I need some advice.
I have a senior dog, twelve years old and fifty-two pounds. She was never exactly young, even as a puppy. She is arthritic, especially her hips, and we have suspicions that her senses are faltering. The other day, she tore a ligament in her knee, and I freaked out thinking it was her hips. When the vet told me it could be repaired with surgery, I leapt at the fix.
Problem is, I worry I leapt too soon. The vet told me recovery is six weeks, but that's for your average dog, not my senior old lady. She has her days when she is spry, and she loves being with people so much. We have a cat that keeps her feeling young. But I worry there comes a time I have to be realistic. Is this the time? Will this surgery make things worse for my dog? Is pain management a better route for her?
