# having more then one senior at the same time.



## bdanise1 (Jan 25, 2008)

I love my two seniors! I will say at times with health issues it can be difficult,

Lakota- post chemo for lymphoma- 3 years and still going strong. They told me with chemo 7-9 months maybe a year. Here we are 3 years later, holistic vet has been a good send!
Spine issues- herbal meds, acupuncture, chiropractic. Still chasing that ball!

My Miss jade -Of course the age old spine and hips problems. herbal meds,
acupuncture, chiropractic. Thank goodness it has helped, so we been able to avoid meds with harmful side affects.
Spleen removed 3 years ago- Enlarged but no cancer ( Yay)
Bloat with GVD, surgery 2 weeks ago- doing well now. That was terrifying,  of course it happen after my vet was closed. ER vet is 1 hour away. Made it there in 35 minutes. It happened very quickly, I have never experience this in the years I have had GSD. Have done much reading on it, so was very aware of what was happing. The er vet said we were very lucky, to have gotten her there just as the stomach was twisting. She has had a few issues from the surgery. We are finally on the way to a full recovery.
Keeping a close on her as once they have bloat very common for it to happen again, yes stomach was tacked.

Of course growing up a year apart, they have had some small issues and some scares through the years. Love my two seniors and would not give up one moment with them!:wub:

Would love to hear from other members who have more than one senior at the same time.


----------



## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Your seniors are very lucky to have you. I have had only one dog at a time but I learned a lot about senior dogs from my Husky who lived to 19. I did have 2 senior cats and I think they supported one another so that when the eldest died, the other grieved so that I adopted an older quiet cat which gave him a new lease on live. I think it would be the same with having 2 senior dogs like you do. They help eachother and there are no worries about will the older dog overdue trying to keep up with the younger dog. And like you, one can concentrate on their care as seniors and enjoy that precious time with them.


----------



## kiya (May 3, 2010)

Apache is 10-1/2 and Kiya is going to be 9. 
Apache still acts like a rambunctious pup always has a ball or stuffy toy. He has really bad artritis but he never ever complains . 
Kiya is my heart dog, she has suffered from seizures since she was 18 months old. I learned so much from her and what we went thru together, she changed me and my life forever. I am having a hard time watching her slow down and strugglle with hind end weakness, mostly a side effect from her meds.


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

I LOVE THE SENIORS, ABSOLUTELY ADORE THEM!!! :wub: IMHO they are so special.

I currently only have one senior, Slider who's 10-1/2. Currently he takes 5 pills every day (2 Tramadol 2 times a day, 1 Dasuquin) and 1 pill (Pred) every other day (fortunately none are very expensive).

However, a few years ago I had three at one time: a brother & sister and a third who was six months younger (long story ... I knew I was getting the male, but I also ended up accidently getting his sister and then six months later a friend gave me the youngest as a house warming gift.

Having three seniors was extremely expensive since all three had old age issues. At one time I was giving the three dogs 48 pills a day, all relating to old age issues. Ringer also needed physical therapy, acupuncture, and hydrotherapy which weren't cheap. All three also had a lot of vet visits and hospital bills.


----------



## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Boy, I must be lucky. My Senior is healthy as a horse. 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## gsdmi (Apr 4, 2009)

I had 5 at once . . . now have 3 . . .

Buddy, cat, was 2 months from 16, he passed October 2012 from congestive heart failure. He had been diagnosed 10 months prior with a heart condition common in Boxers, the last 11 weeks of his life with congestive heart failure. All his docs said he was a miracle kitty, they have never seen one fight to live like he did, most succumb to the heart disease within a month or two . . . and if congestive heart failure starts, they leave more quickly, but he fought with everything he had. And he had kidney disease the last 3+ years of his life. Had Buddy since he was 6 weeks old.

Salem, cat 1 month from 16, he passed in March, 2013 from Liver Cancer. He presented no symptoms until we noted a little swelling in his abdomen. Took him in, and it was cancer, we only had 3 more weeks with him. 

Rusty, Salem's litter mate, is now 16 1/2. He is doing OK. Salem & Rusty came to us at 6 weeks old.

Thor, GSD 13, possibly 14. He has normal aging issues, though doing quite well for a dog that was stage 4 H/W positive on rescue. He has a very slight murmur. He does have arthritis in his spine and hips, and is on all the supplements, and receiving laser and acupuncture. He has also developed some fecal incontinence, seems to be after he is sleeping and stands, but no big deal, we pick it up and go on about our day. Thor came to us about 3 years old. He has had hydrotherapy to help strengthen his back end, and also gone through Stem Cell Therapy.

Kira, GSD will be 11 at Thanksgiving -- doing well, no known issues, and not slowing down too much. She was just under a year when coming to us.

I wouldn't have traded our time with them all together for anything. Everyone always told us -- they are so close together, you will lose at the same time. We did with Buddy and Salem - 5 months apart, we were crushed. But I'd rather have had them and had them together than not, and would do it again. I LOVE the seniors. And miss our Bud & Salem so very much.


----------



## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

I have three . Lucky is my oldest but very healthy. Chevy and Thunder nothing major just arthritis w/ Chevy . Thunder has no health problems. The girls are 10,Luck is 11.I have had seniors for a long time now and I treasure the relationship they offer.


