Lhasa 16 years female

Question
Not a question, but simply to say that I have a lovely female Lhasa whom I have had since a new born baby - well pup. She is now almost deaf, almost blind, very confused, very sleepy, very affectionate and simply a sweetheart. She has virtually all the symptoms you describe, particularly the section on walking into corners and standing there bemused :) - and I am sure she is almost at the end of her time, but she is still able to go for her walks 2/3 times a day (short ambles) wearing 2 coats for warmth and sometimes even breaks into a little 'run'. I pray when she goes, she simply goes to sleep naturally and in my arms. Thank you for your article, it was helpful and a joy to read.

Answer

Hi Vivienne,

Thank you for your comments. Your dog is lucky to have such a loving owner. Dogs are truly a delight to have in the home.

I wanted to say that your dog's symptom of walking into corners and standing there bemused, can be a sign of a condition that's similar to Alzheimer's, called canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCD). You should have your dog evaluated by your veterinarian to see if this is the case, as there is medication available which can reverse the clinical signs of aging in most dogs that have this condition. You can read more about CCD here:

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/cognitive-dysfunction-in-elderly-dogs/page1.aspx

Regards,
Patti