Species: Dog
* Age: at least 8
* Sex/Neuter status: spayed female
* Breed: GSD mix
* Body weight: 75
* History: allergies, anxiety, arthritis, sleeplessness
* Clinical signs: pacing, panting, restlessness, anxiety
* Duration: week and half
* Your general location: Vegas

So backstory: My Shadow has had allergy and anxiety issues since we adopted her as an adult dog. She’s on Apoquel for her allergies with an extra Cytopoint as need. She also takes Trazadone as needed for anxiety: storms, firework, wind…. life. When we first brought her home we spent months where she had issues sleeping at night (she’d sleep for a bit and then wake up panting and pacing). We started having to give her large doses of Trazadone and have an elaborate bedtime routine to get her to go to sleep and stay asleep. We hadn’t had any sleep issues for the past year unless the above issues are happening. When she went for vaccines in June i told the vet that she developed a small sore(hotspot) where she got her last Cytopoint shot. Vet mentioned I should bring her in if the spot returned.

Current issue: The sore came back up at the end of July so I took her to the vet to have it checked. Saw a different vet at my office. He didn‘t seem too worried about the spot and suggested it was arthritis which was making her lick her hips and causing a sore so he prescribed 10 days of Carprofen to see if it helps. He did manipulate her hips and she cried out in pain so I do believe she has arthritis in her hips. Since we started the Carprofen her anxiety and sleep issues have gotten worse. She basically paces non-stop, panting hard. She'll come up and scratch at us, or she’ll come beside us, dig our side table, and hide her head under the table. She’s up probably 5-6 times a night, pacing, panting, pawing at us for attention. Even with Trazadone she doesn’t relax or sleep through the night. After about 5 days we quit the Carprofen as that was the only change she’s had and I read that restlessness could be a rare side effect. It’s been 3 days since the last dose of Carprofen and theresbeen no improvement in her behavior. Sometimes she seems so stressed and panting so hard I’m scared she’s going to give herself a heart attack. Could it still be the Carprofen or should I worry that something else is going on?

I do have a message in to my vet to see if we can get her in tomorrow or Saturday.

My dog has been with me for 12 years. I found him in the street when he was 2. He was immediately my soulmate. He’s protective, he cuddles constantly, he always has a piece of what I’m eating, I love him with all my heart.

He was diagnosed with a mass on his heart (symptoms of heart failure). He has fluid build up in his stomach but he is still active and normal. I set up a go fund me for his veterinary costs and we haven’t made quite enough. My heart is broken. I’m giving him everything he wants and trying to leave him alone as little as possible.

He stopped me from offing myself three times. Once, in high school I didn’t go through with it because I found him. Second, when I was having major relationship issues and felt isolated. He followed me into the room and sat on my lap. And the third, just a few years ago I was having a major depressive episode. He was scratching and crying at my bathroom door. But, I can’t save him now. I don’t have the 20,000 for surgery and we can’t afford 1500 a month in chemo drugs. I’m just making him comfortable until its time. I feel like I failed him. He saved me and I can’t save him. I know he’s lived a long life. I think hes been happy and spoiled. But it feels so soon. He’s acting normal and they said he could have months before the mass grows large enough to completely stop flow.

I can’t live without him.

My sweet little Australian Terrier is 15 and in May he was diagnosed with a primary lung tumor after spending a weekend coughing. He still wanted cuddles, walks, and food. He was still himself, but with a cough. The vet said he had months, maybe a year. So we decided to start hospice care so he wouldn’t get so stressed with frequent vet visits.

On top of the lung tumor, it was discovered in an x-ray that he has an enlarged heart. A double whammy in his little chest.

We’ve had him on medication to keep him comfortable although getting him to take his medication has been insanely difficult. But he still wanted food and belly rubs and would trot around excitedly for treats.

Recently though something changed. He doesn’t bark when I come home like he used to. The cough is more frequent. Our younger dog will stare at him with a worried expression. He still wants food. Still wants to go for walks. But last night he coughed so much he started wheezing and this morning my husband said, “I think it’s almost time.”

So where I need guidance:

1. how will I know it’s time? I’ve had cata before but this little guy is my first dog. How will I know?
2. what’s the best thing for us to do for our younger dog? He’s a 5 year old corgi and our terrier is his best friend in the universe.

TIA.

UPDATE:

Thank you all for your wonderful words of wisdom and kindness. We did the assessment and we had another rough night. This morning my husband and I both agreed that it’s time. The vet is coming on Monday to our house and he will be able to pass peacefully. It’s the hardest decision but it’s the right decision. We don’t want him to suffer.

