Lucy was a Collie x Spaniel and came to live with us in September 2002 at only seven months old. She had been in the local dog rescue home for just one night, her previous owners could not look after her. We can only assume she was just too much to handle as she was so lively and boistrous.
A few years ago, after running for her ball, Lucy came limping back to us in the park. We took her to the vet and he diagnosed a torn cruciate ligament. She went into hospital in Maidenhead for an operation and was cured but with the proviso, no more running after the ball.
Lucy has enjoyed many happy holidays with us in our caravan and other we have hired on the South coast. She loved too to walk in the woods and fields surrounding us as well as visiting the Chinnor Railway. She never liked the water much and would shy away from the sea when we visited the seaside. She loved meeting other dogs except little ones who she shooed away with a single woof.
This year she began showing her age, her walking slowed, her appetite changed and she began to pant all the time. Over the last two weeks, she had great difficulty squatting to do wees and then her legs would give way at times and she would lie there, legs akimb looking at us but never crying. More and more these occurred and he legs would just not do what she was used to them doing. She lost control of them. The Vet said she was in a lot of pain and the most likely cause was a damaged vertebrae and it would only get worse. We didn't feel it right to put her through lots of tests, anaestesia and scans. We too are not well and would find looking after her very difficult and so she would suffer.
Lucy went to sleep at 4pm on Wednesday 27th March 2018. She was very peaceful and is no longer in pain.
I'll add more photos as often as I can. Thank you for sharing our joy and our grief.
Chas and Pat.