I'm a little concerned about my Sweet, Sweet Juno. First she had that limp on her back leg. We can't see anything wrong with the leg itself, nor her foot pads. She was at least leaning on it Wednesday. Maybe she jumped off the porch, or off the carport chasing after Jack and Copper Jack in their squirrel quest. Juno is no spring chicken. We've had her since she was a too-young pup, and we got her in 2011. So she's 11 years old. That's 77 in dog years!
Anyhoo... I had told Farmer H to check Juno's leg. He said she runs away from him. Yes, she does. But he didn't say he'd actually TRIED to get a look at her foot.
Juno is molting her summer fur, and now that most of it is gone, she looks THIN. Way too thin. I've been telling Farmer H that the dogs don't like that food he bought last. He SAID he bought more food, and is mixing it together. Yet the bowls are full when I leave for town in the afternoon. He feeds them before 7:00 a.m. So they are consciously shunning that food until they get really hungry.
So worried am I about Juno that I told Farmer H to get her some canned food. He at least did that. Got her 10 cans. Just for her, not to share with Jack. Farmer H says she's been eating her canned food. She also eats the treats I dole out, so it's nothing wrong with her mouth, or a pain that might keep her from eating.
Farmer H said he'd get some wormer, just in case that's her problem, although little Jack is quite rotund, and not suffering the same ailment that is slimming Juno. THEN he forgot to get the wormer. So maybe tomorrow.
Last night, Juno had her can of food. Then I gave her an expired chicken-something frozen dinner with hamburger grease from our pre-taco meat. Thawed, of course. And she was in the middle of eating that when I tossed out some expired Buffalo Chicken chunks to Jack and Copper Jack. She ran out of her house to snatch one from under the tiny mouth of little Jack! So it doesn't seem to be a problem with her appetite. Except where that dry dog food is concerned. I hope that food is not what's making her sick!
Meanwhile, Farmer H is nearing dog house cohabitation with Juno, because he used my regular can opener on her dog food! It's not a fancy can opener. Just a hand-held version with black plastic handles. You might say that Farmer H had no other alternative, except I bought TWO can openers the day before! A plain metal one, and another kind of like my regular can opener. And specifically told Farmer H to use one of those on Juno's food. His picture is in the dictionary next to non-compliant. Or nincompoop. Maybe both.
Anyhoo, I hope Juno starts picking up weight. I fear that she is just getting old. Though aging has not had the same effect on me...
5 comments:
We have a cat that started losing weight too, despite eating her food just fine. I worried it was diabetes but after going to the vet, found out it was a thyroid problem. She's been on a twice daily medication and has gained some of her weight back. She is 12 human years old and seems to be doing okay. I don't know if the same could apply to Juno or not, but thought I would mention it. Ranee (MN)
Rae,
Thanks for the tip. I saw that the other day on an episode of that man and woman vet. I forget the name of the show, but a big white cat at an antique store had lost a lot of weight, and they did a blood test that found a thyroid problem. My best old ex-teaching buddy Mabel had a cat that developed diabetes. She had to give it medicine, which required her wearing thick gloves, as her cat Lovey was NOT happy about being medicated!
Toni Louise has actually put a few pounds on in her old age. Not fat by any means, but not thin either. Cujo was fat, but he had been that way for a couple of years. He had stopped running and playing, but I still thought we had a few years. I still feel him next to me at night and can't believe he is gone. It was so sudden and unexpected. Now I find myself wondering who will be next!
I did not know that dogs molted their summer hair, I thought it was only the winter hair that shed noticeably. anyway, what was Juno's approximate weight while she was still healthy? 23-40kg (approx. 50-88 pounds) equates to age 72 in dog years, over 40kg (88 pounds) equates to age 86 in dog years. The bigger the dog (going by breeds I think) the faster they age. An 11 year old pekinese for example would only be 60 in dog years.
I do hope the crappy cheap dry food is the problem with Juno's weight, but it wouldn't explain the limping. At her age, she might now have arthritis.
Kathy,
I am SO SORRY about Cujo! It was a shock. I am sure you will be looking for him without thinking. It's so hard to let them go. Good to hear that Toni Louise has some meat on her bones. For a minute today, I thought Juno looked a bit more filled out. Might have just been the angle. She still acts like herself. JEALOUS and GREEDY!
***
River,
Juno molts twice a year. After winter, and after summer. Gets matted and dull, and then the sleek shiny fur appears when the old falls out. I'm thinking Juno was around 40-50 pounds in her prime. Pretty sure she's half border collie, and half lab. She's got the border collie long hair, and was quite hyper as a young 'un, and would poke the back of my thigh with her nose, to steer me where she wanted me! But she has the head and coloring of a black lab, and those soulful eyes, but is not as stocky.
I have seen on The Incredible Doctor Pol that Great Danes are considered old when they're around 7. Our old dog Grizzly, half beagle/half chocolate lab, lived to 11, but he was just slightly larger than a beagle. Maybe 30-35 pounds.
Farmer H is pretty sure Juno has arthritis. I think maybe she just jumped off the porch or carport and hurt it, though you'd think that would be a front leg. I'm going to get her more canned food tomorrow, to see if we can fatten her up for winter. She won't step foot in the Mansion, and Farmer H wouldn't allow it anyway. But he says she goes in the BARn with him when he works over there, and it's heated to at least 60 degrees. He's closed her up in there on accident before. On really cold nights, I might suggest that.
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