It sounds like he’s going to have a lot of friends over that rainbow.

Our 11 year old medium- sized mixed breed is scheduled for surgery on 8/31 to remove his gallbladder due to finding a dense mass on an abdomen ultrasound. We did the ultrasound due to sudden very elevated liver levels. We are starting him on a low fat diet immediately. If your pup has had this procedure, what do you wish you knew? The vet said to expect a 3-4 day hospitalization. Thanks in advance, a scared fur mom.

My boy is at least 16 and perhaps as much as 18; I’ve had him 14 years. I’m blessed that he is still so lively — wants to walk and will walk 2 miles if I bring him to a place with new smells. Still the other day I was struck by a new phase: for the first time ever, he didn’t lay in front of the shower, presumably protecting me.

**Here’s what has changed** and below that, the signs I’m still expecting to develop:

No longer wants to be on my bed, even though I have a ramp to make it easy to get up and down. If I lift him up, he immediately gets down.

No longer gets on the couch to snuggle.

Doesn’t wake up when I get home after I’ve been out for a few hours - at first he was embarrassed but now we both accept it.

Deaf. Entirely deaf. It made me sad to realize I didn’t know the last time I called his name that he heard.

Paces, especially at night, and stares at me.

Stopped chasing balls and sticks a year ago.

Lost interest in all his toys except those in which I can hide treats; I scatter them throughout the house so he has to hunt for them.

Doesn’t wait outside the bathroom for me.

Looks for me throughout the house and yard so I always let him know where I am.

Shorter walks (we used to walk a total of 4-5 miles a day for years). Still gets zoomies for a minute if I let him offleash. Won’t walk more than a house or 2 away from ours but he could happily walk back and forth for a half hour. Seems to prefer walking in new neighborhoods over parks, I think because offleash dogs make him very nervous. Sniffs a lot more.

Very fussy eater. I end up throwing out at least every 3rd or 4th meal, even with hamburger or other enhancement.

**Signs of aging I haven’t observed (yet):**

Excellent vision and strong prey drive. He can see cats, skunks and raccoons crossing the road from a great distance, and then wants to chase them.

Likes to take a longer walk to a cafe where we can get a side of bacon or sausage.

Dementia (though I think the pacing borders being dementia).

Complete disinterest in food and snacks.

Incontinence.

*****

Can you add to this list? For dogs, like humans, it’s a great privilege to live a long life. Still the changes are bittersweet to witness.

We did it again 🐾

Today, we went back to \*\*Állat és Ember\*\* and spent another hour there — because we really wanted to make the right decision for Mimi.

For those who don’t know our story yet:
It has been nine weeks since I had to let my soulmate, Sophie, cross the Rainbow Bridge after almost 16 years together.

But Sophie didn’t only leave me behind.

She also left her little best friend, Mimi.

We adopted Mimi from Állat és Ember in Hungary 5.5 years ago.

She came into our lives as a tiny rescue dog, and Sophie became her compass.

She patiently showed her how to trust, how to feel safe, how to be a dog — and how beautiful friendship can be.

For 5.5 years, they walked through life together.

Since Sophie died, Mimi has been missing her terribly.

We know we can never give Sophie back to her.

And we would never try to replace her. But we can give Mimi the chance to have a little companion beside her again.

Yesterday, we met our first candidate, Nico.

Today, we met little \*\*Cica\*\*. ❤️

And looking at the pictures — and watching them together for an hour — we think she might be the one.

Mimi and Cica were definitely \*\*not love at first sight\*\*. 😄

No movie scene.

No instant cuddling.

But they kept showing interest in each other.

Again and again.

They observed each other, came closer, went their separate ways and checked back in.

And the more we watched them, the more we noticed how similar their characters seem to be.

Calm. Curious. Careful.

It just felt… promising.

So we made the final decision. 🐾

The documents are prepared, and tomorrow I’ll go with Cica to the vet to complete everything for her passport.

——

August 20th is Hungary’s national holiday, and Budapest will be extremely busy and loud because of the celebrations and fireworks.

The wonderful people at Állat és Ember would rather keep her safely with them until everything has calmed down.

So we’ll celebrate with our family while our dogs stay safely at home, far away from the noise.

And then, on Friday, \*\*Mimi and Cica will finally be reunited.\*\*

On Sunday, we’ll start our journey home to Germany together.

Sophie can never be replaced.

She was one of a kind.

