Jake the Snake

Well he's not really a snake...he's a dog. A Dalmatian to be exact, but I like to rhyme names, so I've always called him Jake the Snake.

Well, he has arthiritis. Very bad arthiritis. His back legs give out constantly on him, and now his front legs are starting to. He's on the highest dosage of Glycoflex 3 and Rimadyl (arthiritis medicines), but he's only getting worse. He has good days and bad days. On good days, he can get up, walk outside, and go to the bathroom without falling down. On bad days, he can't even get up to get a drink of water and usually goes to the bathroom on himself.

My parents have decided to put him to sleep, and after throwing several tantrums and throwing in the phrase "Doggy killers" at every opportunity, I've given in and decided it is for the best. Still really sad though. They told us last week and I still cry about it when I think of it.

What I've noticed though, is a change in Sisqo. He keeps getting off of his cage and running over to Jake, all while in attack mode. Feathers ruffled, wings out, eyes flashing, and tail flared. Yesterday, Jake was outside and Sisqo got off his cage, went to the back door and started barking and growling at him.

Any ideas what's going on with that?

Well we all know animals are smarter than us, and we all know they have a sixth sence to things beyond our abilities.. so maybe he sence his weakness, and is reacting toward that.. not sure why it would be aggrestion but maybe it has to do with the whole weakest of the pack/flock could cause danger problems with the rest of the flock... kind of like when sick baby is rejected by the mother for the better of her other babies

I am sorry that Jake the Snake is suffering so much, its very sad, but I can also see this from your parents side, (thats because I'm old and over 50+, as chi would say ) My old gal is going the same way and I have said the very same thing about her, when it gets to the stage when she's having all that trouble and pain its time to help her out. I end up crying even now and I havent had to make that decision yet. Its terrible when we lose someone we love, we want them to go on forever.

As far as Sisqo is I can only agree with Chi, can only think it is a case of trying to scare off the weaker of the flock that could cause harm to the rest.

Im realy sorrey Nicole. my dog is nearly 12.. or is it 13.. anyway how ever old she is shes old lol.and shes had cancer twice, got lumps all over her. My parents have said the same thing that peta said, if it gets to the point where shes suffering then we're gunna put her down. my doesn't think she'll make it till the end of the year. Its really sad when you think about it. But its best for the dog. Then they can go where there is not pain and they can do whatever they want! Im really sorrey again. You'll be in my thuaghts.

I am sorry to hear this Nicole. It is so hard to lose a pet. My family dog is about that age and we just found out he has lyme disease. Luckily that is treatable, but I get more and more worried about him. I know how painful it is to lose a good friend like that and have to make that decision. As for Sisqo, how had he acted towards the dog before?

I agree with Peta, Sisqo is acting as the 'enforcer' and booting Jake out of the 'flock' for the good of the flock!

TexDot33 said:

I agree with Peta, Sisqo is acting as the 'enforcer' and booting Jake out of the 'flock' for the good of the flock!

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PETA!!!
Peta was agreeing with me!! Soooo, you were acually agreeing with me...
man, once again I am chop liver, what do I have to do to get a little respect around here

Christy said:

As for Sisqo, how had he acted towards the dog before?

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Sisqo had never even wanted to interact with Jake before. They never paid attention to each other. We have another Dalmatian, and two cats and it's like Sisqo doesn't even know they exist. They're that oblivious to each other.


Thanks for everyone's kind words. It's just so hard because he's only 11, but he's always been such a big dog. I keep blaming myself..thinking that maybe if we hadn't ran around so much when we were younger then he wouldn't be so bad. :17:

My parents haven't set a date though, only said that it's going to happen

My mom thinks Sisqo is trying to show his dominance too, or at least trying to show Gigi that he's the dominate one in the family. But it has become quite a hassle keeping him in his cage while Jake is in the house or by the back door. Now that he's flighted, he can fly right off his playgym too. We've had to put him in a time-out a few times in his cage because he's bitten my mom when she went to move him away from Jake .

Thanks for everyone's kind words. It's just so hard because he's only 11, but he's always been such a big dog. I keep blaming myself..thinking that maybe if we hadn't ran around so much when we were younger then he wouldn't be so bad

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dont think like that... I bet if he could talk he would say would would rather cut his life short than to have never had and fun running around and playing.

darkchi said:

PETA!!!
Peta was agreeing with me!! Soooo, you were acually agreeing with me...
man, once again I am chop liver, what do I have to do to get a little respect around here

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Not sure why mate (*cough cough* 50+) but I respect ya.

I keep blaming myself..thinking that maybe if we hadn't ran around so much when we were younger then he wouldn't be so bad

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Really you mustn't think like that, Jake has had a wonderful life with you and I'm sure that he wouldn't have had it any other way. Far better he was running round and having fun while he was young enough to enjoy it.

Actually, really you shouldn't think like that, speaking as one with arthritis, exercise is the #1 thing that doctors tell you do to help ... and after a low impact workout, my knees feel better. Nicole, you actually HELPED Jake by making him run around the yard!

Arthritis in the Knees painful, I also have that and yeah the docs tell me to excersise, I can hardly walk and he wants me to excersise What sort of low impact excersise do you do Tex.

Peta said:

What sort of low impact excersise do you do Tex.

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Once again I am pleading the fith on this one... although I will tell you it was banned from being played on youtube.com

:18: :18: Forget I asked. :18:

Peta said:

... What sort of low impact excersise do you do Tex.

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Bike riding, swimming even the eliptical machine at the gym ... all of them are great!

And thats low impact, think I'll carry on using the stairs 100 times a day, and moaning, doesn't help the pain but makes me feel a lot better.

I'm sorry about Jake, it's tragic that he's in so much pain but you're really only caring for his best interests! I'd say that anyone who puts their dogs interest above their own (no matter how painstaking) is a truly great owner!

Sisqo's agression if strikingly familiar though. I had a bird who would always become aggressive when I was upset, or when a family member was upset. I remember once I slammed a book down on the table and he went flying to attack the book. It wasn't the sound because he had done that on several occasions by becoming aggressive towards objects or people who either upset me or someone else.

I think birds can tell our emotions, and maybe Sisqo knows just how painful loosing Jake is? Maybe Sisqo is somehow trying to "protect" you. I don't know, that might be downright silly… but, I'm almost positive birds do have a six sense and they can tell when something is wrong?