Does anyone else have

[cali]

a superannuated dog? Mine will be 19 in May. Except for a tendency to get pneumonia in the winter, she's still active and in good shape. Course she's hard of hearing, but other than that... So I'm curious, anyone else with a ancient dog?

[thefool_wa]

1. My inlaws had a 18yr old sheltie until a week ago

Poor thing was blind, mostly deaf, and completely incontinent. When she experienced what was described as a "massively prolapse rectum" they finally had to have her put down.

My wife was sad, but it was time. Hell, IMHO, it had been time for 2 years. They were just letting the dog suffer because none of them could do what needed to be done. I feel for them and totally understand (we had a 17yr old siamese cat in my family - he was like one of my brothers - I was sad the day my mom had him "put to sleep", but it was time), but this dog was suffering for a looooong time.

I'm glad to hear your dog has faired the years better than my wife's family's dog did.

:( :cry:

[cali]

2. Yeah, I agree with you

If my dog was suffering, much as I love her, I'd let her go. When I took her to the Vet in January, I expected him to say it was time, but he said she's simply an anomoly. He shot her up with antibitotics and by the next day she was back to getting in the neighbors garbage. It's just I've never known anyone who had a dog this old- let alone one that's still in essentially good health.

[thefool_wa]

3. It is truly amazing! n/t

[JI7]

4. what is the average number of years dogs live

[Chan790]

5. Depends on the breed...

it's as little as 7 years (on average) for Irish Wolfhounds. Dogs were not designed to be naturally that big, selective breeding achieved that.