I havenยt talked about my senior dog, Rupert, for a while. Heยs living with my dad out in the country, but I get to see him about once a month. Heยs completely happy living with my dad, and far more comfortable there than at my house.
Rupe likes to follow his favorite people like a shadow, which has gotten somewhat problematic in his creaky old age. Our last visit to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California at Davis pinpointed the source of Rupertยs declining mobility as his knees, whose ligaments were frankly described as ยblown out.ย At 14 years old, with cardiac arrhythmia, high blood pressure, and failing kidneys, heยs not a candidate for surgery. As my dad says, ยOnce he gets up, he gets around. Just like me!ย
When I first sent Rupe to stay with my dad, I saw it as a temporary deal. My mom had just passed away, and I knew my dad would benefit from Rupertยs constant offer of love and attention. But Rupe has benefitted from the arrangement as well.
At my house, my office is down a flight of stairs, and Iยm up and down the stairs all day. This left poor Rupie either standing and staring, disconsolate, at my office door (heยs also pretty deaf, and his vision is not all that great, either), staggering up the stairs, or coming down them in a more or less controlled fall.
My dadยs house doesnยt have even a single step. Plus, my dad is retired, which gives him lots of time to pet a deserving dog. Plus, when Rupe goes outside, there are sticks absolutely everywhere ย not a surprise, as my dad lives in the woods, but it makes Rupieยs heart sing to find crunchable toys everywhere he turns.
Rupert is happy to see me when I show up at my dadยs house for a visit, and he whimpers excitedly as he greets me, tail wagging and eyes shining. But I notice that he doesnยt follow me every time I go outside; he only makes the effort to get up and go out when Dad goes out. And at bedtime, he sleeps at the foot of my dadยs bed, not on my sleeping bag with me on the floor of the living room, like he used to when we would visit.
On the other hand, Dad says that Rupe would absolutely not allow him to undertake all the grooming that I perform on the furry old dog every time Iยm there. I give Rupe a bath, pick the foxtails out from between his toes, clean his ears, cut his nails, and check the current size and location of all his fatty tumors. He looks like a star when Iยm done, and smells and feels so good I canยt help but kiss his shining head again and again.
I donยt know if Rupert will make it through one more winter; weยll see. For now, heยs in the best possible place, and even though I miss him, Iยm happy heยs happy.
-Nancy Kerns
