Max at the vet

Max was long overdue for a vet visit, but he wasn't actually due for much when we finally got there today. Mostly he had be seen so they would re-authorize my prescription for his meds. The big surprise came when they told me that according to their records he was like 13.5 years old! My first post about Max was on August 31, 2013. I was thinking he was only about a year old when we got him, which would make him about 10 years old now, but whatever they recorded in the beginning was probably our best guess at his age then. Maya predated Max's arrival here, but he probably our most senior dog now.

Looking at some of those early posts about him I just have to laugh, especially the comments to the effect of "I don't think we'll have him for long." And one of my first observations about how he had developed the habit of chasing his tail in the shelter, probably from boredom, and how I hoped it hadn't become a permanent habit. The first picture here is of Max on that first day. He was sure a handsome devil. Still is really. 

Max became a permanent resident here when I came to the realization that he wasn't adoptable. I had one couple who was very interested in him at one time, but I really didn't think they fully understood just how "special" Max is, and I didn't want to put him, or them, through a bad experience. Max took some getting used to and has always required special handling, but he has become a fixture around here. He's been remarkably healthy, especially for a German Shepherd. His joints are getting stiff and he's not as fast or agile as he used to be, but he's in really good shape if he is 13.5 years old. They drew blood to do a senior dog blood panel and I'll be starting him on an anti-inflammatory to help those joints, but otherwise we will continue much as we have. Max has become almost exclusively an indoor dog this summer, which is the only thing that makes sense in this heat.

I have been brushing him a lot lately, trying to pull off a lot of that thick, double coat. He's looking pretty good, but when I had him in the vet's office my nose could really tell that he needs a bath. There's still plenty of hot days ahead so I hope to get it done soon.

Max on August 31, 2013