Slience IS Golden!

As you may know, I recently went deaf. Being a golden oldie at age 15 1/2, it wasn't that unexpected. It turns out that there is a serious benefit to my silent world- fireworks don't bother me anymore! That's right, friends, I couldn't care less when the big booms occured over the weekend! Now my kitty siblings, that was an entirely different story- they were totally freaked out!

Everything else is going well ~ I still love to eat and sleep and sleep and sleep. I've ventured up the stairs twice in the last week, causing my mommy to hover and worry, but I made it up and down without any problems!

I'm getting pretty shaggy- I *really* don't want to be brushed! Mommy hasn't been pressing the issue, I seem to get away with a little more now that I'm 108 years old in dog years! BOL!

Thanks to my friends for the lovely gifts celebrating my Gotcha Day and me, a golden oldie! Tailwags that everydog is having a wonderful summer!

love,
Sophie

A silent world

Hi pals!

Guess what? I celebrated my 14th Gotcha Day this month! 14 years with my mommy- not too shabby!

I'm doing okay. It's hard to be 15 1/2 years old sometimes. I'm struggling a bit with my arthritis and have only ventured upstairs in my house 3 times in the past 6 months. It's hard for me to go up but I'm okay coming down. Whenever I attempt the stairs, my mom holds her breath and hovers and the kitties race to come watch me and see what I'm going to do next! My kitty siblings are big Sophie fans!

I lost my hearing this spring (2010). Luckily, my deafness does not seem to be much of an issue for me; Mommy and I have a pretty consistent routine and we communicate with eye contact and gestures. Well, Mommy uses the gestures and I respond! Mommy hopes that I will be less stressed and anxious by the fireworks (4th of July) and monsoon thunderstorms this summer since I won't be able to hear the big booms. I sure hope she's right!

Another side effect of my recent deafness is that when human friends come over, I stay really close to them. It's kind of like I don't want to miss anything and since I can't hear, I've got to be right next to any visitors, breathing all over them and sneaking kisses! And when my mom tries to redirect me, I totally ignore her! I'm deaf, remember mom? I don't have to listen to you unless I want to! Just kidding, I "listen" to my mom for a minute and then plop right back down by the visitors! BOL!

love,
Sophie

Summertime for a Golden Girl!

Hey pals!

Hope you are all doing well! I managed to wrestle the laptop away from the kitties (I am seriously out-numbered in this house) and find my way from Catster to Dogster so I could paw an update in my diary!

All is well with me. Posted some new photos taken today ~ Check out my ears, they've turned gray! They also stopped working; yes friends, I recently went deaf. But do not fret, it's not bothering me at all. And the next time there are fireworks or thunder, I won't even have to get anxious and hide because I can't hear them!

Mom has been working on using some basic signs with me, primarily "Good girl" and "More?" You can definitely teach an old dog new tricks because I'm learning! But after 14 years together, Mom and I communicate pretty well, even without words.

There are two big challenges for me currently: One, my arthritis makes it hard for me to walk on our hardwood floors and get in and out of the car. And the second big challenge is that I *REALLY* don't like to be brushed or groomed. As for the floors, Mom has put down multiple rugs to help me. And the grooming? I've became seriously resistent to it. Mom thinks my coat is looking a bit scruffy (it's also turned to a more coarse texture in the last year) and she's going to talk to the v-e-t about it at my next check-up.

Other than those annoying issues, all is well with me! Enjoying my golden years with lots of treats, loving, and sunshine! Thanks for all the yummy treats this weekend, too!

love,
Sophie

Feeling better!

After my scary Saturday last weekend, I am happy to report that I am feeling much better! No more *episodes* and lots of restful sleep, yummy meals, and treats. Life is good!

I have a funny story to share: as a golden girl of 15 years old, I spend much of my time snoozing. I don't really notice when mommy is on the phone or doing laundry or any other daily activities. Why would I? I'm busy snoozing!

But there is one thing that I always notice. When my mommy is talking on the phone to her best friend in Chicago, I ALWAYS get really excited. They talk for about an hour each week and I always wag my tail and circle my mom for the entire hour! It only happens when my mom talks to this one particular friend- isn't that funny?!

love,
Sophie

Scary morning

I had a scary morning. I had a v-e-t appointment scheduled and because I get anxious about going to the v-e-t, I take a mild sedative an hour before. I've been taking this medication prior to v-e-t visits for many years and I've never had any problems with it, until this morning.

Mommy was putting my leash on when all of a sudden I collapsed on my side with my legs stiffly extended. My eyes were open and I was breathing but I was unresponsive to mom's voice and to her touch. Mom was very scared; she wasn't sure if I was having a seizure or what was happening. She managed to pick me up (all 60 lbs!) and get me into the car.

By the time we got the the v-e-t, I was feeling much better. I needed help getting out of the car and I was a little unsteady on my feet, but I was able to walk at that point. The v-e-t thinks that, because of my age, I have developed a sensitivity to the medication and it caused a bad reaction. So I won't be taking that medicine anymore.

I feel better now, just very, very sleepy. My plan is to sleep all day and then eat a yummy dinner tonight and then go to bed. It was a scary morning but I am feeling much better now.

love,
Sophie

A New Year!

