Lady May is Almost 14 Years Old

At the center of all the goings on here is our Senior Lady May. We still think of her as the baby of our family. Our little girl will turn 14 years old on Oct 21st. She is still very sweet and quiet and always tolerant of new visitors. She's very much aware of new visitors and always wants to 'check them out'. Everyone seems to respect her and after gentle hellos they leave her alone to rest.

Squire Bailey seems to love Lady May.
He will always gently find a place close to her whenever no others are visiting

Lady May can no longer walk on her own. We carry her everywhere she indicates she wants to be. She’s still very clear about her wants and needs but no longer shows any desire to play with others. She likes to be near them but in a safe spot from the activity. Early last week, daddy took her for her annual Dr.’s appointment. I sent along a long list of items that we wanted to be addressed. That list included blood work and x-rays. Thank you Dr. Burleigh for being so thorough with each item. Lady May’s meds have been increased and we’ve added a daily dose of CBD oil. She will also now receive a monthly injection of Librela  This new schedule is on trial, and we will adjust it according to how Lady May fares.

Daily 600 mg Gabapentin, Metacam - 5 days on, 4 days off
Omeprazol and Sulcrate susp. 5 days on, 4 days off. Diclofenac rub on non Metacam days.
CBD oil twice daily
Librela  and Cartrophen injections monthly

We believe her pain is being well managed at this time. Due to her lack of mobility, she has lost much of her muscle tone. She no longer has the strength needed to use her wheel chair. She tries to stand and can still manage to raise her back end high enough to do her business and step aside from it. On a good day she will try to stumble her way across the yard before I get to her, and seems happy to be able to sniff new scents. The toys and balls are of little interest to her now but she loves to watch others play. She can usually be seen in the background of my photos.

Sage and Ellie carry on oblivious to the ever watchful eyes of Lady May

Sometimes it’s heartbreaking to watch her but at this point, we believe she’s not in too much discomfort. Her mind seems clear, and she is still happy. She asks to go outdoors when she knows it’s time for her daddy to come home and would rather wait on the porch than indoors. Her day mostly consists of resting in a comfy bed inside or resting in the grass outside, always in close proximity to her visitors.
Whenever I think her vision is failing, she proves me wrong.  Lady May is still determined to ‘run’ to the gate when she sees others walking their dogs past. I stop her as best I can, because it means she runs the risk of scrapping her paws, elbows, and chin as she creeps and stumbles along. That never seems to bother her, she just feels the need to let me know there are intruders near the yard. Her brain tells her to continue to do the job she feels is needed.
Her hearing is all but gone now so I try to approach her in the least surprising way possible. Approaching from her line of vision improves her chances of no surprise. Even still she sometimes jumps when I get to her side. That's usually when she's been watching others and didn't notice me approaching.

Lady May had the company of Miss Ellie on our recent road trip to Kelowna.
Two wonderful travel companions.

As you can imagine, we’re concerned about the upcoming winter but will deal with whatever comes along. Lady May is our top priority at the moment, and we will do whatever is required of us to keep her as comfortable as possible.  She will often ask to sleep on the day beds and when she does, others soon join her.

Girls get the bed and Sir Cash sleeps close by

Lady May's overall health and appetite are good and if not for the late stages of osteoarthritis, she is just an old girl wanting to sleep and watch others play.
We can do that for you Lady May.
Have a restful day sweetie. We love you.