Author Topic: Poor old Morph (22/3/2004 - 26/5/2018)  (Read 7820 times)

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Poor old Morph (22/3/2004 - 26/5/2018)
« on: 16 October, 2017, 07:45:59 pm »
Morphy is now the wrong side of 13½. That's a good 18 months in excess of expectations - setters don't normally survive beyond 12, or so I'm told.

He's normally a cheerful chap, despite having lost a lot of weight, eating far more than he ever did, and suffering from arthritis.

A couple of weeks ago he was clearly in a lot of pain from his hips. I gently touched his hip to move him a bit and he cried out. The following day the same happened when Dez tried to get him to move. That prompted a vet visit. He's been on Metacam for a little over a week and for the past couple of days he has had the runs. It has clearly reduced the pain a lot though. I shall stop the Metacam for a few days to give it time to clear up, but I think we are not far off the time when a one-way trip is in order. I don't want him to be in pain, and having the shits distresses him.

As an aside, one of Morphy's long-term acquaintances, a Yorkshire terrier named Barney, shuffled off this mortal coil a month or so ago. He had gone blind, his back legs were duff, but he still seemed quite waggy when you met him. He went into the garden one night to empty himself and was longer than usual. Dave, his owner, found him dead by the back door. Heart attack, in all probability. 15 years 2 months.

Barney was a lovely little dog, very affectionate and outgoing, and a real character. In the good old days when both dogs were young and spry, I used to spend quite some time every day in the park, throwing a ball for Morphy and he would retrieve it, drop it at my feet and then bark like a maniac until I threw it again. No matter where in the park Barney was, the sound of Morphy's barking would prompt him to come zooming across the grass like an e-type broom-head in order to scrounge liver cake from me. Dave would follow on his bike (Dave's replacement knees make it hard for him to walk far) and we would natter about life, the universe and everything. Even though Dave is about 15 years my senior, he went to the same school as a pupil where I started my teaching career. Some of my rather ancient former colleagues were the bastards who taught Dave, and quite probably assaulted him physically.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #1 on: 16 October, 2017, 11:13:38 pm »
Poor Morph. Hard as it is, I'd rather do the one way trip a week too early than a day too late. I'd rather be grieving than know an animal I love was in pain. Morphy sounds like he's been a brilliant dog and he's had a long happy life. I hope the rest of his time is happy and comfortable. Good boy.
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.


hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #2 on: 16 October, 2017, 11:58:14 pm »
Poor OLD Morph!
He has done well...

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #3 on: 25 October, 2017, 12:32:53 am »
An update: after a few days on the Metacam, I took him off it. He had terrible diarrhoea which took a few days to get better. Now, although he is still slow on walks and has the occasional stumble, he is very cheerful. He takes an interest in people and dogs when we are out, nags me for treats and still does that endearing thing where he gently takes hold of my little finger between his teeth to take my hand off the keyboard to stroke him, or get him food, or pay him attention in some way that sitting at a computer doesn't do. He quite often comes in when he hears me playing the piano and either lies down nearby or leans against the piano stool.

This is him after about 10 minutes of the Schubert G♭impromptu:



It seems quite possible that his arthritis behaves as mine does - one hell of a lot worse on some days than on others. His appetite is very good.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #4 on: 25 October, 2017, 08:33:35 am »
Poor chap.  I reckon Metacam would go for the gut, NSAIDs do that.  Would the vet have an appropriate PPI for him, something like Omeprazole?
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #5 on: 25 October, 2017, 10:26:14 am »
It's nice that he's musical though. If I sit down at the piano, Boris the Blade is off to the furthest corner of the house before I can play an E7 aug 9....
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #6 on: 25 October, 2017, 11:25:37 am »
Having been through similar, it does feel as if you are playing an end game with Old Father Time.  Good luck.

Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #7 on: 25 October, 2017, 12:15:47 pm »
It's nice that he's musical though. If I sit down at the piano, Boris the Blade is off to the furthest corner of the house before I can play an E7 aug 9....

You and your Hendrix!  Although I think the chord was popular with Stravinsky, too....

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #8 on: 25 October, 2017, 12:42:21 pm »
Would that be Wee Jimi Stravinsky from the Gorbals?
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #9 on: 25 October, 2017, 12:43:16 pm »
Having been through similar, it does feel as if you are playing an end game with Old Father Time.  Good luck.

I always prided myself on my endgame technique. :)
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #10 on: 26 October, 2017, 09:28:35 pm »
Would that be Wee Jimi Stravinsky from the Gorbals?

That's the one; wrote Mctrushka and The Fight of Spring

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #11 on: 27 October, 2017, 03:19:16 pm »
Morph had a very good walk this morning. He allowed himself to be fussed over by small children and socialised with other dogs. He also falsetto-barked at me for treats.

There's life in the old dog yet!
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #12 on: 26 May, 2018, 09:57:32 am »
Things have taken a turn for the worse lately. Vet appointment this afternoon. This may well be it.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
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Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #13 on: 26 May, 2018, 10:04:59 am »
Oh dear.
C'mon Morph.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #14 on: 26 May, 2018, 10:38:10 am »
Horrible thing to go through. Give him a hug.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #15 on: 26 May, 2018, 12:48:40 pm »
Love to you all...

Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #16 on: 26 May, 2018, 01:13:25 pm »
Hugs to all of you.
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #17 on: 26 May, 2018, 03:21:45 pm »
It is done. Thank you all for your good wishes.

He had lost about 2.5kg in the past 2 months. He was 33kg top whack, about 26kg in October, about the same in March, and about 23.5 today. I could feel that he was lighter, when I lifted him into the car, than he was when I last took him in the car just over a week ago. I'm amazed he kept going as well as he did. A couple of times in the past week he had walks of over a mile, but suddenly, on Thursday, he took a turn for the worse. Stopped eating, drank very little. Yesterday I cooked him a couple of chicken breasts and he ate those with rice, but no improvement today. In the past three days, he was refusing walks. Would go out, have a wee, and then dig his heels in about going any further. I persuaded him to go round the block last night, and he had 3 wees, but it didn't stop him weeing a lake on the floor some time in the small hours. His legs have been very bad with arthritis for quite some time, but his back right leg started letting him down over the past couple of days. I always felt that the wagometer was the critical factor, and it had detected very little in the way of wags over the past couple of days.

To be honest my biggest feeling is one of relief.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #18 on: 26 May, 2018, 03:25:51 pm »
That's very sad to hear, but the best for him.

Sounds like you'll need a warming whisky tonight.
It is simpler than it looks.

barakta

  • Bastard lovechild of Yomiko Readman and Johnny 5
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #19 on: 26 May, 2018, 03:56:40 pm »
Sorry to hear this, but it sounds like you made the right decision and knowing it was coming you tried to balance quality of life against knowing when to make the call.

Thinking of you all.

Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #20 on: 26 May, 2018, 04:09:45 pm »
JD sums it up well, Peter.
Much commiz.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #21 on: 26 May, 2018, 04:16:50 pm »
I last took Morphy to Priory Park early in the week. He still had enough energy left to try to break into a canter as he woofed at some ducks. They obligingly took off with a satisfying amount of quack!  ;D
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #22 on: 26 May, 2018, 04:21:57 pm »
Sounds like a good old lad. Sorry he's gone.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
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Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #23 on: 26 May, 2018, 04:46:22 pm »
What they all said. You did the right thing.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: Poor old Morph
« Reply #24 on: 26 May, 2018, 05:49:52 pm »
Ahh sorry to hear this Peter. He obvioulsy had the best life with you though and you knew when to help him out of his pain.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.