I need help with an aging poodle

[CalamityJean]

I just got off the phone with my mom and she told me that my poodle, Pierre, has been acting up again. He is 15 years old in March and is in really good health. Just in the last year or so he has had some pain when jumping off of or onto furniture. I haven't lived at home for the last 10 years but being the oldest five, we were always in and out of my parent's house. My second to last sister is moving out this week and she is going to leave Pierre with my parents. He is completely distraught over and is peeing all over the house and whining. He usually gets depressed when we move out but this seems to be a little worse than usual. Probably because there is only one sister left living there. I think that having us all come in and out on the weekends (we all live 5 hours away from my parents so we stay 2-3 nights when we visit) is confusing and upsetting hime. We considered having him come live with me b/c I work from home but I am afraid that the trauma of living in a new place is just too much for him. The vet has suggested putting him on prozac but my parent's dont want to have him drugged. He is healthy and other than his emotional outbursts he is a great dog. Has anybody had a situation similar to this and if so do you have an suggestions for me on how to make things easier for our little guy.


Thanks

 

[boxermom]

There is a dose of meds that could calm him, but not leave him like a zombie, if you work with the vet. I'm no expert, but this sounds like a combination of the dog being elderly (they can develop some senility, too) and the constant changes with people in and out. Dogs like consistency--what to expect--and it sounds like he never knows from day to day what will be going on. I don't know if that part of the situation can be altered, but it could be affecting him.

Best wishes--he deserves some calm at this stage in his long life.

 

[CalamityJean]

There is a dose of meds that could calm him, but not leave him like a zombie, if you work with the vet. I'm no expert, but this sounds like a combination of the dog being elderly (they can develop some senility, too) and the constant changes with people in and out. Dogs like consistency--what to expect--and it sounds like he never knows from day to day what will be going on. I don't know if that part of the situation can be altered, but it could be affecting him.

Best wishes--he deserves some calm at this stage in his long life.

Thanks so much for your suggestions. I was pretty upset yesterday when I posted. We are going to take him to the vet... we can't change the people coming and going (just part of a large family) but I think that my parent's are convinced now that he needs something to calm him down. My younger sister has promised me to pay him extra attention and she still has a very long time before she moves out. Its so hard to watch them grow old and even harder when I am so far away!! I just want the little guy to be comfortable and happy.

 

[chloehandbags]

Poor little Pierre.

Dogs are far more attached to people than places, so I think your idea of having him live with you, is actually a very good one.

I think the fact that you work from home will give him some stability, which is what he needs.

I'd try that before I resorted to the Prozac, personally.

If you do try it, I would make sure to give him a good couple of weeks to settle in, in his new home and then, if he still shows no signs of improvement, go back to the vet.

 

[boxermom]

CalamityJean, I understand that some aspects of family life are what they are, like you said. I hope I didn't offend you in what I wrote. whatever stability he can have, as chloehandbags said, should help.

It is hard to watch our beloved pets age--they are family members and it's a loss in our lives. All the best to your family and Pierre.

 

[CalamityJean]

Boxermom, I wasn't offended at all!! I appreciate your feedback. I did have a nice long chat with the family and Pierre is going to stay with my parents but they are all going to give him some more stability and some extra attention. He adores my grandmother (grandparents live with my parents) and my parents want him to stay there with them. My mom has also given him a place downstairs with his bed so that he doesnt have to climb the stairs and can be right in the middle of all the action. He is such a sweetheart. I will have to post pic soon. Thanks for listening and being so understanding!