u/duvaldeviant

My 14 year old lab/pointer mix Benji was diagnosed with dementia, heart failure and arthritis recently. He'd begun barking almost 24/7 & for a long time I thought he was just being a little butthead since he only did it at my boyfriend's house with our other dogs. He was completely silent at my apartment so I assumed it was a training issue. I took him to the vet and was completely blindsided. This was a month ago. He's started gabapentin, a diuretic and heart med that he takes 2x a day. The meds have helped his arthritis but not the barking. And he pees so much. I'm always stressed he'll have accidents in my bf's house & worry about him getting mad at me for it (he never would, he's very understanding about Benji's problems). I'm disabled & suspect I'm experiencing caretaker burnout and anticipatory grief. I love my dog more than myself but taking him out 9x a day or more is really getting to me. Especially when he has to go out at midnight and I don't sleep well. I can't afford potty pads or else I'd buy them. Benji is my first senior and I had no idea dogs could get dementia or heart failure. I always thought he'd die in his sleep when the time came. Watching him slip away in front of me is one of the hardest things I've experienced. He's still very happy, eating, drinking tons, loves to snuggle and plays with the other dogs so I think I still have some time left with him for now. But idk. How has everyone else dealt with dementia and heart failure? Specifically the barking and constant potty breaks?

I took my 13 year old lab/German short hair pointer mix Benji to the vet recently after showing signs of severe dementia. He's still eating, drinking, sleeping and appears happy but is extremely anxious. He pants, paces, barks uncontrollably, shows signs of extreme separation anxiety. Basically all the major symptoms. However when the vet was checking him out they also found he had a heart murmur and asked to do X-rays. His heart is so enlarged it's pressing on his breast bone, his lungs are filled with fluid and his tracea is being constricted. This was a shock because he coughs occasionally but nothing excessive. He also has arthritis. Benji is currently on a diuretic to take the fluid off his lungs, a med for his heart and gabapentin for his arthritis and dementia. He's due back at the vet in a month and is already showing signs of improvement. The vet said if the gabapentin doesn't help he can also start trazodone. I've felt a lot of guilt about not knowing how sick he truly is and currently I'm scared I'm doing him a disservice by not euthanizing him. But as I mentioned he's still himself aside from getting confused and anxious. Is he in pain? Should I keep treating him and listen to the vet when he says he's fine? I need a second opinion because those X-rays were absolutely terrible. Please be kind, I'm doing my best.

When are the cosmetic packs being released? I thought it would be around June and I can't find where it was previously said a few months ago. Was hoping I'd be able to buy them for my birthday on Saturday.

I've been disabled since I was 18 and have only worked under the table as a teenager. I'm 35 now and live in fear of losing my SSI so I guess I wanted to ask some questions if that were to happen. how do ppl get jobs now? What are a disabled person's chances of getting a job with no job history or education? I only graduated high school with a "special" diploma (math based learning disability). Would I be hired anywhere at all or would losing my SSI be the end of everything? Positive feedback appreciated.