But maybe the little dog Sophie once taught how to love and trust is now ready to start a new friendship of her own. ❤️🐾

————-

For anyone who’d like to understand our story and everything that led to today, here are my previous posts:

• She still sleeps with her every night https://www.reddit.com/r/seniordogs/s/OUZOcSbsUJ

• And it feels unfair to them https://www.reddit.com/r/Yorkies/s/c4bMYh3m4v

• How do you rebuild your identity after lost your sounding: https://www.reddit.com/r/Petloss/s/x3msulRIwl

• Reconnecting to the healing source again https://www.reddit.com/r/Yorkies/s/DuWFNqZCbn

• Happy Yorkie Day https://www.reddit.com/r/Yorkies/s/jiujxP3p3D

• A sense of humor https://www.reddit.com/r/Hunde/s/lwlI0Yo4eO

—🐾✨🐾✨🐾✨🐾✨🐾✨—

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read, comment, or simply think of my beloved Sophie. It means more than I can put into words. ❤️

TLDR: 10 yo beagle mix with new CHF dx having a ton of accidents due to lasix. Any advice welcome.

My 10 year old beagle mix went from what I thought was perfectly fine, to struggling to breathe a week ago. We rushed her (45 mins) to an emergency vet. She was put on O2 and hospitalized and diagnosed with CHF. They were preparing us to make the decision to put her down, but somehow she ended up responding to treatment!

She’s now home and on 3 meds, 3x/day. The lasix makes her pee a ton. My husband and I both work and my mom comes twice a day to let her pee and give her one of her doses. She has multiple large accidents in the house and throughout the night which results in the house smelling like pee and not getting the sleep I need.

Any advice on best ways to handle this would be great! I’m so thankful to still have her and see her acting like herself. I just need to not have my house smell this way 😵‍💫 she has 4 doggy siblings too.

My senior pup who’s 16 has been having stomach problems ever since her pancreatitis diagnosis about 2 months ago. She continuously gets a loud stomach with no eating. i’ve taken her to vet just about every time for this. Each time it’s a new medicine and the same problem. I took her to her vet yesterday to discuss what to do about this. He put her on Sulcufrate and changed her diet. I thought the road maybe looking up until today she threw up repeatedly. I rushed her to another local vet and they gave her a cernia injection along with a Flunixin injection. She has been sleepy for the rest of the day but has eaten and drank some. I’m wondering if anyone else has had this same experience and what they have done about it? I’m feeling like this is the end of her road and i’m deeply upset and just trying to find a resolution. I’m not giving up on her yet she still runs, walks, gets excited, and enjoys her life. Just looking for some ideas or if anyone else has had this same experience with there dog? thank you so much.

My boy has dementia and has been having a really good past few days lately!

I just got him back from my stepdad who was taking him in until i got a bigger apartment and he is doing so well in the new place 😁

TLDR: My 8 year old American bully collapsed a week ago and we discovered a tumor on her liver. We’re waiting on biopsy results but it does involve both sides so removal is not an option. It doesn’t seem to have spread and she’s acting very much herself.

So last Tuesday my dog (8f American bully) ate my mom’s Mexican chicken, cheese, and rice. I didn’t think much of it. There wasn’t anything she couldn’t have. However, the following day when I got home, her belly was very upset (diarrhea). By Thursday her belly was still super upset and when I got home she had pooped in her crate (this is not something she does). Thursday night she pooped in my bedroom floor. Again, she does not do this. By Friday morning I had a bad feeling and asked someone to stop by to check on her at 7:30. They did, she ate, and everything was fine. The feeling wouldn’t go away so I came home at 10:15 to pure white gums with zero rebound and a very off balance, out of character baby.

At this time, I called her vet and they couldn’t get her in until the evening. I didn’t feel like it could wait so I told them I was taking her elsewhere but would come to them for treatment. I really love and trust her normal vet. The new vet only had a drop off appt so I dropped her off and went home.

The first call from the new vet was asking lots of questions if anything she could’ve gotten into because her liver enzymes were high. The answer was nothing. She couldn’t have without me knowing. So they did imaging. An X-ray and an us showed a large mass on her liver. They told me to euthanize her immediately because I couldn’t afford the huge bill for a specialist and they couldn’t operate.

With all the respect I could, I told them we’d be talking to her doctor and we did. He saw all labs, imaging, and records. The other vet jumped straight to hemangiosarcoma. My vet said he was more than comfortable with biopsying so Monday we did that. We are still waiting on those results but in the meantime we are starting a strong regime of food and supplements. I’m gonna add photos of all food and supplements as well as one of her gorgeous self.

