Agonising decisions

Regular readers to the blog will know that our Molly has had severe problems with her eyes and been going blind for nearly two years now. We knew right from the time she was diagnosed with glaucoma that it would happen eventually and would also result in having to have her eyes removed.  

Glaucoma is painful and for the past two years we've managed to keep the pain under control with drops and the occasional Metacam (analgesic) but for the last month or so the medication was not working so well.  We had a decision to make.

If she was blind with her eyes she would still have pain, without the eyes she would be pain-free.  We contacted the vet last week and discussed it with her, she would get back to us with a cost and an appointment for enucleation (removal of the eyes).

We were obviously very upset and we seriously started to think and talk about what effect this was going to have on the three of us.

During the time we've been at our winter mooring Molly has coped very well inside Still Rockin'  but she's always been a very anxious dog and this showed even more.  She was even getting used to the green area just outside the mooring, soon finding for herself where to step over the gap between the ground and the pontoon and walking over the gangplank into the boat. But, when we attempted to take her further she planted her four paws firmly on the ground and refused to move.  No amount of persuasion either from our voices or from her lead would get her to move forward.  This of course was upsetting for all of us.  While staying here on the same mooring for five months she would have become quite happy with her surroundings and grown used to them (like if we'd been living on the land) but what would happen when we start cruising again, a different place every time?

We talked long and hard and rang the vet the following day to  discuss having Molly put to sleep as we really could not put her through having a big operation if it was not going to improve her quality of life.  The vet agreed and an appointment was made for Monday.

This was the hardest decision we have ever made.

We've nearly always had dogs but Molly was different, as Jaq once said when she dog-sat for us one evening 'There's a real character in there' and there was.  Molly talked to us, she had so many 'voices', she was a happy dog as long as she was with her 'pack' (me and George), she loved to play with her toys and play-fight with George, and to cuddle up by the side of me.

Five weeks old

 and about five months

In her cruising position on our previous boat Rock 'n' Roll

 play with me!

Look at me here!

We miss her so much.  

I especially miss her morning welcome, I would be making a cup of tea when she'd come bounding down the steps from her early morning quick walk and bounce up and down letting me know she was there and I bend to her for an early kiss.  Then she'd dash off to the sofa looking back to make sure I was following and she jump up on the back and dive at me for another one and from there onto the bed and pinning me by the shoulders against the bed head for a severe licking and then cuddle up in the blanket kept there for that purpose.  I miss that warm little body.

Run free our Molly, sleep tight.