Hi All!
I'm new to the forum and delighted to find so many like minded people!
I'm mum to a little old lady, Billie, who is a Staffie cross and coming up for 17 years old. She has been a delight throughout the years and very strong/healthy in the main.

Unfortunately, at approx 14yrs, she was diagnosed with a tumor & eventually underwent emergency surgery to remove it and her spleen. As you can imagine, this aged her considerably and she became the little old lady that her years suggested she should be. She is in fine form now but struggles with a little dementia and, very recently, we're now struggling with weak hips etc.
She takes rimadyl for her hips which seems to help with the discomfort but she gets very stiff, and vivitonin for the dementia, although a smaller dose than prescribed as the full one seems to knock her out!

I would appreciate any thoughts on how to manage her stress points = getting stuck while we're out of the house & not being able to get backup off the floor, for example. Has anyone used the d.a.b. plug in? I also worry that I should take her to the places we used to walk as she really doesn't want to GO for a walk but I wonder if the change would be good for her psychologically?? Also....are dog buggies any good (if not a little daft!)?

Any thoughts much appreciated as she's been my baby for nearly 17 years now and I want to do my best for her now that she's less independant.

Welcome to the forum!
It sounds like you are taking great care of Billie and hopefully she will live for many more years healthy and happy! Make sure she is getting all the important nutrients and she should be going for daily walks, just a bit shorter then when she was young.

Thanks for the welcome!
I'm not sure that she's got many years left in her at nearly 17 but we'll do the very best we can! A customer of ours is a veterinary nurse &, when Billie was very ill with the tumor & op, suggested that the degree of physical human contact often made the difference between survival & not in elderly dogs......well we took that on board & she's still here 2-3 years later......!
She's on a prescription diet to support her kidneys & we're delighted that her renal system is healthy (for her age!)!
The mobility thing is our major concern now, to be honest. Our vet said not to worry about 'human expectations' etc re: walks. She really doesn't want to walk, she's struggling to the point of sliding over on our wooden floor (15 washable floor mats later...!) at home & not being able to get up. She motors around the garden but doesn't want to walk TO anywhere....hence the question about the buggy - I'll get her to any location if she'll benefit from the socialisation & environmental stimulation.
Like I said before, she's looked after me for nearly 17years & I want to return the favour for as long as I have the opportunity!

[wishbone]

I think at this age of dogs, they should be spoiled to everything they want so they will enjoy every heart bits. Make them happy to the fullest cause sooner or later, they will never gonna have chance for that.

Thanks for both your comments wishbone, I know that she's been a faithful friend for a long time & I just want to do my best by her for however long she's got left.......

Your last comment couldn't have been more poignant - we lost her on Saturday.......at the ripe old age of (almost) 17yrs.
She went downhill very quickly but managed to hang on until I got home from Spain. I only had a couple of hours with her but it wasn't fair to prolong it - she was too tired!
Do you ever get over this?

Welcome to the forum.enjoy here thanks for join us.

I'm sorry to hear of your loss, and no you never get over it, but the pain does lessen with time. Just remember the good times you had together, and know shes no longer hurting.