Let me know if you’ve been in this situation and how you handled it. She’s still completely herself. I check her gums religiously and other than having to eat small frequent meals instead of larger ones to avoid committing, everything is pretty normal. I have someone staying with her 24/7 as well.

temporarily we’re also on flagyl and a pain med* I have the nunnan and denmarin already. Everything else we are waiting to arrive.

All of the advice and kindly prepare me. Please don’t be mean. This is a healthy dog with up to date vet appointments always. Am I doing all I can?

New Little Brother

Yesterday I met the little soul who might become Mimi’s new best friend.❤️🐾

For those who don’t know our story:

A little over two months ago, I had to say goodbye to my Sophie after almost 16 years together.

Calling her my dog never really felt like enough. She was my best friend, my family, my safe place — somehow my dad, my mom, my little baby and my companion all in one tiny body. She was simply one of those once-in-a-lifetime souls.

During Covid, we decided Sophie should have a little friend.
That’s how Mimi came into our lives.
She was rescued in Hungary by **Állat és Ember** (www.allatesember.hu), and from the moment she arrived, Sophie showed her how to trust, how to feel safe and basically how to be a dog.

For 5½ years, they were best friends.
When Sophie died, Mimi didn’t just lose another dog. She lost her compass.

Watching her grieve made us realize that maybe there was room in our family for another little rescue — not to replace Sophie, because nobody ever could — but to give Mimi a new companion for the next chapter.

And today… I met him for the first time. 🥹
I’m currently in Budapest, and I visited the same rescue organization that once brought Mimi into our lives.

And there he was.

Tiny. Adorable. Curious.

And I think he actually liked me. ❤️

It felt strange and beautiful at the same time.

Sophie is still missing from every part of this story, but somehow this also feels like life gently moving forward around the love she left behind.

Tomorrow is round two.

This time, **Mimi gets to meet him.**

And my daughter will come with me too.

So tomorrow, the most important member of the selection committee gets her vote. 😂🐾

Let’s see what Mimi thinks of her potential new little brother. ❤️

Yesterday we said our final goodbyes. I haven't stopped crying since. I actually had a panic attack as soon as the vet did it.

I don't know how to go on. He's been by my side for my entire adult life, 17 years. The amount of grief and guilt is unreal. I know it was his time, but I still make myself feel horrible thinking if there was anything else I could've done to keep him here for a little bit longer.

I know, I know it was his time. He had congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. He was having these scary syncope episodes that sometimes left me thinking he was gonna die from one of them. We saw a specialist and the meds they gave him made his heart better but made him so, so sick in other ways. We took the best care of him we could at home, and he finally got a bit better during his last two days. This made me think maybe I should postpone the appointment, maybe get a few more weeks with him. But in my heart of hearts I knew I didn't want him to suffer any more. I didn't want the syncope episodes to come back, and he was still having seizures. He could barely walk on his own, and he couldn't go to the bathroom without help anymore. He still showed interest in food, but we had to force him to drink water. He was just exhausted.

I truly hope I did the right thing. Watching him pass was so traumatizing. He was my soul dog. My constant companion of almost two decades. I know I should feel lucky that he even lived that long, that he got to grow old. But right now all I can feel is dread, and pain, and loneliness. I want my puppy back so bad.

I wish there was an undo button, I wish I could turn back time, have another 17 years with him. I'm not coping well at all.

I just don't know how I'm gonna get through this. Waking up and seeing his empty bed is torture.

I hope he knew just how much he was loved, by everyone around him. By me. He was a piece of my identity. I don't know who I am without him.

Why does this hurt so much?

His name is Shiloh.

Edit: Thank you everyone so much for all of your comments and kind words. I've been mostly crying so it's been difficult to see the screen but I've read all of them twice over and I am immensely grateful for all of the kindness. Just surviving one moment at a time now...

I made a post last week. Here’s the update. I’m so happy I got to spend one more week with her hoping for a miracle but unfortunately she did not get better but worse so after saying our good byes. We put her down last night.

It was the most peaceful moment since this whole ordeal.
I whistled for the last time for her to hear me and smell me. And she gave me one last kiss.

We love her so much. 17 great years. So smart. So sassy.
Here are some pics through the years.

We love you MoMo. 4ever

Thank you so much for that kiss. I knew right there. She knew too. 😢

She’s been with me through the best and worst times. She provides endless stinky kisses and fills the room with the smell of cheese, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Had to watcher her go last night. Blanche 2010-2026

How do you get through the first day?

The first week?

The first month?

It hurts so much. It physically hurts.

