Today Thirteen is sixteen years old. Well, sort of. In December of 1991 the vet told me she was exactly six months old. He said he could tell by her teeth. I counted backward six months and got June. And since her name is Thirteen, it was only natural that her birthday would be June 13.
It's kind of hard to believe she's 16 years old. She's had her ups and downs in the past few years. After Lina died, Thirteen was in such bad shape that I didn't think she would last through the summer. Then we got Jane, which helped Thirteen immensely. Having another dog to keep her company made all the difference.
Thirteen is showing her age, has slowed down a lot in the past year. We've learned the routine of dealing with an elderly dog: monitoring her meds, cleaning up accidents, lifting her in and out of the car, a quick "breathing check" when she sleeps too deeply. It's hard sometimes, but it's not all bad. The most important question to me is, is she still happy to be alive? As long as the answer is yes, we can deal with the medical issues. I'm not sure how much longer she's going to be with us, and I'm so happy for every day.
Congrats to you and Sixteen Thirteen both! I agree with you about the travails of an elderly pet and the rewards; also, I think a loving and attentive owner can tell if the animal is enjoying life, and that only when that ends is it time for euthanasia. (Of course, with us "elderly" means 2 to 3 years and doesn't last as long, but in many ways similar.)
Did you have a birthday party?
Alas, no party. Just lots of tummy scratching. And some extra food -- we're trying to get Thirteen's weight up.
Happy birthday little girl!