice, I have to say you're a real class act; I have never read a post written by you that I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

We're lucky to have someone like you posting here; I wish you had the time to post more often.

[The Hen]

Cheers all, and good luck with your own aging pets.

I miss my (thick as a) brick, but the right thing was done at the right time.

[oldr_n_wsr]

Ditto what Strop said Alice; that was beautiful.

Alice, I have to say you're a real class act; I have never read a post written by you that I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

We're lucky to have someone like you posting here; I wish you had the time to post more often.

Alice is great person. Full of knowledge, care and level headedness. I have know her for years (cyberly) and have found her to be a confidant and close friend.

And if anyone want a pet that might outlive them, get a red eared slider turtle. They live 40-50 years. fifteen or twenty years ago my wife found one walking down my driveway. We took him in (yes it is a male, I know how to determine a turtels sex) and we still have him even after the painted turtels have died (thier lifespan is about 15 years and both of ours died in that range). My nephew will soone be the new owner of "Red". My nephew is 13yo so I figure he will have him for another 20 years as I "guesstimate" Reds age at about 20 (judging size and how many years we have had him). The only problem with turtles is they don't like to play frisbee and they take forever to go out and get the newspaper in the morning. My lab does both much better.

[Rick]

Thought you could count the rings on their shell to tell how old they were?

[oldr_n_wsr]

Thought you could count the rings on their shell to tell how old they were?

Only on tortoises. Turtles (which live in both water and on land) shed their shell scales. No counting rings with them.

[Jarlaxle]

You can tell in the video that Barney thinks that you move too slowly. From a dog's POV we must be so clumsy and slow.

I gave my pup an extra big hug this am. She is getting old too, her once black face is now almost white.

I gave one of my cats a hug. She tolerated it. I gave her another one...she promptly scratched me.

Note to self: Vierna has a firm one-hug daily limit.

Dammit, I miss Marm now.

[Gob]

Collected Barney's ashes today.

Going to dig a hole up at the nature reserve where we walked him, on his favourite walk, pour them in, and plant a (native) tree there.

A fitting memorial for the old bugger.

[Sean]

Not planning a Keith Richards then?

[Gob]

Just a little toot maybe

[oldr_n_wsr]

Collected Barney's ashes today.

Going to dig a hole up at the nature reserve where we walked him, on his favourite walk, pour them in, and plant a (native) tree there.

A fitting memorial for the old bugger.

Good way to honor him.

[Crackpot]

We lost both Misty and our Goldfish today. The fish is no big loss (it wasn't our idea anyway) But I'm going to miss that little grey furball of crazy.