We got her, already spayed, at six weeks of age. She’ll be twelve years in January. As we traveled we’ve had her stay with friends, with sleepover caretakers, and at the vet.
She loves driving with us in my car with her orthopedic bed but some distances are too far to drive and she can’t fly anymore, according to me.
Zoe had bad hips and needed them excised at six and nine months of age then underogo therapy, which my husband and I did. Yes, he did sneak her into a pool for water exercises every night. She grew her own hips from cartilage.
As I see most dogs don’t live beyond 13 years I’m scared of her turning twelve. She passed her ten year senior blood panel and aced it. I was told by her hip surgeon in another state to skip a year and do it again at 12. That’s coming up.
I’ve euthanized two of my very ill older pets. Helped a neighbor with another, very sad, a pup with Parvo. I don’t know that my husband can handle this as he loves her too much. So do I, but I know my responsibility is her and if she lives five years more it will be up to me to decide. If her quality of life diminishes it is up to me and I’ll be there to supervise and hold her. Why? That’s my job.
Kids want chicks and bunnies for Easter. What happens to them? What happens to a pup you buy a kid for Christmas? Parents. And the chicks and bunnies die. The dog is yours for 13 years when the kids are through college and don’t want them anymore except for a pat on the head when they pass through.
We love our Zoe. My husband is a big guy who is always called in to help carry caskets, but he doesn’t want to be there when his loved one dies. Especially when I call “the shot.” To veterinarians everywhere, thank you for allowing us to work with you to make a wise decision that our pet does not need to suffer. Dee
Cooking with Dee 