Hi all,
My purpose in joining PF was the search for a standard poodle service dog, but the reason behind that choice of breed is a magnificent creature named Jazzy. She's a 14-year-old toy poodle who turns 15 in March. Purebred and I believe quite well-bred (her breeder has a minimal online presence in terms of a breeding page or website, but is a member of the parent club in good standing based on listings, has several dogs on BetterBred, has bred some dogs with solid placements I can find over years with searching, and has been excellent to us and produced a wonderful dog who is everything we could have dreamed and more-- and released her to us because her snout was too short despite being her pick otherwise, and she was thus not to be added to the breeding program or shown). Jazzy is perfect to me in every way and her breeder produced this perfection, so all my respect.
Jazzy has had some problems over the years. Her back has developed problems (arthritis) for years and we've been dealing with her severe recurring pancreatitis for...a decade? It's well controlled for the most part but as anyone who's dealt with a bad recurring pancreatitis diagnosis in their pup can probably attest, there are rare flareups seemingly for no reason and she's carefully monitored and cared for. Our vet saved her life with a surgery on her gallbladder a few years back and we've been on borrowed time ever since simply because she was so very close to dying before a diagnostician was brought in and the surgery brought her back.
With all of that background, my Jazzy is the light of my life. She was my best friend and still is. She's my heart dog. I can and often do talk for days about her and her countless incredible qualities, but all I can think of right now is her wonderful, brilliant mind and how it might be fading. I don't live with my parents any more and haven't for several years, but I live about an hour away and my dad told me today when visiting that he and my mom think Jazzy has canine cognitive dysfunction (well, he said "doggie dementia" or something, but google and I had a date and came to CCD being a real and sad and very frighteningly fitting match to her changes, some over years and some months and some weeks). Jazzy's housetraining was easy and has been excellent, but going downhill with her age and more so recently. My dad told me he took her out, she did everything, asked to come inside and was brought back inside, and then wandered into the (human) bathroom and pooped, looking uncomfortable. She stares with utter bewilderment beyond her slowly fading eyesight at walls and corners and doors now apparently and tried to walk through a fence she's literally never tried to (it's less than a yard long and simply stops you from stepping a few inches off the little front porch doorstep thing to the fenced front yard on the side; even as a wiggly puppy she never went through that and apparently tried, was clearly confused, and needed help figuring out to walk less than a foot to the door the way she's been getting inside for her whole life). She's getting more and more needy, though part of that is obviously age and confusion and when applicable discomfort (we're actively working with the vet on her having as little pain as possible). She's become intermittently and oddly uncoordinated, falling, having difficulty-- my folks are going to "puppy proof" the house again, gates at top and bottom of stairs and pillows lining theside of the bed and dog stairs so any falls and/or disorientation have lessened chance of injury. Jazzy would be utterly miserable not sleeping in bed, so it'll be pillows on the floor like a little moat at night.
The vet agreed it's quite likely when he saw her less than a week ago and my mom asked; they've brought her in so much for her back, her pancreatitis, etc. that everything has been tested and monitored constantly for years. She's checked for every possible worry at this age because we just love her and want her to be happy and comfortable as long as possible and it's one of the great joys in all of our lives that she likes playing "paws" (pounce, one poodle vs one hand) on the bed in the morning. She still does that.
This is a poorly written post, and I apologize, but I guess I'm reaching out for what experiences others have. We're committed to enrichment for her now more than ever and I've spoken with my dogsitter already about her availability because we also all agree that as her favorite playmate for over a decade, I'm a solid enrichment activity and visits are even more important. My folks are, as I said, going to puppy proof the house for our geriatric dog and she's under active treatment of excellent veterinarians. I'm just trying to process a more tangible understanding of Jazzy one day being gone, I suppose, and anyone's more personal experience of this disease than the internet has provided.
tl;dr - almost 15yo toy poodle is thought to have Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. She's already fragile. I'm a mess after about 12 hours of trying to process this news about my first heart dog.
