It was then we saw his head was lopsided - and I immediately thought "stroke!". One phone call to the vet later and we were on the way down with him in the car, having had to carry him out and lift him in.
They diagnosed the vestibular disease - he was sick at the vets (we found later he'd also been sick in the car) and you could see his eyes flicking back and forward really fast - that meant the world was spinning for him, no wonder he was sick!
So we took him home and fro the next week he was on anti-nausea tablet and antibiotics (in case it was an infection which had brought it on) and we had to almost carry him everywhere, since he couldn't walk. Unfortunately the antibiotics meant he needed outside three or four times a night - which meant we both had to get up. I did it myself a couple of times, it was easier once we got a harness for him with a handle at the back and another harness-thing to put under him to help lift his back half, but ended up with a sore wrist and back so didn't do it too often without Richard!
According to the all-important internet (!), within 2-3 days the majority of dogs showed significant improvement, and more or less recovered by themselves by two weeks. But Murphy wasn't showing any improvement (and was worse than most dogs, who could at least walk, albeit drunkenly). We were getting desperate, and Richard was on the point of organising flights for the kids to come up to say goodbye.
It started on the Wednesday night. By the Sunday I was exhausted from broken sleep, and losing hope. I'd cancelled a family weekend in Glasgow and we'd withdrawn from a lunch with friends. I went to church as usual and afterwards went to light a candle in front of one of the statues in the corner. I just had a meltdown, really - lit my candle, knelt down on the kneeler and putting my hands over my face, howled silently. It was Mother's Day and another woman had brought a toddler to light a candle, so I composed myself, sat back to give the kneeler to them and looked out the window, to get a bit more time before I had to leave the church past everyone.
That woman showed such compassion - she obviously thought my upset was due to the day, for she turned and gave me a hug and said "It can be so difficult at this time", or words to that effect. It was so lovely of her.
When I got back from church I took Murphy outside (Richard has built him a wee ramp down the couple of steps at the back door) and noticed that he seemed to be a bit more able to take his own weight. Richard said I was seeing what I wanted to see (always the optimist) but as the next few days went by it became obvious that he had indeed turned a corner.
So although it was longer than the predicted two weeks, he has slowly recovered. His head remains tilted (more so when he is tired) and this affects his spacial awareness and ability to place noises, but he can walk himself and remains as dedicated to food, walks and sociability as always! He is unsteady on his feet - again worse when he is tired or sleepy but quite capable of taking the lead off me and galloping home for food!
We definitely have to keep an eye on him - we went the Ness Islands walk last week and he fell down the bank and nearly into the river (not fast flowing there) - he hasn't got the strength to correct himself if he is on sloping ground, especially on his left side so we have to bear that in mind. There's been a couple of occasions in the garden when I've turned round to catch sight of him tipping over sideways into the flower border! (I think because it's got a slightly raised edge and he can't get his paws up enough to step over it to stop himself), he has fallen down the side of the steps a few times and once tumbled down a too-steep grassy bank, but he always picks himself up and struggles back up manfully.
So our darling is changed, older and less physically capable, but remains, as always, our Murphy. And I am even more determined to enjoy what time we have left with him.
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