Keeping an Old Pud Comfy

Shortie

Hi everyone, (swallows away the tears that are forming)

Mr Shortie and I have never had an old animal of our own (we both grew up around animals when we were little but I don't really remember much about them getting old) and we have an old pud (Pip)..

We've had Pip in and out of the vets recently as he suddenly lost a lot of weight. The vet thinks it's either liver cancer as he has a lump on his side, thyroid or just old age (we think he is 15-16 year old - we get him and his brother from Battersea about 12 years ago). She recommended feeding him little and often in case it is thyroid - she said he would need to be under anaesthetic for the blood tests and she thinks he wouldn't survive even the blood tests.

So, her suggestion is to keep him as comfy as poss in his old age. Most importantly (to my mind) was that she gave him a good check over and said from what she could tell, he was in no pain. The minute I think that is changing is when we have to be kind to him. He's still fantastically well natured, doesn't mind being handled (actually, loves the attention) and doesn't react to any area being touched - so I don't think he's in any particular pain

Anyway, the last week or so he's visibly getting older and older - he wobbles sideways, constantly wants either feeding or fuss, doesn't seem to be putting any weight on (he's pitifully thin) and now he's not even bothering to groom himself. He got gravy on his head last week and it's still there stuck in his fur, and his nose is becoming really grubby where he's eating

So, we've been giving him full fat goats milk in small amounts over the day (water is always available) and bits of cooked meat (biscuit is always available which he picks but a very small amount). The week before last we had some corned beef in which we gave him in small amounts and he seemed to put a small amount of weight back on, which he then lost the following week again...


What would you feed an old pud when he's facing his final days? And how do you clean a pud with stuff caked in his fur? The dogs go in the shower, but I wouldn't subject him to that, especially not now

Many thanks
Shortie

Mrs_Z

I take Pip is a cat? Anyways, we had this with one of ours, adopted from a local shelter 15 years ago so she would have been about 17ish this year. She was diagnosed with overactive thyroid 4 years ago and was on medication which kept her in check all this time. From spring she started going noticeably downhill and towards the end she stopped eating altogether and was very thin. At that point we decided to have her PTS, had the vet come home to do it and I'm glad I did not wait until the very end. She might have had another couple of weeks at the most, this way I felt she still went with most of her dignity left.

Mrs_Z

Sorry meant to answer to your questions too! I think Pud can have all his favourites! Whatever he likes! As for removing the caked stuff - could you wipe it out with a damp tissue (or cut out the caked bit of fur).

Sukey

Sorry to hear about Pud. Baby wipes are a good way to keep him clean. Big hug to you all. x

Shortie

Hi Mrs Z, yes I think you're right about keeping Pip's dignity (sorry yes, Pip is the cat), and I hate to say it but I'm starting to wonder as of this weekend.

The signs I always said I'd look out to make a decision to PTS for aren't there.. he doesn't seem to be in pain, he's still going outside every time to go to the loo, he's got good vision still, he's got his appetite.. But realising he isn't cleaning himself, and he does seem to have suddenly slowed right down as of this weekend, is making me wonder if it's time...

Thanks both also re the baby wipes - I'll give them a gentle go tonight, I'm sure he'll relish the fuss :rotfl:

Just had a frank conversation with Mr Shortie after reading this back and we're giving it a week so see how things go - I think we both deep down know what the outcome will be though But ulitmately I would never want Pip to suffer just becasue I want the comfort of having him around

Thanks again xx

Mrs_Z

Well, as long as Pip is eating, walking about, does not seem to be in pain and goes out to do his business - he does have quality of life left. Our cat stopped grooming about 2yrs previous when she was pts. She would only do her face but her underbelly was terrible - altough it did not seem to bother her one little bit! I did my best brushing her back and sides and managed to keep it in a reasonable state but the under belly was a no-go area (not even permissable for the vet). Towards the end she did not even want to be brushed anymore which was really sad but I respected her wishes.

Shortie

Thanks again Mrs Z. Pip mooched with the children in their room as they watched a film last night and settled on my youngest's bed so I didn't disturb him just to get the gravy off his head, lol... We're lucky that Pip will let you touch him anywhere, at the moment at least.

Both my children (10 and 6) are aware that he's not doing as well as he was before and that seems to have played on the youngest's mind a lot and he was super quiet last night at dinner time (if you knew my youngest, you'd know that was totally out of character ).

I managed to get out of him that he was sad about Pip so we had a chat about how pets don't live as long as humans, bring us lots of love and fun to fill the time they are with us, and then that it wouldn't be fair to keep him alive if he's suffering (I made a jokey comparison about me when I'm 1,250 years old and wee myself on the spot and hurt everywhere that I wouldn't want to be kept alive just to keep others happy.._ My youngest got HSP last year which sent him from a bouncey 5 year old to a swollen jointed, advanced arthritic sofa bound boy for a few weeks - and I reminded him how much pain he was in at the time and would it be fair if Pip ever got to that stage?) He seemed to get it and I did tell both the boys that when we think the time has come, we'll let them know so that that can give him loads of fuss the night before and we'll put the fire on (even if it's 20 degrees outsidem:rotfl:) so he can snooze on the dog bed infront of that for the evening...

No idea if I've handled it right with the children - I've never been the kind of person to shy away from what is coming up but I have to sometimes remind myself it's not always what you should tell the kids, whoops...

Shoshannah

Remember that signs of pain in cats may not be as obvious as you think. Arthritis is extremely common in older cats and very underdiagnosed.

Here is a useful link:
http://www.pledgeagainstcatpain.co.uk/

Shortie

Thanks for that Shoshannah, I'll have a look at the site properly tonight on the laptop (on phone at the mo) but I had a look at the markers 1-4 and some could be applied. I'll gave a look to see if there are suggestions etc when I get home

geri1965_2

Shortie wrote: »

We've had Pip in and out of the vets recently as he suddenly lost a lot of weight. The vet thinks it's either liver cancer as he has a lump on his side, thyroid or just old age (we think he is 15-16 year old - we get him and his brother from Battersea about 12 years ago). She recommended feeding him little and often in case it is thyroid - she said he would need to be under anaesthetic for the blood tests and she thinks he wouldn't survive even the blood tests.

Really? I have just had my 16 year old cat tested for thyroid and other problems (two blood tests) and she was fully conscious. She hardly noticed the needle.

I find it a bit odd that she wouldn't do any tests when there could be medication that will vastly improve the quality of his life.

Desperado99

Hi Shortie

Having recently dealt with an elderly cat (we had him from Cats Protection League aged one, he was PTS last week aged 15) I can concur that baby wipes are brill (Winston got snottier as he got older). We also used to dunk his paws in a bowl of luke warm water to clean them (without going into details this was very necessary in the last couple of months).

As he lived on the kitchen table (always has - it gets the sun), I made sure he could get up there OK (he'd use the covered litter tray and the bin as stairs LOL) and towards the end I put his food/water on there so he didn't have to go far for it.

All we could do really was feed him posh food and keep an eye out for when it was 'time'. He was blood-tested 2 months back which showed renal failure and the vet at the time wanted to see him every 6 weeks for more tests.... however he deteriorated with other issues before he was due any more tests and we decided that we wouldn't be stressing him out with lots of trips to the vets when we knew nothing could really be done to improve his situation.

hugs to you all xx