Something is Up

 I was going to start with our back-stories, but that will have to wait.  Today is a serious blog.  Since I realized that Shadow had PRA, I’ve noticed times of confusion, maybe even depression – if I’m not projecting.  I think it’s occurred as her vision got worse.  Losing vision was a gradual process for her.  Noticed last night walking her that she kept stopping and looking up – almost like she’s was trying to see the sun.  Maybe trying to figure out if it is day or night.  Perhaps she was still able to see bright light.  I’ve noticed it in the house sometimes she would look at a bright light.  But, she did this numerous times on our walk.  She was also choosing to take a different route.  I always walk her the same route, so she knows it and feels confident. 

Shadow has always been a food hound.  It made it easy to train her for agility and tracking.  The last week, she’s not wanted to eat.  We put her on a special renal diet about a month ago because she has just the very beginning of kidney disease.  I’ve spent lots of money on numerous tests to be sure.  The other dog, Kinsey, has kidney disease, so I thought I’d put Shadow on the same diet as a preventive for her.  The Vet said it was okay, so I am not out-of-line here.  Back to Shadow eating – she will take the food if she is hand fed, but not enthusiastically.  This is a dog that has always inhaled her food.  So, after consulting with her Vet, I bought her previous food.  I thought if I switched the food she might like it.  Last night she ate happily.  Then this morning, she wasn’t interested.

Maybe these are indications of more loss of vision and depression.  So, is something up?

Meet Us

Woman and a Dog

Hi, it’s me a woman.  I’m in late mid-age (60), a baby boomer, with 4 months, 20 hours until retirement.  But hey, who’s counting.  I am active – bike, walk, hike, cross country ski, swim, canoe, and yoga.  I’ve been career driven, so I’ve thought and prepared a lot for retirement.  I want it to be great!  Then there is a dog – Shadow, English Springer Spaniel, now referred to as ESS.  She’s 9, in dog years 63.  She’s an AKC agility champion who is blind from Progressive Retinal Atrophy.  Yeah, it’s the pits.  She’s now becoming a tracking dog, relying upon a dog’s best sense – smell.

Also in our household, but not the focus of our blog is – the husband, very nice guy, an all American dog (some would call her a mixed breed) who is 13, and the trio – 3 sister cats.  The nice guy found them in the middle of a country road when he went to get donuts.  We get donuts once in a blue moon and he brings 4-week old kittens home with donuts.  After I looked at the 3 gorgeous kittens in the back of the car, he announces that they’re so traumatized they really must stay together.  This is code for “we will be keeping them”.  I love cats too, so we kept them.  Just a few weeks ago, I asked him to go back to the same place to get donuts and it was with trepidation on what he might bring home.  The trio – Maggie, Rita and Agatha - will be 4 years old in May.  Maggie is “in love” with Shadow, but Maggie and Shadow can do their own blog about this relationship.

I will be blogging about my plan and preparations for retirement, Shadow dealing with blindness-PRA, agility, tracking, a possible ESS puppy (don’t tell Shadow), and life in general. Until next time.