15 Years isn't Long Enough

[Anastasia 22]

Rocket is still with me but the dementia has gotten worse. He gets confused and lost more often. But in his good moments it's like he's a teenager again and goes after Cowbird relentlessly and runs with the big dogs. He has taken to sleeping with his tongue hanging out a little. Took this picture a little bit ago View attachment 370415

Poor baby...That's so heartbreaking

 

[TammyJ]

Rocket is a very lucky little dog! To have known such love and comfort and great times for so long...wow.😀

 

[SinLA]

Greetings from my Rocket. i didn’t name him (it doesn't suit him at all!) but he had enough issues going on when I got him I did t want to add a name change on top of it.

my other dog Fredo is definitely having signs of dimentia, it’s very hard

 

[mojo_1]

Sadly we had to say goodbye to our kitty Polly. She had a good 19 year run.
She had pancreatic cancer and some dementia. In the end she was unable to keep food or water down.

 

[zovick]

Sadly we had to say goodbye to our kitty Polly. She had a good 19 year run.
She had pancreatic cancer and some dementia. In the end she was unable to keep food or water down. View attachment 371573

Very sorry to hear of your loss.

 

[mojo_1]

Very sorry to hear of your loss.

Thank you.

 

[Ink]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[SinLA]

Im so sorry...

 

[Len B]

Sorry to hear about Polly, 19 years with her was a great run.

Sadly we had to say goodbye to our kitty Polly. She had a good 19 year run.
She had pancreatic cancer and some dementia. In the end she was unable to keep food or water down. View attachment 371573

 

[Len B]

An update on Rocket. He hasn't gotten any worse. He's still eating fairly good but some days he doesn't eat anything. This morning he had a meal of ground chuck and some Retriever canned food. Tonight he gave me this look So I fixed him another plate of the same He cleaned the plate and then wanted to set on my lap for a few minutes. I had to get up so I put him in the chair to my left and he immediately went back to sleep The dementia is not noticable all the time, if I notice he's lucid at anytime during the day that's when I offer food and treats. It's been working so far. He also drinks water on his own.

 

[Len B]

I should add he is not coherent most of his waking hours which is not many hours during the day. He sleeps most of the time. He sometimes gets lost in the kitchen and will freeze up when he gets confused. I have a large kitchen with a lot of obstacles for him to maneuver around. Four tables, a love seat, 7 table chairs and a rocking chair and other things. I keep a close eye on him inside and especially when he's outside.

 

[mojo_1]

Sorry to hear about Polly, 19 years with her was a great run.

Thank you. I'm glad Rocket still has some good days in-between the dementia. It's rough watching them go through that. Polly would sit on top of Mojo's enclosure and stare at the wall and Howl till we let her know she wasn't lost.

 

[TammyJ]

I feel so glad to be a member here. It's really "Tortoise Forum...and More".

 

[Len B]

Rocket is still doing as well as expected. I have figured out a couple things. About 5 years ago he was diagnosed by two different vets that he had fluid around the heart. He had all the signs of that and was checked out for other options like heart worms. He was hacking like he had something in his throat and trying to cough it up and to get it out. I finally after 5 years figured out what caused the hacking. It's chicken hearts. No more heart's for Rocket. And also to get him to eat even if he's in lala land I've found a trigger food to get him started eating. Once he starts eating he will usually clean the plate. It's Temptation treats that Kasey eats.Here he this evening after eating his second meal. Look at his belly how me much fuller it looks in the second picture. I keep a close eye on him because he ends up in some of the strangest situations and gets confused when in lala land.