Why I Chose to Stay Home with My Aging Dogs

Is it the right decision?

I am not traveling this summer. It was a decision I struggled with for a while. Do I go? Do I stay? I chose to stay. I’ve been busy here lately. A LOT is happening this summer, and sadly it’s not about adventures. It’s about life with pets.

My little Lightning Bug, 15 years old, is not doing well. Aging pets are part of the pet parent world. For pet parents, it’s them or nothing. It’s choosing not to go on extended vacations, not going to the Fourth of July or New Year’s parties because your pet is terrified of loud noises. It’s taking a step back from spontaneous decisions and thinking of your pet first.

Most think we’re nuts! Why give up so much of your life for a pet? I get that flak a lot. Well, it’s how I’m built. I’ve said it so many times. I’d give up a man before I ever gave up my dogs. I’d give up a friendship if someone didn’t like my dog. And honestly, I just don’t care what others think.

My little bug has congestive heart failure. It was discovered in early May during a vet visit. She started sneezing uncontrollably, and then she would collapse and pee. During the visit, my vet said she has abscessed teeth. She then went on to say that Lightning is not a candidate for surgery because she has a heart murmur. A five out of six. (I didn’t know what that meant other than it was not good.) I later found out there is a rating system for the heart, and six being the highest, she was too high. The abscess was in or affected her nasal cavity and was causing her to sneeze. I mean, the sneezes were wild. One time she actually smacked her mouth on the floor and knocked out a front tooth! I felt so bad for my little one. I watched her like a hawk. The Dr. prescribed an antibiotic and an antihistamine. Add this to her dislocated knee. With pain meds and me carrying her in and out of the motorhome, we were making travel work. But the heart condition changed all of it.

Now we are back to the heart murmur. My concern started with all the wildfires in the West. The places I had planned to go to for summer adventures were on fire. Last year I dealt with the smoke from the Monroe fire in Utah, and it was bad. We had to leave and come back home. The smoke was too much. dogs were coughing. I was coughing, and my eyes were burning.

My concern is more about traveling at altitude and Lightning struggling to breathe. I didn’t want an episode to happen and end up with me driving around in search of a vet. Or God forbid, a dead dog. I couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t do that to her. I’ve been a caregiver enough times for humans and animals. It’s not their fault, and they just need a kind hand to help them with what they can’t do, nor do they understand what is happening.

Okay. Let’s talk about my Nala Bear, also 15 years old. She developed cataracts in both eyes almost overnight. Her vision is not so good. I noticed she doesn’t see anything that is right in front of her. I catch her walking around looking for me. (She follows me everywhere.) Back to the vet we go; we are on eye drops twice a day. And it gets worse. They did blood work on her, and her cholesterol is in the 600s (normal is less than 324), and her creatinine level is 1.7 (normal is less than 1.6). Also, a heart murmur, a three out of six; the doctor said to watch it. I have to change her diet. Kidney issues are a big concern. No medications yet for her. We just have to watch her and probably do blood work again in three months to see where her levels are.

The money is pouring out of my wallet on every visit. I’m close to 5k in the last two months. Seriously dipping into any travel and emergency funds. So, I am staying put at my home base for the summer. I said to my son the other day that I feel like all day is prepping meds and feeding dogs. Because all the meds require food every twelve hours. Lightning is on heart medication and a pill to keep her lungs clear of fluid twice a day, an antibiotic when needed, a pain med when needed, and an antihistamine when needed. Nala Bear has to have eye drops twice a day and a vet-prescribed diet. (not cheap).

Sasha? My 70lb fur ball of chaos is doing great! She is busy playing non-stop with her niece and nephew. All. Day. Long. LOL. I took her to the vet for her annual shots. She is doing well.

We come to the title. Is it worth traveling with aging pets? I have to say NO. I put my adventures on hold this summer because it might be my last summer with my little ones. I wanted to be close to home, close to their doctors, and keep them calm and comfortable.

This past winter, three of my snowbird friends had to have their fur babies put down. It was so sad. One was Cocoa, a golden retriever – I have to admit I was surprised to see her when they showed up this last fall. That old girl was 14 or 15 and a familiar face at the campground. Everyone knew Cocoa. She was the sweetest baby. She was having issues the year before, but she made it one more year. Bless her heart.

I will head back to my winter spot this fall. If nothing changes. It’s really a short drive. For my gals, it’s a second home. Riding in the motorhome is nothing to them. They don’t stress or freak out on the drives. We’ve lived in the motorhome long enough that for them it is home. They have their spots. Their routines, and I have enough friends down there that I will have help if I need it.

I have more to share with you on what I’ve been up to lately. Cars, crafting, and finding myself again.

I hope your summer is full of great adventures, even with all the crazy weather and happenings going on around the US.