Bucket list for Merlin (GSD/BC cross)
Discussion
Here's Merlin. The goodest of good boys. He's 11.
Suffering a bit from arthritis in his front legs, metacam is doing the job for now. However, what was a fatty lump on his front shoulder has turned into a 'locally aggressive tumour' that's growing really rather quickly.
Discussions with vet means we've ruled out surgical intervention as being unfair to him.
So - whilst it's not going to kill him, it's likely this will be the thing that reduces his quality of life enough we will 'make the call'. Could be weeks, could be months, could be longer.
If it carries on growing at the rate it is, I think it'll be a few months. Dream would be that he's still vibrant and happy in August for my long overdue wedding.
So. Operation Merlin Dreams is in effect. We want to do everything we can to make sure he loves the remaining time, and fills it with awesome doggo experiences.
Ideas?
Loves water. Not fussed by other dogs (as in, he pretty much just ignores them!). Obvs loves his walks, but have to be a bit careful overdoing it due to the arthritis. Not hugely food orientated.
Live near Chichester. We'll be taking him to Arundel Lake, and he can get as soggy and muddy as he wants while we paddle around in a rowing boat. Walks will be focussed on new places, with new sniffs.
Any other ideas?
Suffering a bit from arthritis in his front legs, metacam is doing the job for now. However, what was a fatty lump on his front shoulder has turned into a 'locally aggressive tumour' that's growing really rather quickly.
Discussions with vet means we've ruled out surgical intervention as being unfair to him.
So - whilst it's not going to kill him, it's likely this will be the thing that reduces his quality of life enough we will 'make the call'. Could be weeks, could be months, could be longer.
If it carries on growing at the rate it is, I think it'll be a few months. Dream would be that he's still vibrant and happy in August for my long overdue wedding.
So. Operation Merlin Dreams is in effect. We want to do everything we can to make sure he loves the remaining time, and fills it with awesome doggo experiences.
Ideas?
Loves water. Not fussed by other dogs (as in, he pretty much just ignores them!). Obvs loves his walks, but have to be a bit careful overdoing it due to the arthritis. Not hugely food orientated.
Live near Chichester. We'll be taking him to Arundel Lake, and he can get as soggy and muddy as he wants while we paddle around in a rowing boat. Walks will be focussed on new places, with new sniffs.
Any other ideas?
Our 31 kg border collie was on similar meds for his last 4 years.
He too had a large tumour that developed in his shoulder in the last 18 months of his life, but it didn't seem to bother him, he just looked lopsided.
Eventually he succumbed to a stroke just short of his 13th birthday, but after a day of three walks and barking balistically at my horse as usual.
I can only wish you well and make the best of your time with him while you still have him.
Does he like the beach at all? Are there any nice sandy ones near you where dogs are permitted?
Make memories with him and video them.
He too had a large tumour that developed in his shoulder in the last 18 months of his life, but it didn't seem to bother him, he just looked lopsided.
Eventually he succumbed to a stroke just short of his 13th birthday, but after a day of three walks and barking balistically at my horse as usual.
I can only wish you well and make the best of your time with him while you still have him.
Does he like the beach at all? Are there any nice sandy ones near you where dogs are permitted?
Make memories with him and video them.
He's a lovely looking boy.
We have two GSDs both about 8 years old, I'm not looking forward to them getting older.
I can't really offer any advice on things to do and, to be honest, I doubt if he's that fussed as long as he's doing those things with you. The more time you spend with him the more he'll enjoy it, even if it's just sitting next to him on the floor and stroking him while watching telly in the evening.
We have two GSDs both about 8 years old, I'm not looking forward to them getting older.
I can't really offer any advice on things to do and, to be honest, I doubt if he's that fussed as long as he's doing those things with you. The more time you spend with him the more he'll enjoy it, even if it's just sitting next to him on the floor and stroking him while watching telly in the evening.
So. The time has come.
He's slowed down more, but crucially the tumour is now the size of my head - and has become ulcerated.
So he's going for his final trip on Monday morning. Somewhat fortunately (and cowardly) I'm off to Milan for work on Tuesday which will distract me big time.
He was incredible at our wedding:
And gutwrenchingly - but proudly - we're ignoring the '3Ws' as he's still so happy and loved he's always up for a walk, or a tail wag. To use up the food he's getting double dinners, and wolfing them down.
But, he's stumbling due to the interference of the tumour, and now it's ulcerated there's only downhill rapidly from here. So he's going out on as much of a high as possible.
Swimming lake tomorrow, with his best mate Baxter (my mum's dog, who's just as old and decrepit) and his annoying little sister Delilah (my baby sister's mini dachshund). Walk in his favourite woods after. Whole bag of chicken wings for dinner.
Sunday, portrait time at a local photography studio, and steak dinner before final walk.
f
k, this utter bd is breaking me in two.
Earlier today:
He's slowed down more, but crucially the tumour is now the size of my head - and has become ulcerated.
So he's going for his final trip on Monday morning. Somewhat fortunately (and cowardly) I'm off to Milan for work on Tuesday which will distract me big time.
