Dealing with a Senior Dog
@BelleStarr (61047)
United States
August 22, 2017 11:43am CST
Our dog Beau is 15.5 years old. He is the nicest dog in the world but it seems that he is developing doggie dementia. I haven't had a good night's sleep in two weeks. He has been getting anxious and crying and barking at night.
We took him to the vet and he suggested perhaps herbal calming medication might help. He also had a slightly elevated white count so he put him on an antibiotic. The problem is, his appetite is not great and he doesn't want to take or chew pills. I have been trying very hard to find a way to get them into him!!
After a lot of trial and error I have come up with a way that works. I crush the pills and add it to applesauce and though I have to pry open his mouth he doesn't dislike the taste. I need him to be calm so that he can stay with the grandsons while we are on vacation.
We do know that we are getting nearer to the end of his life but I don't want to put him down because it is more convenient for me. I love him too much.
31 people like this
31 responses
@velvet53 (22528)
• Palisade, Colorado
22 Aug 17
@BelleStarr That makes him extra special. My son put his Pit down when he was 18 years old. That was super hard.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
22 Aug 17
I have too and I am dreading it. He is very old in dog years. He is the last of his litter mates.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Aug 17
Thank you and he is as sweet as he is cute, he has the best nature.
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
25 Aug 17
@BelleStarr how is he doing now.Please give us an update.I am interest in this.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 17
i know your pain. i still suffer over Coco with guilt of "what if". i didn't sleep much for a whole month or so, thinking she might stop having seizures but they kept happening and i felt like i was making her suffer cause i couldn't let her go. i hope it turns out better for your fur baby
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Aug 17
So far he seems to be vastly improved and it is easier to give him his medication
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111312)
• El Paso, Texas
22 Aug 17
Have you tried making a chicken paste for him? When I cook myself a chicken I always make it without spices so I can share it with my furmily and I would imagine that crushed pills in chicken paste would be very pleasant for the little tyke
He's still handsome.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
22 Aug 17
I did try that and it worked one day and the second day he had no interest so I think for now I will stick with the applesauce which I know works.
3 people like this
@rebelann (111312)
• El Paso, Texas
22 Aug 17
Not all dogs like chicken I guess @BelleStarr I'm just surprised applesauce works given that dogs are carnivores.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
22 Aug 17
@rebelann oh he didn't eat it, I put it on a spoon and have to pry his mouth open but he doesn't spit it out lol
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (80023)
• United States
22 Aug 17
Mashing the pills in the applesauce is a good way to get him to take the medication. It's so hard seeing our beloved pets get old 
3 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Aug 17
It is very hard but so far this way seems to work quite well.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
23 Aug 17
I am hoping so, it will be very quiet for us with only one dog instead of the three we had for so many years.
2 people like this
@just4him (307688)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
23 Aug 17
@BelleStarr I'm sure it will. I hope that day is a long time in coming.
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
25 Aug 17
I hate to hear that Beau is not doing so well. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be forced to put Sandy down because of an illness or injury. I hope that the herbs will help.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Aug 17
So far they really seem to be helping.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (216034)
• Chile
22 Aug 17
I loved my Misty too much and did not listen to the vet when he told me it was time to end her life. I had her for a week more, but it was very painful for her and for me. Think about Beau´s needs more than yours. My experience
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Aug 17
He is not in any pain, he is just confused but the herbal calming medicine has done wonders, his eyes look sharper and he seems so much happier.
Our dog Beau is 15.5 years old. He is the nicest dog in the world but it seems that he is developing doggie dementia. I haven't had a good night's sleep in two...
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
23 Aug 17
@BelleStarr Yes that is definitely sad that their years are so short compared to ours.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
23 Aug 17
Thank you, it sucks to get old and it is so sad that our pets age so much faster than we do.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (48503)
• Canada
22 Aug 17
What a cute dog-old or not!
We used to give our dog, Nayla, allergy pills.
