The Last Entry

This probably won't really be the last page as I will use this blog to rant about DM and breeders who don't test for it. But it is the last entry in Merlin's journey.

Just under a week ago he started refusing to eat. THe previous two posts cover that. Now he is still not eating, we switched to Baytril and still no appetite or improvement. He seems congested, isn't breathing well, and has little energy. Every so often he rallies enough to bark but he will only drink water and he looks miserable. His eyes are telling me it is time, and this afternoon at the South Whidbey Animal Clinic Dr. Patrin will humanely end his life.

Just over 13 years ago, Christmas vacation 1997, I brought Merlin home. In November of 97 my Labrador Brother had died and for my birthday my dear friends surprised me with the tri puppy from their litter.

But I actually met Merlin the day he was born. My daughter had been home from college for the weekend and I was loading up to drive her to the train when my neighbor's husband ran over. "Linda needs you, it looks like Lily is having the puppies." He drove Melia to the train and I got to Linda's just in time to see Lily pick up Merlin, still in the sac, and deposit him in the litter box. It was the 57th day and I was worried when I saw him that she had gotten bred by some stray dog. I had never seen a newborn tri and did not know they were all black and white!


As soon as finals were over Merlin came home to live with me and our last Lab Pippin and our older female corgi Dolly. He quickly became a little terror. He and Dolly frapped non-stop and when Dolly took a moment off to recover Merlin tortured Pippin trying to get her to play. He started to show his extreme stubbornness even then.

Merlin proved to be a heroic little fellow, at the age of just about six months he scared an intruder out of our house. I heard him snarling and growling at about 6 one morning and came to find him holding off an intruder who had started to come through the back door. The guy backed out and said he was looking for this guy's studio (at 6 AM?) and Merlin got lots of extra treats!

Over the years our dog family changed, Pippin and Dolly were followed by Luka, Wesley, Abby. Janine,. Jack, Teddy. and Candy. Now besides Merlin we have Candy at 10. Janine 8. and Jack 5. Merlin liked our cats but Hobie and Casey have both since gone, not to be replaced.

Merlin had a few injuries in his youth,. at two, one CCL ligament ruptured, the second one at five. He recovered from both surgeries but always had a bit of a funny gait after the second. Despite that, at 7 he started agility, competing in his first trial right after his eighth birthday. He was never fast because he insisted on running next to me and watching me the whole time, but he managed to reach Enthusiast Level 4 in CPE before his retirement.

At the age of almost ten Merlin started to have seizures. It took quite some time to get them under good control, and by then he had begun to walk even funnier. He retired from agility in April of 2008 and by September the DM was pretty obvious. The rest of his history can be found in this blog, thanks to the suggestion of Millie Williams that I keep one.




Merlin's journey is ending today, but the fight against DM has to go on. Puppy buyers, PLEASE insist on buying only carrier or clear puppies. Breeders, PLEASE be responsible, test your stock, and breed to lessen the incidence of this terrible disease. No person and no dog should have to go through this.

Rest in peace, Merlin.

Epilog: we left early and took a long drive since Merlin can usually sleep peacefully in the car, and he did. Stopped for a bit and he woke and his breathing was terrible. I know I made the right decision for him but my heart is breaking.