Hi pals!

I haven't written anything in my diary for quite awhile (mom's fault!) so I thought I'd give a little update. I'm 15 years old now! One more year and I can drive, right?! I'm doing okay. My arthritis has gotten worse. I now only venture upstairs once every two weeks or so. The stairs and hard wood floors are tough for me to maneuver. Mommy got a big new area rug for the living room and that helps me. My teeth are looking kind of icky, too. Mommy's going to talk to the vet this week about a dental. She's a little worried about putting me under anesthesia at my age and with all the anesthesia recalls in the last year but she's also worried about my icky teeth so she and the vet will have to weigh the risks of having a dental vs. not having a dental.

Besides that, things are good here! I don't mind the kittens. I love my mommy. The golden years of my life are mostly peaceful and relaxing and filled with love. Tailwags that my friends are all doing well. Happy New Year!

love,
Sophie

Golden Girl Update

Wow, it's been a month since I've updated my diary! Once again, totally unfair. If you look at my kitty siblings' Catster pages, you'll see that they get time to update their diaries all the time. It's hard being the only doggie surrounded by kitties!

I have good news ~ My biopsy came back negative! I have to go back to my regular vet sometime this week to get some medication refills but overall, I'm doing really well for a mature, wise, golden girl (who some refer to as geriatric- BOL!). I'm loving the cooler Arizona fall weather and sometimes when Mommy tries to call me into the house when I'm in the backyard, I pretend I'm deaf. I can hear her, I just totally ignore her! BOL!

In other news; The ER vet had recommended that I drink more water to keep my kidneys healthy and working. Mommy bought a new water filter thing for me and I love it! It's in a pitcher and the water is extra cold. When Mom pours the water into my bowl, I come running and lap up water right from the pitcher's stream. Yummy.

Now that it's colder here, the kittens have decided they want to sleep on my big bed. Those kittens think they run this house! Right now little Leo is sprawled out on my bed and I'm lying next to him on the floor, sleeping. Something's just not right with this picture! I'm going to have to nose him off in a minute!

I hope that all my pals have a wonderful holiday week!

lots of love,
Sophie

I'm NOT a kitty!

Hi Pals!

Good news; my biopsy on the growth on my cheek came back benign! And, after 10 days of taking 7 pills a day, I am now down to just my 1 arthritis pill. That's good news because mommy's attempts to hide my pills in yummy cheese and other sneaky things was starting to fail! BOL!

I went back to the ER vet this evening to have my stitches removed. Two funny things happened. When mommy and I were walking into the building, a family with two young (around 4 years old) girls was walking by. When the girls saw me their eyes got big and one of them exclaimed, "Look at that BIG kitty!!!!!!!"

Me, a big kitty? I think not!

And later, as we were leaving, a family with two young boys was arriving at the clinic. The mom said, "Let's go see how our doggie is doing." One of the boys looked over at me and said, "Is that our doggie?"

Ummm, NO, I'm not your doggie! Kids! BOL! They sure are funny!

love,
Sophie

A long night but I'm hanging in there!

Hi pals,

I've had a rough go of it for the past 24 hours. Late last night, mom was giving me loving and she noticed that the benign cyst on my cheek had ruptured. She took me to the ER vet to get it cleaned and get antibiotics. Unfortunately, once there it was determined that I had a fever and my blood test results came back with abnormal calcium and kidney levels.

As a 14 year old dog, those results were a bit scary. Luckily, my urine analysis showed that my urine was concentrated, not diluted, so I am not in kidney failure. The ER vet ended up removing the growth from my face and giving me fluids. I got to come home late last night (around 3 am) on antibiotics and fluids. Mom had a hard time getting me out of the car and into the house as I am 60 lbs and I couldn't walk.

I had a hard time recovering from the anesthesia but am starting to perk up this afternoon and evening. Mommy even took me a short little walk and that made me feel much better.

There was some talk of the bridge last night but mom and the vet both agreed that I am not even close to being ready to make my journey to the bridge. I have a lot of life and love left in me. We are taking it one day at a time and I expect a lot of extra treats on each one of those days!

love,
Sophie

Demanding Equality!

It's been awhile since I've updated my diary. I haven't had much Dogster time because I am outnumbered with Catster siblings! Totally unfair! I do love my kitties but I think that our online play time should be divided equally!

Unfortunately, one reason I haven't been on Dogster as much is because my kitten brother * Leo * suddenly became ill with what turned out to be an immune-mediated disease called peripheral neuropathy. Luckily, living in Phoenix we had access to specialty vets and he was seen by a neurologist. The neurologist did a spinal tap and electrophysiology testing and was able to determine that Leo's condition was caused because the electrical messages from his brain were not getting to the nerves in his legs which is why he could no longer stand or walk. He's now on medicine and will hopefully make a full recovery. The power of the paw was in full effect!

I've been doing pretty good lately. I'm hanging in there! It's getting cooler here which means more walks and time outside. I've also developed a sudden interest in kitty food (which is only fair because the kittens are always trying to eat my food!).

I hope all is well with my pup pals!


love,
Sophie