----------



## CMorton (Oct 28, 2000)

My oldest GSD is AL who is 11.5 yrs, the next oldest is Boz who will be 7 in July. But I also have 2 geriatric smaller dogs, one is a 16 yr old Shih Tzu and another is a 14 yr old Basenji mix. Both have their issues, but oh boy I love these senior dogs <3


----------



## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

We have 2 senior dogs, Heidi and Loki. 2 senior cats. I love having seniors and fail to see why the seniors at the shelter wait so long for homes. Heidi is my dog and we can do whatever we want to now. She doesn't feel ill used if she doesn't get to run 5 miles a day. If we want to walk a bit, we do; if not we stay in. We have such an easy relationship now. She is fully trained, but still enjoys training. Heidi and I are aging together and really enjoying each other.


----------



## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I had 5 seniors at once - 4 Italian Greyhounds and 1 Doberman. 

Lost the 9 year old IG (hemangiosarcoma) in his sleep, then less than 2 weeks later lost my 14 year old Dobe. Another year later I lost the 11 year old IG, then the next year the 15 year old IG, and I still have one IG that will be 14 on Friday. Surprisingly everyone was very healthy until the end. I didn't have big vet bills, and the only one taking any medication was the Dobe, for spay incontinence. 

That said, you are probably going to have to euthanize me whenever I lose Sage. I swear she's my Doberman reincarnated.


----------



## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I have loved my dogs no matter their age, and there is something special about my senior dogs.

I hadn't intended on getting two close in age, but sometimes life has other ideas. 

But honestly, I will never never get dogs close in age again The first two were 3 years apart, I lost them both within 8 months of each other, bad The second two I lost within 6 months of each other, killed me I just lost my 13 yr old aussie (cancer), and have my 14 year old aussie who's doing very well despite being deaf as a doornail, and arthritic. It's happening again, and this will be the last time I have dogs close in age...

With the others, I always had atleast 3 at home, so while my loss was devastating, they kept me going. This is the first time in 30 years that I have had only two dogs.
And when I lose Jynx, it will be the first time in my life I've had only 1 dog.

I think Masi will be as devastated as I will be, she's never been an only dog as most of mine weren't. 

It's also the first time(when I lost Jag/aussie), that I said to myself, I don't want another dog right now, I want the ones I lost back

I will get another, not right now, Masi will be 6 in April, and I think that's a good age difference that I'll stick to for the future..

It's heartbreaking to lose one, but when you lose a couple within months, it leaves a huge ache .


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

4 of mine are close in age. They are 4, 2, 1.5, and. 8 months... I do not want to even think about 20 years from now when they start getting older....My cats are all close in age too..they are 8, 7, 6, 6, and 4. It's going to be really rough for me and I know it


----------



## willoglen (Aug 4, 2013)

It's hard, very hard. I lost my Lyric (Sheltie) last April, She would have been 15 in May. She had a mammary tumor removed, from which she recovered nicely. Then she began having serious trouble getting around, and finally dislocated a hip. She was not a candidate for surgery due to the lack of muscle mass to hold the hip in place if it was corrected surgically.

My 13-year-old Sheltie, Samantha, developed a heart condition (brachycardia and arrhythmia) in June. Cardiologist did not think that she was a candidate for a pacemaker, so my regular vet kept a regular check on her. She was on meds every 12 hours, which meant everything revolved around her schedule. Her heart gave up for good on January 11.

I would not have given Samantha up, despite the pain that I now feel. The joy she brought me throughout her whole life was worth any price.

My other 2 Shelties will be turning 12 and 11 in May and August, respectively, and they are both healthy, thankfully. But then, so was Samantha, last May. My GSD is still a puppy.

Make the most of EVERY moment that you have with them, and take nothing for granted! As dog lovers, we all know that we must endure unbearable pain at some point, but I would not give up the precious time that I had/have with any of them. It was well worth all the time, trouble, and expense to keep them comfortable and happy.

Enjoy what you have, and know that you have understanding people here when you need support.


----------



## willoglen (Aug 4, 2013)

I would not have given up Lyric, either. Did not mean to give that impression. Samantha's loss is nearer, more raw, while Lyric's loss is scabbed over somewhat. 

The pain never goes away; it just becomes manageable. Sometimes the loss of my incomparable Raven, Samantha and Lyric's great granddam, is still overwhelming, and that was in 2002.

Mostly, I smile now when I think of Raven. Like the time my ex was throwing a pine cone for her in my parent's backyard. (She was a tireless retriever. We would hide her toys when our arms fell off, and she would go get a pine cone. )

He got tired and threw it in a whiskey barrel planter (empty), the top of which was over Raven's head. She ran around the yard searching for a few minutes, and zeroed in on the planter. Up she went on her hind legs, and peered down into the depths. AH HA!

Into the planter she leapt, then proudly returned the pine cone to my ex.

He had to throw with the other arm, the one that was still attached....

No, I would not sacrifice any of those happy times to avoid the grief that inevitably comes.


----------



## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

My male GSD and my male Dal are 4 years apart in age, I do like the age difference between them but I also like 2-3 years as well.

I will be beyond devastated when I lose Sinister, I will be in a huge depression and completely broken hearted. The only person/thing I love more than Sinister is my mother.


----------



## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I just realized I will have seniors at the same time, I wasn't counting the cats before.

My animals are going to be 7, 6, 5, 4, 2 and 1 this year.


----------



## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Losing Daisy still hurts and today when Lucky continued to sleep instead of walking me to the shower or downnstairs to get coffee I worried and checked him out. Luck raised his head and stared at me like I used to stare at him as a young dog who was bumping my pillow on Saturday mornings. I fear losing Lucky will be as hard as losing Daisy and am thankful Ive been blessed by having my dogs as long as got to have them.


----------

