Old Dog Blues

Wicca will be 14 next month. It is hard to believe it has been that many years. She and Luna were my first creation, what a proud day that was. I worried and watched each day, are they growing, are they healthy? always watching. As always with the circle of life we are back at that always watching stage.

Old dogs, you love them forever but forever isn’t long enough and Wicca is getting old. Every day is a gift and a worry. She is sort of deaf and her eyesight is weak. She sleeps hard most of the day and if that was the bulk of her worries I’d quit worrying so much. But sadly like her mother, her rear is getting weaker and weaker. She has a hard time getting up and standing. She has a peculiar hobby horse gait when she moves around the yard. She has less and less control of her bodily functions. It makes me sad and worried. I watch her every day; I look into her eyes and watch her reactions. She doesn’t seem to be in pain and I suspect DM is causing the deterioration. I know for the quality of her life I will at some time have to help her cross the bridge. It is hard, you want to be selfish and keep them with you as long as possible and you want to keep your promise to always take care of them by letting them go before they lose the quality of their life. My biggest fear is making that decision one day too late.

So for now, she enjoys her food and sleeping on her twin mattress. She still likes spending a few minutes in the yard sniffing around and exploring, so today is not the day. I’ll keep watch so I can keep my promise.