Rough couple of days with our Murphy, but we're ok

[Logan]

Our old lady, Murphy, has had a couple of bad days, with excessive barking and disorientation, as well as a "frantic" mood, where she has not been able to settle down. Some of this is not unusual, but the level of her anxiety has been higher, louder, more disruptive than usual. Of course, today was my day to deal with it and my vet didn't work today (he is never open on Thursday). So we went to a different vet, the same office where I take my birds, but a different veterinarian than we usually see.

Murphy's ears are infected, as I suspected, and they are making her uncomfortable. She really needs surgery, again, but at her age (14 1/2 years old), we're not going to put her through it. Her left ear is now almost completely covered with benign tumors and her ear canal cannot get the proper airation to make it stay healthy.

Please keep our sweet Labbie girl in your prayers. We just want her to be comfortable

Logan

[GraciesMommy]

I don't want to worry you any more than you are..but that sounds so much like Mercedes did. The vet said it was the first stages of dementia. She would whine when there was nothing wrong, walk around like she was totally lost...and go nuts sometimes like she thought I was gone. She lost her hearing those last few months so if she wasn't right where she could see me she would think I had left her. She was 16 years old. All this happened that last year...it was very sad when there was just nothing I could do for her. We decided to ease her pain (she also had arthritis and cataracts and huge tumors on her sides) and send her on over to RB one year ago this month..

Just keep an eye out on those strange behaviors and ask your vet if that could be it. There is nothing they can do for it, but at least you would know and help by giving extra comfort and let her know you are there..loving on Mercedes was about the only thing that settled her down..

[lizbud]

Poor Murphy. Your description of her ears makes my ears
hurt. Is there nothing else in the way of RX's they could give
that could make her more comfortable or ease the pain at least?

I'll be keeping you both in my prayers this evening.

[Logan]

I feel I need to answer both of you in greater detail than I provided with my first post.

Gracie'sMommy, Murphy has dementia, for sure. She had been dealing with some pretty tough stuff for over a year now. She is completely deaf and has been since I first met her in June 2002 (she is my husband's dog...he's had her since she was a puppy, and we only met in June 2002). She has been plagued with ear infections and tumors in her ear canals for most of her life. Tumors that were reachable were removed earlier, and then last year, Murphy went through major surgery to resection her ear canal on her right ear. The recuperation about did her in, and me too. It as horrible, as she does not get positive results from pain relief as most dogs, cats and humans would. It hardly affected her and it was very rough trying to keep her from pulling off the bandages. Murphy bumps into walls, barks incessantly, gets "lost", but at the same time is "dancing" for her breakfast and dinner, still, and loudly proclaims to me if her water bowl is empty, she is lonely or hungry! We're just not ready to give up yet.

Liz, I was a bit dismayed that this vet only prescribed Otomax and nothing else. We'll take her to Dr. Robinson tomorrow and make sure we are doing everything possible for her. It was a waste of Murphy's and my time to go to the "fill in" vet today, for sure. We live and learn, I guess. She settled down for a while this afternoon, but started up again this evening. When I fed her dinner, she settled down for a little while, but has started back up with the barking and crying tonight. I gave her a pain pill, which Dr. Robinson has provided to keep her comfortable, and something is working and she has been quiet the last 30 minutes or so. It is just so heartbreaking to not be able to do anything. The poor girl does not need to face major surgery again at this stage in her life. She has so many issues, and the ears are a minute part of them.

[Cincy'sMom]

Poor Murphy!! I hope she is able to find some comfort. It is so hard watching them get older, and knowing thre isn'tmuch more you can do.

Oreo is still fairly healthy for being 15, but she has been deaf or atleastmostly for 2-3 years and sometimes it seems she is losing her sight. She doesn't always realize when she has wet her bed, and often sleeps in her mess. Even though I don't live with her, it is hard knowing she is getting up there...

[KYS]

Sending many good thoughts for senior Murphy
to have only good days.
Her ear sounds very umcomfortable.

[Logan]

Our sweet girl is having a rough night. I'm going to invite her back to spend the night in the bedroom with me and hope that she will calm down a bit. She is so agitated and can't seem to rest and she needs to after two days of being miserable. I am so worried about her.

If you say prayers tonight, please say a little prayer for comfort for my sweet girl.

[Christiansmommy]

Murphy will be in my prayers. I am sorry she is ill, and hopefully she can get at least a good nights sleep tonight...it is so hard to see them sick...

[lovemyshiba]

A candle has been lit, and dear Murphy is in my prayers.

[Tinkerboots]

I'm sorry to hear about Murphy. Old age is definetly a hard thing to deal with for not only animals, but humans as well. I have 4 dogs and 1 cat now after loosing Boots. My white shepard (Tara) is blind in one eye and progressing in the other. My black lab (Beethoven) and bernard mix has hip displacia and a brain tumor. My two other dogs are fine for right now. Tara and Beethoven are too old for us to do anything else. Beethoven has already out lived his age for his breed. Tara is going blind because of a very rare disease the occur in German Shepards. She has had the disease in her eyes since she was a puppie and the disease doesn't make itself known until it's too late. Other than that, she's doing considerably well. But like I said, it's rough watching them go through it. It sounds like Murphy is a trooper though. Just like my pets. She is well loved and taken care of, thats all she wants right now. Your doing everything you can and she knows it. I will keep you both in my prayers.

[chocolatepuppy]

Murphy will be in my thoughts and prayers. {hugs} to you at this difficult time.

[ChrisH]

Poor Murphy. Extra prayers going out for her right now.

[Joannie]

Have you tried Rescue remedy, it is for relaxation w/o drugs its a natural product sold in health food stores. I haven't tried it myself but was recommended from another group. Joannie

[Logan]

I ended up inviting Murphy to come sleep beside my bed, but she walked right back in the kitchen and got on her own bed, but was quiet. When I woke up this morning, I realized that she had changed her mind.



She had a much better night and has been quiet this morning too. She was so tired after those two rough days.



Thank you for your prayers. She really appreciates them and so do I.

[anna_66]

Logan I'm so sorry to hear that Murphy is having a rough time. I wish there was something you could do for her ears although I know there's not.
I'm just glad to hear that she finally calmed down last night and is doing better this morning.
I will say a prayer for her and for you Logan. You'll both be in my thoughts.