What Braškė’s Final Years Taught Me

My daughter Julija has already shared the story of how Braškė changed our family’s life and how her story eventually inspired the creation of “Silver Whiskers.” I would like to tell you about another chapter of her life – her final years.

Braškė lived with us for almost 18 years. The first silver hairs appeared on her muzzle much earlier, following a serious incident when, at the age of nine, she was badly injured by another dog. It was the first time we were truly afraid that we might lose her. That was when we met veterinarian Ingrida. She helped Braškė survive and recover, and our connection has remained to this day – she now also looks after our other Braškutė.

After the treatment, more and more silver hairs began to appear on Braškė’s muzzle. Sometimes, looking at her greying face and silver whiskers, I would think about how sad it is that our lives and the lives of our pets move at such different speeds.

Braškė herself, however, seemed to have no intention of growing old. She remained just as curious and playful, ate with enthusiasm, wanted to go outside, sniff around, and explore the world.

Over time, more serious health problems gradually began to appear. During one severe episode of heart failure, her condition became critical. The veterinarian administered medication and prescribed treatment for us to continue at home. Braškė’s recovery was difficult, and at the time I thought that after something like this, her life would never be the same again.

But she recovered.

And once again, she wanted to go outside. Once again, she was interested in her surroundings, sniffing, exploring, and enjoying the same things she always had.

Perhaps that was what surprised me most during her final years – that even as her body grew weaker, her desire to live and remain curious about the world never disappeared.

More Than Just Lifespan

I hold a PhD in biomedical sciences and spent many years working in health promotion, disease prevention, and healthcare. Because of this, the concept of healthy life expectancy has always been particularly meaningful to me – not simply the total number of years a person lives, but how many of those years they are able to spend in good health, remaining independent and enjoying a good quality of life.

Watching Braškė grow older made me consider the idea of healthy life expectancy through the lives of our pets as well.

We all want them to stay with us for as long as possible. But to me, it is equally important to consider how they live those years – whether they are still able to move, rest comfortably, remain interested in their surroundings, interact with others, and continue to be part of everyday family life.

Just as with human health, an ageing pet’s well-being is greatly influenced by everyday life – movement, appropriate nutrition, rest, mental stimulation, social interaction, the bond with their human, and regular healthcare. These are things worth thinking about even before serious problems arise.

Not because we can guarantee a longer life, but because we want to help our pets live well for as long as possible – to remain active, independent, and able to enjoy the life they know.

When a Dog Grows Older, the Whole Family’s Life Changes Too.

During Braškė’s final years, episodes of heart failure were rare at first, but gradually became more frequent. With the help of veterinarian Ingrida, I learned how to recognise them and what we needed to do when they occurred.

Medication became part of our routine, along with waking up during the night, more frequent veterinary visits, and tests whose results I always waited for anxiously. Later came kidney failure. Braškė’s eyesight began to deteriorate until eventually she became completely blind.

Yet she remained the same Braškė – curious, wanting to be close to us and to take part in our lives.

Routine became incredibly important. We would wake up and eat at roughly the same times each day, trying to keep her daily schedule as consistent as possible. We still went outside even when walking became more difficult for her – she would walk part of the way herself, and I would carry her for the rest. Later, I began using a carrier.

We adapted our home as well. After more difficult episodes, her legs would become weak, so we added non-slip runners. We blocked off the stairs when we realised that using them was no longer safe for her.

Braškė stayed increasingly close to me, following me from one room to another and seeking my company. But gradually, caring for her became something our entire family shared. Whenever I had to be away, my younger daughter or my husband would give her medication and food. We all knew her daily routine – when she needed her medicine, when she needed to eat, and what signs we needed to watch for.

At the same time, our own lives began to change. I travelled less often, planned holidays differently, and found it increasingly difficult to leave Braškė alone for longer periods. When I was away, other family members had to adjust their routines around her care.

I think it was only then that I fully understood that a pet growing older changes not only their own life, but the everyday life of the entire family.

There is more responsibility, more planning, more care. But there is also a powerful sense of togetherness – everyone knows that we are caring for this little member of the family who has been beside us for so many years.

One of the Hardest Lessons

Braškė’s episodes were not the only difficult part.

Sometimes I would hear people around me say, “Maybe it’s time to let her go.”

And I found that incredibly difficult to accept.

After a severe episode, it could feel as though everything had changed irreversibly. But then Braškė would recover – and once again, there was the same little dog in front of me. She wanted to eat, go outside, sniff around, explore her surroundings, and be close to us.

One of the hardest lessons of her old age was understanding that one very bad day did not always tell us what the next one would look like.

Ageing is not a straight line.

There can be extremely difficult periods, followed by a better day – and suddenly you see that curiosity again, that desire to move and to take part in everyday life.

When I now think about the almost 18 years Braškė spent with us, I am grateful for every one of them. But her final years taught me to focus less on the number of years itself and more on how a dog lives those years.

They taught me to look beyond diagnoses and test results.

To ask simpler questions: How does she feel today? Is she comfortable? Does she still want to go outside, explore, and seek our company?

I also came to understand how closely a pet’s well-being is connected to the life of the entire family. When it is easier for them to move, rest, and do as many things as possible independently, the people caring for them can feel more at ease too.

And then there is more room not only for caregiving and worry, but simply for being together.

Today, I think this is what “Silver Whiskers” means to me – helping older pets preserve a full and familiar life for as long as possible, while helping the people who love them feel more reassured and confident as they navigate this stage of life together.