He was incredible at our wedding:
And gutwrenchingly - but proudly - we're ignoring the '3Ws' as he's still so happy and loved he's always up for a walk, or a tail wag. To use up the food he's getting double dinners, and wolfing them down.
But, he's stumbling due to the interference of the tumour, and now it's ulcerated there's only downhill rapidly from here. So he's going out on as much of a high as possible.
Swimming lake tomorrow, with his best mate Baxter (my mum's dog, who's just as old and decrepit) and his annoying little sister Delilah (my baby sister's mini dachshund). Walk in his favourite woods after. Whole bag of chicken wings for dinner.
Sunday, portrait time at a local photography studio, and steak dinner before final walk.
f
k, this utter bd is breaking me in two.Earlier today:
So you did get nearly 15 months after your first post, and made good use of them. I am hoping you took the plenty of videos and photos too.
He’s had a great life and has had nearly as long as any dog his size.
It’s so sad that we have our beloved dogs for so few years.
If you can, you and your wife should be with him on his last vet visit, so that he knows you love him still as his life ends. Better still have the vet come to you, but not all vets will do that.
Your call what you do next.
You will never replace him because they are all different characters, but perhaps consider bringing another lovely friend into your family when the time seems right.
I waited six months after I lost my first dog, and afterwards wondered why I made myself live without the joy of a dog in the house for so long.
So after we lost Sam I brought another dog home a few weeks later, curiously exactly two years ago today.
He’s completely different, for one thing he hates swimming
He’s had a great life and has had nearly as long as any dog his size.
It’s so sad that we have our beloved dogs for so few years.
If you can, you and your wife should be with him on his last vet visit, so that he knows you love him still as his life ends. Better still have the vet come to you, but not all vets will do that.
Your call what you do next.
You will never replace him because they are all different characters, but perhaps consider bringing another lovely friend into your family when the time seems right.
I waited six months after I lost my first dog, and afterwards wondered why I made myself live without the joy of a dog in the house for so long.
So after we lost Sam I brought another dog home a few weeks later, curiously exactly two years ago today.
He’s completely different, for one thing he hates swimming
QBee said:
So you did get nearly 15 months after your first post, and made good use of them. I am hoping you took the plenty of videos and photos too.
He s had a great life and has had nearly as long as any dog his size.
It s so sad that we have our beloved dogs for so few years.
If you can, you and your wife should be with him on his last vet visit, so that he knows you love him still as his life ends. Better still have the vet come to you, but not all vets will do that.
Your call what you do next.
You will never replace him because they are all different characters, but perhaps consider bringing another lovely friend into your family when the time seems right.
I waited six months after I lost my first dog, and afterwards wondered why I made myself live without the joy of a dog in the house for so long.
So after we lost Sam I brought another dog home a few weeks later, curiously exactly two years ago today.
He s completely different, for one thing he hates swimming
We are incredibly grateful for the time we've had.He s had a great life and has had nearly as long as any dog his size.
It s so sad that we have our beloved dogs for so few years.
If you can, you and your wife should be with him on his last vet visit, so that he knows you love him still as his life ends. Better still have the vet come to you, but not all vets will do that.
Your call what you do next.
You will never replace him because they are all different characters, but perhaps consider bringing another lovely friend into your family when the time seems right.
I waited six months after I lost my first dog, and afterwards wondered why I made myself live without the joy of a dog in the house for so long.
So after we lost Sam I brought another dog home a few weeks later, curiously exactly two years ago today.
He s completely different, for one thing he hates swimming
He loves the vet, and wife doesn't want the association of a 'spot at home', so he's going there. I won't be in the room with him, but she will be - and he absolutely knows how much we love him.
Freshwater swimming in a bit, he's been out around the Green today and playing in his paddling pool in the garden.
We know we can't be without a dog in our lives. We also know we can't go for anything like Merlin - so next one will be a female working Cocker. We've never had a dog from a 'proper' breeder (either accidental home litter or rescue), so we're somewhat looking forward to that experience and the opportunity to really experience 'whole life', but it'll necessarily be a while. We're prepping the house for sale, work is crazy for me, etc., so we want to find the right breeder and wait for the right time so we can dedicate the time and energy a young pup deserves.
Thanks for all the wishes. I'm finding it amazing quite how many tears I'm capable of producing.
(Oh, and our local awesome butcher found out we were looking for 'last supper', and treated him to a big lump of beef shin for tomorrow's dinner on him - love that place!)
We have also had a working cocker for the last 16 years. Ours was not a puppy, but only 12 months old and passed on to us by our daughter when she was pregnant with her second child. She has been great, taught our collie to swim and was at least as fast as him. Oh yes, they can run. 
My thoughts are with you these last days,
Our time with Sky are not far away.
My thoughts are with you these last days,
Our time with Sky are not far away.
Thoughts with you and your wife OP, been there done that and it's awful . Think we have some bad news coming this Thurs regarding our 4yr old GSX , he's been my shadow since we rescued him at 3 months old and has been a star ,loves everybody and every animal he meets . loves nothing more than coming out on the quad to visit the horses then will find the nearest pond or river to jump into . For his bucket list I reckon access to our pool might finally be allowed , sod the consequences . We are their all of their lives but sadly they are only too small a part of ours .
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