just a dog draped across the corner of his bed! Matty spends as much time with his bottom hanging off his bed as he does laying on it "properly". He will often have his back end precariously balanced on the edge, and eventually gravity takes over and his bum hits the floor! He always looks most surprised even though it happens time-after-time 😄
He turned 12 this month and although he does have the occasional bouncing-around-like-a-puppy moment, it's obvious that his age and health conditions are catching up with him. He has had kidney issues for a few years now, hence his special low protein diet, along with a heart murmur, high blood pressure, scoliosis, and dodgy eyes and legs 😟 He takes an assortment of medications, including long term painkillers, and sometimes I feel like a pharmacist when I prepare all the tablets he takes with his breakfast! He recently had his usual six-month check-up and as he had lost about 2kg since his last check-up it was decided that he should have his blood and urine checked. The results confirmed that his kidneys definitely aren't functioning terribly well. He is struggling more with his legs, too, seemingly able to trip over thin air.
And yet, despite how awful that all sounds, he is a happy boy. He sleeps even more than ever (greyhounds are great sleepers!) but still likes his twice-daily gentle strolls. He ambles along much more slowly these days and we don't take him far, but it's plain that he still loves checking out every blade of grass and stone along the way. I know the day is coming ever-closer when we will have to make the heart-rending decision to let him go. In the meantime we are making the most of however long is left of his twilight years and just enjoying his company.
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