Blogging hasn’t been as appealing to me lately. I’m not sure why. I was on a fabulous trip recently with my family, but how many times can I expound on Italy or my grandchildren?
One thing that IS constantly on my mind is my dog, Billy. He has slipped into extreme seniorhood – and now rules our home with his every need.
He’s my third dog. My first was a gorgeous Rottweiler named Nix, who died within a week at the age of 13. My second dog was a noble Rhodesian Ridgeback named Tsavo. He had a difficult six months with his health before he died at the age of 13.
Billy is a silly and lovable pit bull who is approaching 14 and a half. He’s had joint issues from very early on – probably a year or two after we adopted him at the age of six months. Through multiple (read $$$) leg surgeries he has somehow limped through his many years and never succumbed to anything typical.
For a decade he and I enjoyed long walks (especially during the Pandemic). Then things started slowing down until, at times, I have to drag him to the corner and back. But Billy insists on four walks a day. If we miss ONE, he begins to howl. Howling is recent. We never heard a peep out of him until he turned 14.
If we’re the least bit late for serving him breakfast or dinner, the howling begins. Once Billy has eaten, he then goes to his favorite sofa and howls at the window. Sometimes treats restore him for a while, but generally, if Billy isn’t sleeping, he’s either eating or walking or howling.
I asked the vet about “sundowning,” which is a phenomenon in older humans who become disoriented around twilight. Apparently animals can experience the same, and we may want to put him on trazodone, which is the recommended sedative. But I hate for him to sleep his last days or years away…
Much of my thinking when Billy is hollering is wondering what he is asking for. This thought often leads me to project into my own seniorhood and senility which I hope is very far in the future. Will there be someone kind to attend to me and try to interpret my ravings?
They always say that pets give us all sorts of life lessons. Billy is doing a great job at that. He and I will continue on until he tells me he’s had enough…
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