Mirfy vigil

Mirfy is having more trouble with his hips and back legs. Sometimes he stands, and his hindquarters start sinking. So he takes a few steps, then stops, then they start sinking again. I watched him do that, over and over, for what seemed like most of Friday (which I had off last week). Finally, after standing still to eat a few bites, his hindquarters sank to the floor, and the rest of him followed. I gave him some food on the floor, but he must have been exhausted and he fell asleep.

His main problem, though, is getting back up. I've been letting the dogs stay inside overnight for a long time now, and since the hot weather started I've been more inclined to let them stay inside while we're at work, too, but it's necessary that they go outside for a bathroom break right before bedtime, and right before I leave for work. It's been getting harder and harder to get Mirfy up for his bathroom breaks. We've resorted to incentives of increasing persuadability, up to deli meat, and last night the deli meat didn't work. My husband was so worried that he stayed in the living room all night, to be there if Mirfy got up to go outside. But he never did. He didn't get up until I rose in the morning, around 6:15.

Tonight, my husband went to bed early, and I'm on Mirfy vigil. He got up around 10:15 to go outside, which is good, but he cried a little as he was doing it. This is new. It's obviously been difficult for him for a while, but the little whine noises started, I think, yesterday. Plus, when he was outside, he kind of collapsed, and it took him a while to get back to his feet. Most alarming, after he got up one of his back legs looked really out of whack -- instead of bringing it forward with each step, he kicked it backwards. Kind of like it had a hitch in it he was trying to get out.

That was 40 minutes ago, and his leg seems to be better now. I've been hand-feeding him, and talking to him, and just keeping an eye on him since them. I guess we'll try another bathroom break, then I'll go to bed.