Gavin's Never Ending Dotage (Part 2)

Cindy, I'm so sorry you have to deal with this, but I agree with Sharon. As dreadful as the drive will be, I do think Gavin is best with you. These older seniors get confused very easily and a change in their routine, especially their person, is not good for them. I hope you can break the drive up into segments!
 
oh, yes. I will make it a 3 day trip. maybe 12 hours the first day and 10 the next 2. Gavin has actually made this trip before when he was A LOT younger. It will be motel 6 both ways, cause they all allow dogs :)

Thanks for not thinking I'm crazy. I mean, how can I not think about the dog's health and well-being when I go away. He has been my companion for almost 17 years, and now that he is a bit vulnerable he deserves consideration. The other option is to NOT go, or go for a much shorter time (like 5 days). Yes this way is an additional 2 days of travel each way (flying would take up a whole day), but people do crazier stuff for much more superficial reasons.
 
I totally support your drive and plan:yes:
you never know what might happen and being with both your mom and Gavin is the way to go.
31 hours is a long way- I do an 18 hour drive when we visit the north but in two days and yes, all the dogs come..... a little more challenging to find places that allow multiple pets but motel 6 is great with just one dog.
 
Seems like dog people get it, but other people don't.
I did leave Gavin for 3-4 weeks when he was younger when I was travelling at the local boarding place.
But he needs more care and attention now, and someone not noticing his change in behavior for a few days could have terrible consequences
 
I fully understand. We boarded the girls when they were younger and we have a friend and family member who will help us out for short periods of time like if we need to go for a weekend. However, I really have become less likely to think about traveling for longer periods because of Katy. Annie would be fine boarding but Katy is more challenging now and requires more care. I'm not sure I could board her at this point. She also would be more challenging to travel with as well.

If her Cushing's Treatments improve some of her symptoms I'd think about perhaps boarding her again but not otherwise as she requires quite a bit of supervision. Bailey loved to travel and we took him more places because he struggled with car sickness but he hated being left behind and he had no issues meeting new people. Katy even when she was younger got overwhelmed by strangers so taking her with us unless we plan a vacation around her is usually not an easy choice. For instance I could take Annie to help out with a family issue and she'd be fine. We took Bailey to visit family out of state and it wasn't a problem. I'd never have done that to Katy. The changes would stress her out too much even when she was younger.
 
Bailey's Mom said:
I fully understand. We boarded the girls when they were younger and we have a friend and family member who will help us out for short periods of time like if we need to go for a weekend. However, I really have become less likely to think about traveling for longer periods because of Katy. Annie would be fine boarding but Katy is more challenging now and requires more care. I'm not sure I could board her at this point. She also would be more challenging to travel with as well.

If her Cushing's Treatments improve some of her symptoms I'd think about perhaps boarding her again but not otherwise as she requires quite a bit of supervision. Bailey loved to travel and we took him more places because he struggled with car sickness but he hated being left behind and he had no issues meeting new people. Katy even when she was younger got overwhelmed by strangers so taking her with us unless we plan a vacation around her is usually not an easy choice. For instance I could take Annie to help out with a family issue and she'd be fine. We took Bailey to visit family out of state and it wasn't a problem. I'd never have done that to Katy. The changes would stress her out too much even when she was younger.
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I unerstand. I was hoping to make it through the holidays by staying home. I never thought Gavin would still be alive at this point, but I really don't think this will be an issue next year. I mean, making 17 will be a hug deal come Dec26, but 18? That would be unreal. But the unpredictable and unusual does happen....

But I keep getting ghosted by pet sitters, and I get it. why deal with an aging dog with mobility issues when you are plenty busy with easy clients and don't have to? If we had an existing relationship with one for years that would probably have made it easier cause they would have felt obligated.....so I am moving on to finding one for the inevitable 3-5 day visit in months to a year. It is stage 2 pancreatic cancer (they have to test her lymph nodes I think to see if its 2a or 2b, probably at tine of surgery or after) so it is definitely surgery; and the projected survival rates aren't good. the max looks to be 1-2 years, so around a year is probably reasonable. no idea if chemo/radiation is on the table or not.
 
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