And she hated taking them, so we'd crush them up and then much later, because she'd be watching, we'd put a little of it into a smear of peanut butter and then smear that onto a doggie cookie. We'd take the remainder of it and put it into one of her little Ceasar meals that she liked so. If we gave it all to her at once she would taste it and stop eating it and we'd never know how much she ingested, so we used to split it up to guarantee she'd get it all.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
22 Aug 17
The problem is he doesn't always eat any particular thing I have tried so many things and I hate to waste the prescription medicine
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48503)
• Canada
22 Aug 17
@BelleStarr What about putting out a dish of chicken broth for him?
And watch his consumption of it, maybe eventually you could use that for his meds.
1 person likes this
@CookieMonster46 (13447)
• United States
26 Aug 17
other than barking and crying are they any medical issues, where you would have a need to put him down?
It is hard when out pets get old, mine dog is 18, has some issues, but pretty much just fine.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
26 Aug 17
No the vet said that his kidney function is down a little but not worrisome and some of his teeth are bad. His back legs are weak but I carry him up and down the stairs.
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
23 Aug 17
It is so heart breaking that they age so much quicker than us. Yes, keep trying the pills that I am happy the apple sauce helps to get in. I hope the pills will help and he can still add love and joy to your daily lives for a while yet.xx
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Aug 17
After a few days of getting his pills, he is ever so much better.
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@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
23 Aug 17
I will pamper him and cater to him for as long as he is comfortable and enjoying his life. He is my sweet boy.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
24 Aug 17
@BelleStarr So many times when the dog e4nte4rs the part of life when he needs extra care people tend to take them to an animal shelter. I, like you, feel they should get that extra love and care at this time of their life. 
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
23 Aug 17
NO I would never do that! I was thinking about putting it in the food, that is how I used to do the old hounds.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Aug 17
The problem with putting it in the food is that there is no guarantee that he will eat the food. I need to be sure the medicine gets into him. The medicine is also expensive and if he won't eat the food it is wasted.
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
23 Aug 17
I roll a piece of ham around the tablet and he usually takes it like that.
Sorry to hear about your dog though.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
23 Aug 17
@BelleStarr
He can too but he likes the ham so we have to give him a double ration and then he takes it.
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@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
23 Aug 17
He will eat ham some days but the pills usually ends up being spit out, he can feel the pill lol
1 person likes this
@sallypup (58197)
• Centralia, Washington
22 Aug 17
Poor sweet baby dog. That time of life happens to the best of us. I wish the both of you love and better days. Dealing with pills: I put our Leah's pills in a gob of peanut butter and wow!! gobble, gobble. She took 4 to 6 pills each day for quite some time after her knee surgeries so I had to find yummies to get them down her. Leah really needed those pain pills.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
23 Aug 17
When he was younger he would have gobbled it too but these days like most seniors his taste and smell isn't good and very little appeals to him.
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@sallypup (58197)
• Centralia, Washington
23 Aug 17
@BelleStarr Poor little guy.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
23 Aug 17
Did the vet check for cataracts @BelleStarr ? That will throw a dog off in a heartbeat. Another way to give a pill is: hold the dogs mouth open with the left hand; with the right, put the pill towards the back of the throat. With the left hand close the muzzle and with the right, massage the throat. Otherwise you can get a dog treat that is soft that you can put the pill inside of.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Aug 17
I have used that method for pills but since he is taking three, I find it difficult, the applesauce allows me to get all three in at once.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247219)
• United States
22 Aug 17
Poor little Beau still has a lot of life in him. Our Afghan Hound and English Springer Spaniel each had a large mouth. We opened the mouth, put a pill in the back of throat, held the mouth closed, and they swallowed immediately. Sometimes we'd hide a pill in a meatball. He is so cute! I hope he gives you many more years of love.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Aug 17
I am cherishing every day that I have with him.
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@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
23 Aug 17
Pumpkin is a good choice too, dogs really like it and it's good for them. I hope you make the most of your time with him.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
26 Aug 17
I do give him lots of love and attention. I will keep pumpkin in mind if the applesauce stops working.
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@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
27 Aug 17
@BelleStarr I would have never thought pumpkin would appeal to a dog, but boy did Gracie love it!
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
22 Aug 17
I certainly am
Trying, we have had him since he was 6 weeks old
1 person likes this
@vsai2008 (11796)
• India
23 Aug 17
@BelleStarr I sometimes wish they had longer life span
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