She turned 16 June 11th. The vet said for her weight (60 lbs) her life expectancy is around 10 to 12 years.

Hey everyone!

I haven’t contributed much to the posts in here while Shadow was still with me, but I’ve been around for a lot of the posts and conversations over the time I’ve been here. Unfortunately, now that Shadow is gone, I’ve decided it’s time for me to part ways with the Reddit channels I joined because of him. Before I do, I wanted to share his story and hopefully leave you all with something to take with you.
Shadow made it to 16 years and 9 months old before passing away in July. He had been part of my family since he was a puppy, so you can imagine how hard it’s been learning to navigate life without him after all those years.
Things changed so quickly. He went from being sick to us finding out he was in kidney failure, and within two weeks, he was gone. I’m still processing everything that happened, but if there’s one thing I want other senior dog parents to take away from my experience, it’s this: PLEASE trust your intuition when it comes to your babies.

For some background, Shadow struggled with seizures and had been taking Keppra for the past two years. I later came to suspect that trazodone, which he had been prescribed, may have played a role in triggering his seizures, although I can’t say that for certain.
Toward the end, his treatment plan included Keppra and phenobarbital for his seizures since the activity increased, along with gabapentin for an injury he was recovering from. Shadow was only about 9.5 pounds, and I started feeling like all of this was becoming too much for his little body. I brought up the possibility of switching to zonisamide because I had been told it might be a gentler option, but my vet advised against it.
Within two weeks, Shadow was gone.
On top of the heartbreak of losing him, I was left with a $2,000 vet bill after trying everything I could to save him. I’m not sharing this to tell anyone what medications their dogs should or shouldn’t take, or to say that I know exactly what happened. I’m sharing it because I wish I had known then what I know now, and I hope my experience encourages someone else to keep asking questions, speak up when something doesn’t feel right, and advocate for their babies.

You know your dog better than anyone. You know their normal behaviors, their little quirks, and when something just seems off. Please don’t be afraid to ask questions, seek another opinion, or push for a conversation when your gut is telling you something isn’t right.
And most importantly, if your babies are still here with you, please cherish every last moment. Take the pictures. Record their little noises. Let them have the extra cuddles. Give them the treats. Sit with them a little longer. Even the ordinary days that might feel routine now are memories you’ll wish you could go back to someday.
I would give anything for one more day with my boy.
Shadow gave my family 16 years and 9 months of love, and I’ll forever be grateful that I got to be his person for that long.

Love on your babies until the very end. Give them the best life you can, and please, always trust your intuition.
Rest easy, my sweet Shadow. You’ll always be my boy. 🤍🕊️