This blog is dedicated to my soulmate and companion of 13 years, Opie and her sister, Blaze who is 10 years old. These two have enhanced my life in ways that I cannot put into words. Their muzzles are greying, eyes clouding, and a stiffness in the hindquarters that resembles that of myself as a baby boomer. I have seen so many people wrestle with the health issues related to the aging of their K9 companions. Some people try and keep their K9 companion with them even when the reality suggests that “it is time.” I recently had a cancer scare with Opie. Luckily, she had hyperparathyroidism,  but I had to contemplate how far I would go to keep her here and how much I could or would spend. As every human companion to a faithful K9, I would spend whatever it took to keep her with me. However, that is not always the best solution. Like with people, we must weigh the quality of life of our fatihful friend with our feelings of loss if we make the decision that “it is time.”

Between the time your vet deems your K9 companion “aging” and ready for annual or semi-annual blood tests and “the end” there are so many ways that we can help our faithful companion be as active and participatory in our lives while maintaining a good quality of life.  Hopefully, I can provide some of the latest news in that area and share my experiences and learn from yours.