My purpose in joining PF was the search for a standard poodle service dog, but the reason behind that choice of breed is a magnificent creature named Jazzy. She's a 14-year-old toy poodle who turns 15 in March. Purebred and I believe quite well-bred (her breeder has a minimal online presence in terms of a breeding page or website, but is a member of the parent club in good standing based on listings, has several dogs on BetterBred, has bred some dogs with solid placements I can find over years with searching, and has been excellent to us and produced a wonderful dog who is everything we could have dreamed and more-- and released her to us because her snout was too short despite being her pick otherwise, and she was thus not to be added to the breeding program or shown). Jazzy is perfect to me in every way and her breeder produced this perfection, so all my respect.
Jazzy has had some problems over the years. Her back has developed problems (arthritis) for years and we've been dealing with her severe recurring pancreatitis for...a decade? It's well controlled for the most part but as anyone who's dealt with a bad recurring pancreatitis diagnosis in their pup can probably attest, there are rare flareups seemingly for no reason and she's carefully monitored and cared for. Our vet saved her life with a surgery on her gallbladder a few years back and we've been on borrowed time ever since simply because she was so very close to dying before a diagnostician was brought in and the surgery brought her back.
With all of that background, my Jazzy is the light of my life. She was my best friend and still is. She's my heart dog. I can and often do talk for days about her and her countless incredible qualities, but all I can think of right now is her wonderful, brilliant mind and how it might be fading. I don't live with my parents any more and haven't for several years, but I live about an hour away and my dad told me today when visiting that he and my mom think Jazzy has canine cognitive dysfunction (well, he said "doggie dementia" or something, but google and I had a date and came to CCD being a real and sad and very frighteningly fitting match to her changes, some over years and some months and some weeks). Jazzy's housetraining was easy and has been excellent, but going downhill with her age and more so recently. My dad told me he took her out, she did everything, asked to come inside and was brought back inside, and then wandered into the (human) bathroom and pooped, looking uncomfortable. She stares with utter bewilderment beyond her slowly fading eyesight at walls and corners and doors now apparently and tried to walk through a fence she's literally never tried to (it's less than a yard long and simply stops you from stepping a few inches off the little front porch doorstep thing to the fenced front yard on the side; even as a wiggly puppy she never went through that and apparently tried, was clearly confused, and needed help figuring out to walk less than a foot to the door the way she's been getting inside for her whole life). She's getting more and more needy, though part of that is obviously age and confusion and when applicable discomfort (we're actively working with the vet on her having as little pain as possible). She's become intermittently and oddly uncoordinated, falling, having difficulty-- my folks are going to "puppy proof" the house again, gates at top and bottom of stairs and pillows lining theside of the bed and dog stairs so any falls and/or disorientation have lessened chance of injury. Jazzy would be utterly miserable not sleeping in bed, so it'll be pillows on the floor like a little moat at night.
The vet agreed it's quite likely when he saw her less than a week ago and my mom asked; they've brought her in so much for her back, her pancreatitis, etc. that everything has been tested and monitored constantly for years. She's checked for every possible worry at this age because we just love her and want her to be happy and comfortable as long as possible and it's one of the great joys in all of our lives that she likes playing "paws" (pounce, one poodle vs one hand) on the bed in the morning. She still does that.
This is a poorly written post, and I apologize, but I guess I'm reaching out for what experiences others have. We're committed to enrichment for her now more than ever and I've spoken with my dogsitter already about her availability because we also all agree that as her favorite playmate for over a decade, I'm a solid enrichment activity and visits are even more important. My folks are, as I said, going to puppy proof the house for our geriatric dog and she's under active treatment of excellent veterinarians. I'm just trying to process a more tangible understanding of Jazzy one day being gone, I suppose, and anyone's more personal experience of this disease than the internet has provided.
tl;dr - almost 15yo toy poodle is thought to have Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. She's already fragile. I'm a mess after about 12 hours of trying to process this news about my first heart dog.
The treat must be given immediately upon pottying, which means accompanying her outdoors. (Not a bad thing to do, regardless, when your dog is experiencing memory loss and confusion.)
