Is my dog dying?

Question

my dog (Taffy) is a 13 y.o golden retrevier hunting style/curly shes sleeps alot now and she doesnt really want to do anything untill its 12:30 -1:15 in the afternoon then she just sleeps this is a pic of her on are camping trip in the summer when she was fine... http://www.flickr.com/photos/14579334@N04/1544565938/

that lump on her right shoulder is just a fat tomer she was really fat...but shes not anymore...so plz if you know y shes doent wasnt to do anything plz plz tell me!!thanx

P.S she has some trubble with her hips but the vet put her on some medication.

By the way we also have another golden randy 7 y.o and three cats so she has friends

Answer 1

Sweety your beloved girl is getting old! Just continue loving her everyday & keeping her as comfortable as you possibly can! I have a 13 year old German Sheherd who is dying & it is breaking my heart! I lose a tiny bit of him everyday*

Answer 2

Dogs of the age of Taffy will most probably sleep most of the time, but so long as she has some moderate exercise and is eating well, this is normal. Did you get the fatty lump on her shoulder checked out by a Vet, incase its something nasty making her ill. Otherwise, just give her alot of love and affection and let her rest as much as she wants. 13 Years is a good age for this type of dog, but they do slow down considerably. My dog was just like that, but passed away at 16 years old after being diagnosed with cancer of the spleen and liver. But if the Vet gives her a clean bill of health (apart from her hips) which is probably arthritis, then just look after her with good food and gentle exercise and lots of love. Good luck.

Answer 3

I don't think your dog is dying. My dog was 17 when he died. Most days, in his old age, he slept all day. This was something that happened suddenly, he just needed a lot more rest than he usually did and this went on for few years. Like your dog, he had a fatty tumor, his was on his side, it was there for many years and never bothered him. The vet checked it out and all was fine. Your dog, aside from being older may also be a little depressed. See if you can do special things with Taffy, if she likes car rides, walks or something you do special together and go do them. Taffy is probably just doing what older dogs do. If you're concerned about her health, you could get her a check up.

Answer 4

She looks a lot like my old girl. Sunny (Golden Retriever) slept quite a bit when she was 13. It is quite common for dogs that get older to sleep a lot. Sunny also had fatty tumors, and as long as she's not bothered by it it's not a problem. It sounds like she's just getting old. The good thing is, you love her, and are taking good care of her in her senior years. I know it's very very hard but now is the time to start watching her. Sleeping is fine, but if she starts looking like she is suffering, in pain, that's when you may want to consider taking her to the vet for euthanasia. As a veterinary student I still find putting animals to sleep very very difficult, but sometimes it is the kindest thing we can do for them.

That being said, there is a simple indicator you can use to decide if she's ready. As long as she is still doing the things that make her happy (for most dogs, this includes eating, and lots of it) she's still ok. If you notice she stops eating and is dropping a lot of weight, that's usually a sign that something is wrong. I'm not advocating putting her to sleep by any means. I just know how hard it is to watch your best friend deteriorate. Just keep up with your regular veterinary visits. My dog died naturally and seemed healthy right up until the end. I was terribly saddened, but comforted by the fact that it was peaceful, and she was not suffering. I would have felt terrible had I let her linger in pain. Make these last years the best you can. She could still have plenty of time left!

Answer 5

I have a cat that is the same way. I think as they get older they start to get to get pains just like us. My cat gets annoyed when I pet her sometimes. They get tired a lot and it's kind of sad. Occasionally they have a good day and get that spark of life in them that they used to have.

I can tell you love your dog a lot. Maybe getting another pet as a friend will give Taffy a purpose and will cause her to want to move around because of the pure energy a young animal has. I know it's crazy to think but I think animals have a sense of where you are emotionally and that if you are hurting right now or really need her in your life she will fight to live for you.

Answer 6

What a beatiful dog Taffy Is!

No hon I don;t think she's dying unless she is showing other signs of being sick. She's just old. A bit like me really. Sometimes I wish I could just lay around all morning and do nothing. (Between us sometimes I do. ;-) )

If she shows signs of being ill maybe she should have a visit to the vet, but otherwise just let her rest when she needs to.

I hope you have a lot longer left with Taffy. I'll hold her in my prayers.

I sure wish I could give you both a big hug.

Answer 7

Aww hon I feel very badly for you and your Golden girl. She is just getting old and when they get old they get tired too. They sleep a lot and then they do have spurts of energy. Your girl has lived a very long time for a Golden and she looks pretty good for being that old too. Let her rest and when she is up to it she will play for a bit but then she will just need to sleep again.

I hope you have your good friend with you for a while longer and just cherish all the time you still have left with her ok.

Answer 8

I dont think she s dying, just telling you she wants to slow down a bit. 13 is pretty senior for a lab but she ll go on a lot longer by the looks of your pic. What a gorgeous dog! Take her to the vets for another check just in case.

Answer 9

if she has problems with her hips she might have arthris elsewhere and its painfull, so sleeping means she's not moving and not in as much pain. so long as she's still eating normally then you shouldnt have to worry too much. older dogs like to sleep. if her eating habits change tho, you need to get her to a vet.

this past april my dad took his dog in because for 3 days she was just laying around and had all but stopped eating, turned out she was full of tumors. and she had been to the vet 6 months prior to have a cyst looked at. they ended up putting her to sleep because there was nothing they could do for her because she was too far along.

Answer 10

She is old. Most Golden Retrievers lifespans are from 10-12 years. She has lived a long and happy life.(any dog who goes camping is happy) She might not be dying yet. She is just slowly getting older and yes may soon die.

Answer 11

No, your Taffy is just getting old and maybe her hips are painful, so she has become lazy and wants to sleep more. Older dogs will sleep more. This is normal.

If you want some reasurance you could take her to your Vet and have him/her check her out.


Good Luck