Nov 30th, 2017
What they don't tell you about adopting/rescuing a senior pet:
Almost three years ago, my grandmother rescued a 12 year old Belgian Shepherd named Shooter was was so sick and weak that he couldn't sit up from lying down. His old human was more than happy to watch him suffer and had my grandmother not taken him when she did he would have died. While he was getting the care he needed he was still very weak, especially in his back end which could barely support him and had problems with his kidney function. Even the vet said that my grandmother was setting herself up for heartache.
He needed to be put on a special, renal diet to maintain his kidney health and into his later years different types of pain medication as his legs became weaker and the pain greater. None of these were cheap but every penny was more than worth it.
I knew Shooter through this transition period in his life and when my grandmother ended up in the hospital over the summer and I moved into her house to care for her pets, I got to know him better. By this point he was 14 years old, on his pain medication, and his strength was starting to fail him. He had a good number of bad days but his good days well outnumbered them and he was smiling and happy and in no obvious pain. To this day I can't remember ever meeting a happier boy. Despite the neglect that he suffered though the first 12 years of his life he was full of joy and love, not to mention attitude. He was a sassy boy and that was one of my favourite things about him.
Unfortunately, 3 days ago he was struggling to stand up. It took all of mine and my grandmother's strength to lift him and all of his strength to stay on his feet to even go outside and do his business.
2 days ago he was no longer able to get up.
Yesterday he spent the day on the kitchen floor. We knew that his time was coming to an end and it only became more obvious as the day progressed. By nightfall I'm not sure he was aware of his surroundings.
This morning I said goodbye to my little boy. We were able to get the vet to make a home visit as moving him would have caused him intense amounts of pain and the trip would have distressed him. I spent two hours that morning on the floor with him, petting him, talking to him, comforting him because by that point it was like he had nothing left in him, nothing left to give, no more fight, just... nothing. His head was in my hand when they gave him the injection and he passed on peacefully with my hand as a pillow.
What they don't tell you about having a senior pet is that they bring so much joy to your home. You grow to love them and bond with them so fast because, while seniors are generally more independent, they just want to spend time with you. This doesn't have to be a big activity. Me and Shooter spent hours just lounging together while I read a book. I didn't have to utter a single word to him, he understood me through gestures and body language, but I still spoke to him like I would my best friend because, not only was he family, he was my best friend
The things is, everyone always talks about how you won't have them with you very long if you adopt/rescue a senior pet. "You're setting yourself up for heartache." What they don't tell you is this: That heartache is worth every smile, every affectionate gesture, every night they sleep at the foot of your bed, every trip to the vet and every penny spent on medication. The part of your life that you share with them is special.
The time I spent with Shooter was amazing, it was full of joy and love (and attitude because he had a lot of it!) and I wouldn't trade it for the world. The heartache I'm left with is a constant reminder of how loved he was in his last years of life and the moments that we shared together.
Girl_in_love61636 Community Member 
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