As Pets Get Old...............

As the current batch of poodles age I think of all the ones we have loved and lost. We remember them on their birthdays just as a passing nod. We often think of them when something touches that memory. For example Buttons loved when we got the mail. She liked envelopes with the clear plastic window, it made a nice noise when she ran with it in her mouth and batted it with her front feet. Buttons comes to mind more than most of the others although Bridget was the most entertaining after Buttons. Each has so much of a personality.
Now as Bodicea gets older and is having weight issues and along with that comes limbs that ache and arthritis and so on. Both the small girls have knee problems and Bijou is still suffering from stones in bladder and kidney. I can not stand to think what happens very soon. Our loved ones do not live long.
We have 4 poodles right now.
BODICEA, BIJOU, BELLA AND BREA

Bijou is on borrowed time. We have to keep her on antibiotics that help with her "stones". When she had the last opperation the vet had wanted to put her down right then having found a "mass" of some kind in her abdomen. Bijou has lived a good year since then. She does have issues now and then, and I know that the stones irritate her. She is not in pain as such and is happy and content for now. She is her same old self so we try to keep her comfortable and hope for the best.
I have had poodles all my life and love the breed.
I get so attached to animals, more than to anything else. I would be surrounded by them if I could be. The trouble is, the more we have the less we can spend on their care. As each of these goes now, we will not replace them with a puppy.
Bijou yesterday

Bodicea is the oldest at about 10 years. I think Bijou is about 9ish. Bodi has a weight problem and we do try to keep her on her diet but, well, how can you look at her face and not stick something in her mouth? Kill them with kindness comes to mind.

Both the little poodles have knee problems. Dogs are just so tollerant of their pains. They just get on with things. Not like people who complain and groan about every ache and pain. They just get on with it.
Not that they have any choice. After just getting their teeth done we have to wait to get knees fixed.
It just makes me think that soon there will not be poodles in our lives. Maybe I will be able to foster? I would like that but could I give them up? I would like a big dog actually. One who is well trained, an older dog that will play with Tristen and go for walks with us. I don't know yet. It's just so hard knowing that pain, and dreading it. Buttons about broke me, I was so depressed when she died, I cried for weeks, and even later when I thought about it. We always got another poodle once one died. Not to replace but to help heal our hearts. Especially when little Bridget died, the shock was like my heart broke.
Well they all had wonderful lives and when I see the abuse out there I want to scream. I can not tollerate abuse of animals. They are so innocent. So when my poodles are gone maybe I can help heal some hearts myself.