Well it is that time of the year and we are promoting senior wellness testing for our senior patients. I thought I would share with you how it feels to own a senior pet, I have a 12 year old golden retriever named Gidget, she has been with me since she was 6 months old. She is my shadow used to go where I go, shopping, camping, visiting she even used to go for overnight sleepovers at friends houses. She is loved by all, she loves her little children friends which she keeps entertained by just laying there and letting them pet her or having them throw sticks for her in the river so she can run after them. But in the last few years she has not been able to do all of these things as well as she used to and she has slowed down tremendously. We have done bloodwork and xrays and thankfully all is well internally but physically her body is telling us she is getting old and tired. Just on Sunday coming back from camp she just laid in the back seat not wanting to get out where she used to just jump out, I had to carry her out. I have her on pain medication and a senior diet and I fully believe if she wasn’t that I wouldn’t be able to continue having her by my side for this long. Every day that I wake up seeing her hobble to me her tail wagging to go outside makes me smile and a little sad to know that soon enough this routine will end between me and her.
To all of you who have senior pets, cherish every day and may you give back to them as much as they have given to you.
By: Anne Huard
