Caring for Yourself while caring for your sick dog

It has been 9 months since Ginger’s Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) diagnoses but in September, her health took a turn for the worse.  During her follow up with the Cardiologist she developed a leaky heart valve, pulmonary hypertension, and on top of that a clot near her heart. It has been a tough journey ever since.  Thankfully, due to modern medicine we have been able to stabilize her and maintain a good balance with her medication for now.

As of right now, she is on five prescriptions from her Cardiologist and four other herbs/tinctures and supplements provided by her Holistic Vet.  I have her on a strict schedule to balance out all of her dosage times.  One of the medications she is on is Lasix, which in my opinion is the worst.  If you are not familiar with Lasix, it is a water pill.  Its job is to flush all fluids from your dog’s body, it treats fluid retention and any swelling that can occur with CHF. She drinks water all the time, and you cannot withhold their water while they are on Lasix.  Needless to say, there are a lot of trips to the bathroom at night since she takes it twice a day. So sleep deprivation has been a huge issue in our household.  To help reduce with the evening trips  we tried doggy diapers and thought that solved our evening bathroom trips but she ended up getting a urine infection.  Even though me and hubby take turns, getting a good night sleep is next to impossible.

Along with lack of sleep, there are many other stress factors that pet owners can have to deal with for one, finances.  Caring for a pet dealing with CHF, can be expensive. The appointments with the vet and cardiologist.  We also take her to see a holistic vet.  The medications as well can add up. Some other issues that can come up when caring for a sick pet  include ones mental and physical well being,  social/employment status, and relationships.

According to Mary Beth Spitznagel, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist and associate professor at Kent State University,  a study called, “Caregiver Burden in Owners of a Sick Companion Animal: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study,”  co-authored with veterinarians at Stow Kent Animal Hospital (Dr. Mark Carlson and Dr. Melanie Cox) and Metropolitan Animal Hospital (Dr. Dana Jacobson)  found that the effects of care giving for a sick pet – burden, stress, anxiety, depression, low quality of life – are in many ways similar to what we see in a person caring for a sick family member, for example, a parent with dementia,” Spitznagel said. “In the case of this study, burden is at a high enough level that for some people, it could be causing symptoms of anxiety and, more likely, depression.”

Whether you are dealing with a chronically or terminally ill pet,  I want to share some examples of things that you can do to help you through this tough journey.

Taking time for oneself

This may mean connecting with family and friends and/or going out on a social outing just to take your mind off things.  Maybe catch a funny movie, or go out for dinner.

Sleep is also very important but unfortunately, for us this has been our biggest issue.  If you can it’s important to get a good night’s sleep so that you can be well rested to provide the best care possible for your pet.

With stress comes muscles tightness, so every now and then we schedule a massage to help us relax.  This is by far my favorite and I always schedule one when time allows.

Practice relaxation or meditation.  

For some exercising may reduce stress. You can also try self guided meditations to help you relax and escape your problems even if it’s for a short time.  There are a ton of self guided meditation videos on Youtube and you can even download free apps that you can listen to.

Get a pet sitter

Having someone come to your home to care for your pet may be a better option than boarding.  They can care for your pet in the comfort of your home without changing your pets schedule.  Schedule a trip for the weekend or even if its just for overnight.

Accept help from others

I am fortunate enough that I can rely on my neighbors to help with Ginger when my husband and I may not be available.

Check your local area to see if they offer support groups for those that are caring for a sick pet.  Please click here to see if there is one near your area.  You can also connect with people whose pet may be dealing with the same illness.   There are Facebook Groups that you can join just by doing a search.  Sometimes members can be a great resource and can lend a shoulder to cry on.

Do not be so hard on yourself

It is very easy to do this.  Sometimes I wonder, am I doing enough, is there something I could have done differently such as diet, etc.  I myself am trying not to do this, it is important to let go of any quilt that we may have.

Enjoy your dog while they are still part of your lives.  I take as many photos of Ginger as I can, if she can accompany me on an errand I will bring her with me.  It’s easy to get caught up in the sadness of knowing that they won’t be with us forever, but do not let that rob you of the precious time that you have with each other now.

Keep in mind that these are just suggestions.  You may be in a place that you can do all of these or maybe just one. But do take care of yourself, as your beloved pet will need you at your best.