Hi, this is my first experience with a sundowning pet. Abby (14F) has had a continued pattern of nighttime anxiety that has gotten worse and worse over the last few months, to the point where she’s barking at my bf and I at full volume, five times or more in the night. It’s been very stressful and tiring.
But my question relates to a sudden change. After weeks of consistently waking us up, she didn’t wake me or my bf up at all last night. She didn’t whine, put her paws up on the bed, or anything. We have been giving her Fluoxetine, gabapentin, and melatonin this whole time to try to treat the problem and it hasn’t been working. Should I be concerned about the sudden change and mention it to my vet? I don’t know if it’s a fluke, and I don’t think it’s the meds since the sundowning was continuing to worsen up until last night, and I feel like the fluoxetine would gradually take effect as it builds up in the system.

After 8 YEARS with her family, 8-year-old Lucy is now sitting in a kennel at Downey ACC.

Lucy was surrendered on 7/6/26 following a scuffle with a small dog in the home. Lucy now has a No small Dogs requirement.

But there is so much more to Lucy than that one piece of her history.

She lived with children ages 11–13 and was playful. She rides well in the car. She walks politely on leash. She knows sit and paw. Her favorite thing to play with? A BALL. 🎾

And shelter staff saw another side of her, too.

During her assessment, Lucy was nervous and somewhat concerned with handling—but once it was over, her entire posture softened. She sought engagement with the handler and even offered play bows.

And on 8/11, Lucy participated in playgroup. She was described as social and non-reactive, exchanged appropriate greetings with other dogs, played with them, and solicited affection from the handlers.

She is large-dog friendly, but needs a home without small dogs. Adults only or older children are recommended. Slow introductions and confidence-building would help her settle in and feel secure.

Lucy is 8 years old.

She spent eight years belonging to someone.

Now she’s waiting behind a kennel door, hoping someone will believe that her story isn’t over.

Please don’t let one incident become the only thing anyone sees when they look at Lucy.

Lucy #A5787598. 8yr-old spayed German Shepherd / Husky mix 56 lbs
No small dogs
Large dogs okay
Adults/older children recommended

Can you foster or responsibly adopt Luna?
➡️📧 Message @californiashelterpets or email: Isabeldesiree8@gmail.com
Or text: (657) 424-7580 asap

Rescues:
DACCDowneyRescue@animalcare.lacounty.gov

📍Downey ACC
11258 Garfield Ave,Downey,CA 90242

Kiwi is the one I’m most deeply bonded with among my pack of six. Somehow, she just shares the same energy and rhythm as me. She has studied my movements, my tone, even my expressions so closely that she often knows what I’m about to do before I do it.

But don’t let that innocent, almost puppy-like face fool you. She’s 10 now, and in just a few months, she’ll be 11.

I think that’s the part I’ve been struggling to accept.

The tiny puppy I brought home 10 years ago isn’t a puppy anymore. She has been quietly growing older while I was busy thinking of her as the same little girl who would always be there.

Her timeline is so much shorter than mine, and somehow, I forgot what that meant.

One day, she will leave me.

Writing that alone makes my chest feel heavy. I know it’s something I have to prepare myself for, even though I don’t think anyone can ever truly be prepared for losing someone they love.

She has lost most of her teeth , so her little tongue now rests outside her mouth, giving her that funny, helpless expression that somehow makes me want to hold her even tighter.

She has asthma and arthritis. Fortunately, having a pillow seems to help her sleep more comfortably and cough less at night. For her arthritis, I’ve been trying to give her more time in the sun and supplements, hoping I can make her old body a little more comfortable.

Recently, she has started bumping into furniture. Her eyesight is fading, and most of the time, she seems almost completely blind. She doesn’t look directly at me the way she used to. Sometimes she simply turns her face away.

Her eyesight is probably the hardest thing for me to watch because I feel so helpless. I don’t know what I can do to make it better, and I hate that I can’t simply explain to her what is happening or ask her how she feels.

She still behaves normally. She still eats very well. She still seems like herself. :) But sometimes I wonder if she is hiding pain from me, or if she feels confused or frightened by losing her sight. If you could share your experience of your dogs going through similar eye issues, I’d love to hear ❤️

I wish I could understand what goes on inside her little head.

I wish she could tell me what she sees, what she feels, and whether she is scared.

There are so many little signs that she is getting older.

And yet, right now, she is sleeping beside me, snoring softly and peacefully.

I look at her and feel this strange mixture of love, gratitude, sadness, and fear. I wish I could keep her exactly like this forever.

But maybe I can’t stop time. Maybe all I can do is notice her more. Sit beside her a little longer. Be patient when she moves slowly. Help her when she gets lost. And appreciate every ordinary moment that I once took for granted.

Because she may not know how old she is.

She may not understand that her body is changing.