Followers

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Getting Old Might Have Its Perks


It has been bitterly cold here this week.  It's been so cold your breath freezes in the air and shatters like glass.  The weather men have been warning people not to go out if they don't have to.  Of course, we do have to venture out several times a day to take the dogs out to the bathroom and the dogs really aren't that thrilled with the arrangement.

The girls each have their own way of dealing with the cold.   Bunny runs and jumps around, keeping her circulation going, although also occasionally forgetting to actually do what she's out there to do.  Blueberry is very matter of fact about it, getting the job done and then whining pitifully at the gate.  The one I'm really worried about though, is Lilac. 

Since her incident in September when I thought she was dying, she's been a bit weaker in the back end.  It hasn't impeded her too much, but I've noticed that she's a bit slower getting up and down.  I don't believe that Mr. Taleteller or I have ever had a dog as old as she is.  She'll be fifteen this year and that's pretty advanced for a greyhound.  The cold seems to have been really tough on her, though.  Her feet are very sensitive because of the SLO and it's so cold that none of the girls want to have their feet on the ground outside, so I imagine it's worse for her.  So, I've tried to be understanding when she comes to me at odd times, wanting to go out.  I think it's tough for her to concentrate on going outside in the cold and also a little treacherous.

Today as I sat inside with them, enjoying the last week of my break and being happy for my warm house, I began to notice  a smell that dog owners know well.  I looked around.  None of the girls had gotten up in over an hour.  Lilac was comfortable on the big orthopedic bed in her purple jammies.  Blueberry had her nest of beds arranged just the way she liked them and Bunny was curled up against me on the couch.  None of them had gotten up in over an hour, so nobody could  have left any sort of surprise on the floor.

I looked around at each of them, though, just to be sure, but they were all busy doing what greyhounds do best -- napping.  I went back to chatting with my friend on the computer, figuring it was just gas.  Over the next hour, my eyes began to water as this gas attack continued.  I knew that nobody had eaten anything unusual that should have produced this noxious odor, but I feared that men in hazmat suits were going to be knocking on the door at any minute to escort us out into the cold.  I thought I might have to take some sort of drastic measure, but I'm pretty sure that any of the solutions I could have come up with would be illegal.

For some reason, as another gag-inducing wave of nausea overtook me, I glanced over at Lilac.  Her jammies had hitched up a bit as she'd stretched and there it sat!  A turdlet with enough noxious power to fell even Superman, had he been in the area to help.  I rushed to the bathroom to get toilet paper and dispose of the offending lump, which was surprisingly small for the amount of stink it produced.  Sure enough, as I was picking it up, she had to roll over and smoosh just a tiny bit of it in the back of her jammies as she turned to investigate what I was doing back there.  So, I go back to the bathroom for more toilet paper, pick up the rest and flush it.  Then I return to take off her jammies to throw them in the wash. 

After this incident, I decided that I had to alter things outside for her a bit.  While I put the two hooligans in the dog pen, I walked Lilac by herself in the snow and gave her the chance to get her potty break over quickly and get back inside faster.  She seemed pretty pleased with herself as we walked past the dog pen and Bunny and Blueberry stood inside staring at her.  I began to wonder if it could be possible that she orchestrated the whole thing for preferential treatment.

Once back inside, she seemed put out that I hadn't gotten the food ready while we were outside at the same time.  Fortunately, she didn't see fit to bark at me about it this time and let me know that I wasn't moving fast enough.  She did forgive me when I put a little bit of leftover chicken in with the kibble, though.  I guess old age does have to have a few privileges, and honestly, I'm glad to have her here so that we can give them to her.  I'll just hope that she doesn't grace our presence with any more turdlets, fresh or recycled.

Blueberry Types for the Blog

15 comments:

  1. The things we as pet owners do for our elderly pets, it really does show how much we love them.

    Although I`m pretty sure your love would not fade any if you never found any more turdlets in the house. =)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh dear. That incident story was so scary. Momma worries a lot about how she could ever transport me if I was injured.

    My Grandpa Angus sometimes did little turds in his bed when he got older but I think it was because he was senile and did not always know where he was.

    Hope the coldness is over soon.

    Slobbers,
    Mango

    ReplyDelete
  3. My mom says to tell you that... "it's HELL getting old."
    Maybe your Sr. Citizen needs some arthritis med..

    ReplyDelete
  4. Let's be honest...I'd rather poo in the house than outside in the frigid cold!

    My dogs are "senior" as well, and as of yet, no accidents, but it is definitely something that I'm dreading.

    I think taking Lilac out more often and on her own might be the option.

    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, bless her! She's mastered the Stealth Turd so beloved of the senior senior greyhounds! LOL!

    Sorry you have to deal with it, but really. She's an elderly soul, isn't she? Maybe she just needs some bitch britches?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I came over from "A Majority Of Two". I have three fur children here with me right now! My little Emmy is almost ten and broke her back when she was two. After being paralyzed temporarily, she is not as able to control her back end as well as the rest. She is a mini-doxy and at 6 lbs can't get out of our bed by herself..... and you know what I am about to say..... some mornings are quite unpleasant at our house! My sensitive nose picks up that tell-tell odor right away, but love of my life has been known to actually roll over and smear it!!!!!!!! TMI?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for the link to the incident. I didn't know about it. What a scare! Oh, your story brought tears to my eyes. Lilac is one lucky dog. She's got her special needs covered and she's loved unconditionally (with turdies and all). Great job, Lilac. Keep it up. My sissy, Linguini, looked like she was headed downhill about 6 months ago and today she's enjoying her second childhood. I wish you the same.
    Twink!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Being almost 15 definitely gives her the rights to be a Diva, Queen, crazy old hound. Good thing the turd wasn't soft serve/runny *blech*

    ReplyDelete
  9. Poor Lilac, held it so long she couldn't help but squeeze it out!

    15 year is a LONG time, and she definetely deserves special treatment!

    ReplyDelete
  10. At 15, its hard to argue the choices they make :-). I definitely know the "smell".

    ReplyDelete
  11. Poor Lilac! It's bad enough you had to suffer the humiliation of the "T-let" episode - but now the WHOLE world knows about it! Oh my, you poor dear!

    Kisses,
    Emma Rose

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sorry Lilac, we'll keep your secret...(can't say the same for your mom-chuckle!)
    Licks and sniffs,
    Zack, Sassy and Buddy

    ReplyDelete
  13. We do adore our sweet little old lady! If I could wrap her in bubble wrap, I would. Her problems don't seem to be arthritis as much as muscle weakness.

    Something seems to be going right, though, since she's still here with us!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Bless her!!! I just bought Hippie her first pair of PJ's - now you have me wondering what I will find in them!!!!

    ReplyDelete

We love hearing your comments!

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Guestbook