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The Life with Moa, my Golden Oldie!

As many of you know my foundationbitch Moa (CIB NORDUCH EECH SEVCH NVH RLDN RLDF LP1 CV SEVW-14 NORDVW-16 DKVW-16 Hamnuddens Fischer) has become a grand old lady by now. Moa is 13 years, 3 months and 13 days as I am writing this. 
Just over a year ago she got sick for the first time in her life. We found a tumour in her liver and I thought that we had reached the end.
But since it was the first time she was sick, I decided to start treatment for her symptoms, which was a fever and infection. And she responded to this treatment, and within a week or two she was doing very well again.
I then did not know how long it would last, when would that tumour get us to the end? Was it a matter of days, weeks, or perhaps even months away?
And they passed, the days, the weeks and the months. And she was fine, absolutely fine. She does have some elderly issues she is being treated for, but still, doing just fine.
Her livertumour has not changed in over a year, and she has been checked with bloodsamples and ultrasounds regurarly. So what she was sick of back then was hepatitis, an infection, probably cause partly by her tumour. 
Until one week ago exactly she has had no symptoms from this again. When we left work in the late afternoon last Thursday she was a bit lazier than normal, so I checked her temperature, 38,7 C. Normal for a dog, but for her a little bit high. I made sure I had things needed for IV fluids at home if she would get worse. Two hours later at home she did not want her dinner and I checked her temperature again, 39,2 C. Ok, it's back, the day I had feared for more than a year was here. 
I got her on IV fluids right away and antibiotics and antiinflammatory medicine. Two hours later her fever was 39,6 C but she was ok to go outside but not interested in food. I stayed up with her, made a bed for us on the floor in our guestroom until she got all her IV fluids. Then we went to bed. In the morning her fever was gone and she was hungry! And since then she has been just fine again. So I think we caught is so fast she never got really bad.
I do think she breaths a bit heavier when she sleeps deeply, so on Monday we did bloodtests and X-rayes. The bloodtest showed really good numbers for her liver, better than in a long time strangely. Her CRP was around 50, which shows she has an infection/inflammation in her body. When she was sick last year it was a lot higher than that, so hopefully going down already.
But, there is always a BUT when you talk about good things... Her chest X-rays where not so good... Her lungs sounds fine and so does her heart, but in her lungs we found tumours. 
I strongly hope that these are now aggressive tumours, and that the infection and fever is not caused by them. She is still on antibiotics so we won't until after I stopped giving them if she will stay ok or be sick again...

Along the way her being ill last year and now, and get different reactions. Most people are very loving and supporting, understanding that I want to give her a proper change with treatment and not just say oh well she is old, let her go.
Other people seem to think that they have a say in this, or that their opinion matter. And want me to be sure to not put her through to much.
To those people I can only say, relax and back off. If I see that Moa has no life left in her eyes, that her body fails and does not respond to treatment anymore, I will let her go. But she is not there yet. She is the thoughest nut to crack!
She is back to her normal self at the moment, begging for food at the table, and of course getting a piece now and then, since that is one of the benefits of ageing! She comes walking in between my legs demanding a proper backrub and earscratch, and she get's them everytime she asks, because that is another one of the benefits, when you're owner think you are on the edge between life and death, they will do every little extra thing just for you!
Because that is the truth, I have no idea how much time I have left with Moa... All I know is that she is old... she has tumours...something will eventually take her, she won't live forever no matter how hard I try to make her.

So now, to the point I was going with this long story. When you live with a Golden Oldie, treasure every moment, make them count. When your dog asks for a piece of left overs from your plate, give it to them. When they lay down next to you on the couch, give them a proper cuddle. When they want to go for a walk, but perhaps slower than normal, take them and in their time. 
Also, try to let them do the things they loved when they were younger, if needed adapt it so they can manage.
Moa loved tracking and obedience, so this year I have tried to let her do that, and not just grow old in body and mind. Moa still get's to do some clickertraining, she knows all the tricks and she will try them all to get that treat!
I believe these small things has help Moa stay with us this past year. Being in pack of dogs, her daughter and granddaughters around here. Coming along on all our walks, offroad in woods keeping her body in shape, but as mentioned, bloodtracking and clickertraining too, keeping her mind alive.

I was only 22 years old when I got Moa. We were destined for eachother, everything worked out just as it should when I got her. Now, 13 years later I don't know how my life will be when she is not here, because she has been, every day for 13 years, I have said good morning and good night to her. I really hope and pray that I get to say that for a long time still.

Love you to the moon and back Moa, I will do anything and everything for you!

This song is Moa and my song, I love the lyrics.

I'm Not Giving Up - Andy Grammer

I will fight
I will fight for you
I always do until my heart
Is black and blue

And I will stay
I will stay with you
We'll make it to the other side
Like lovers do

I'll reach my hands out in the dark
And wait for yours to interlock
I'll wait for you
I'll wait for you

'Cause I'm not givin' up
I'm not givin' up, givin' up
No, not yet
Even when I'm down to my last breath
Even when they say there's nothin' left
So don't give up on
I'm not givin' up
I'm not givin' up, givin' up
No, not me
Even when nobody else believes
I'm not goin' down that easily
So don't give up on me

And I will hold
I'll hold onto you
No matter what this world'll throw
It won't shake me loose

I'll reach my hands out in the dark
And wait for yours to interlock
I'll wait for you
I'll wait for you

'Cause I'm not givin' up
I'm not givin' up, givin' up
No, not yet
Even when I'm down to my last breath
Even when they say there's nothin' left
So don't give up on
I'm not givin' up
I'm not givin' up, givin' up
No, not me
Even when nobody else believes
I'm not goin' down that easily
So don't give up on me

Whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah

I will fight
I will fight for you
I always do until my heart
Is black and blue

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