Update from Beagle-Land

So much has happened since we last posted!

MurphE has adjusted into the perfect house pet.  He continues to be a lover and a snuggler and rough house with his brother, Stu E.  In August we were able to visit our cabin near Manistique for the weekend and the dogs, Kirby and I were able to enjoy weekend outside and this was kind of a turning point for Murph and his dislike of walking on a leash.  We walked about 3 miles per day and we haven't had a problem with him wanting to go for a walk since.

The rest of September and October were pretty uneventful.  The dogs had Cousin Kate with them everyday after she was done with work and we were all together in the evenings.  Murph is a professional napper.  He is really, really good at it.

Stu and Murph wished Kirby and I a Happy Anniversary in October...I think Cousin Kate may have helped them a bit...and woke Murph up for the photo :)

Grand Hotel closed at the end of October, so both dogs have enjoyed coming to work with me.  I've transformed my office with the addition of 2 dog beds, multiple toys and the chair that StuE has enjoyed the past 2 winters.  In a typical winter I travel a lot, and this fall/winter has been no exception.  This leaves Kirby with doggy duty a lot, but the 3 boys work it out just fine.  Stu has also enjoyed hanging out with the HR Manager, Patrick.  Patrick's office has more windows, so he gets to see more people down there.

In mid November, Kirby and I took a vacation to Walt Disney World and the boys got to stay home with Cousin Kate.  The were missing her since she left at the end of the season and the reunion was certainly something to see.  They LOVE their Kate.  We were home for one night and left again, with the boys, for Thanksgiving with Kirby's family.  This was Murph's first visit to Elm Hall, MI and we recently learned that Murph gets car sick.  I am hesitant to give him any drugs, if we can avoid it, so we have been trying some things out and it seems that if we don't let him eat the morning of the car ride and I pet him and talk to him while Kirby drives, he will curl up and go to sleep.  I have gotten VERY good at reading him and knowing when he might get sick and we do our best to avoid it.  I do have a little bag I refer to as MurphE's Diaper Bag that we travel with, that contains towels and extra blankets and such, just in case.

On the ferry ride back home on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I was petting Murph and I found a lump on the back of his neck.  I immediately grabbed Kirby's hand so he could feel it too.  We agreed a trip to the Vet was in order.  I made an appointment at the Maple River Animal Clinic in Alanson, as I have heard many good reports about the clinic and their staff.  They were compassionate and willing to get him in ASAP, however I was traveling again and couldn't get him in until Friday.

Murph and I arrived for our 10:30am appointment and we met with a vet tech who took his history, or as much as we can give them about his history as a laboratory test beagle, and then we met Dr. Neuman.  She was so wonderful!  She checked him over and noted this was the only lump she could find, but she was concerned about it because it was more solid than she would like to feel, and that it likely wasn't the fatty tumor we were all thinking it might be.  She did blood work to test Murph's kidneys and liver and pronounced that he was a good candidate for surgery to get that tumor out and she wanted to do it on Monday.

Murph and I spent the weekend with my family in Traverse City.  His Grandma and Grandpa were so nice to him and I think we all spoiled him a little extra.  This is his first Christmas as a freagle, (Freagle is the name sometimes given to these test beagle...free beagle...freagle), so he went to the tree lighting in downtown Traverse City and saw Santa arrive.  This was by far the largest crowd Murph has ever seen and he was definitely overwhelmed, but I assure you he enjoyed the extra attention from the many, many children that passed by and wanted to pet him, my parents dog Macy, and my brothers puppy Spartacus.  I didn't account for the fact that in addition to the large crowd of people, there were also cars.  It didn't register to me that Murph has never walked down a street with cars zooming by before and this did scare him.  So much so, that he slipped his collar and ran.  It was a terrifying couple of moments for me, but thankfully the family walking down the sidewalk behind us grabbed him, so he didn't get far.  Once we got downtown, the road was closed and he was much better with just people and we walked back to my brothers house on the back street, which has much less traffic.

Monday morning, we left Traverse City at about 6am and headed for the Vet and Murph was dropped off by 8:15am for his surgery.  They called me at 12:10pm to say that he was awake, did well in surgery and I could pick him up at 2pm, which was perfect because it was snowing here and there was no way the plane was going to fly, so I was completely dependent on the ferry boat to get home.  Fetching Murph at 2 would allow us to easily make the 4pm ferry home.

Here is where I have to give full credit to our amazing dog MurphE.  He has an incision down the back of his neck that made me nauseous to look at, and 8 stitches.  He endured a 30 mile car trip, 45 minute boat ride, and the snowmobile ride home and all he cared about was getting inside the house and getting some food.  The vet suggested he only be allowed a little water and a little food to make sure he wasn't going to be sick after the anesthesia and surgery.  How do you tell a Beagle he can only have a little food?  It's impossible.  He ate a little food and I took his bowl away and the pathetic look that followed was incredible.  I did my very best to ignore him and after a little while, Kirby and I both threw in the towel and let him eat.  He did just fine.  The night was uneventful too.  He slept well and was back to work at the hotel with me on Tuesday.

I was definitely not ready to see this....We are calling him FrankenMurph as this looks Frankenstein-ish to me.

Our little trooper having a snooze while we waited for the boat.

Now we wait.  The tumor was sent away and we are awaiting the pathology report.  Murph is recovering so well and really wants to play and run with his brother.  We are supposed to keep him calm for 10-14 days and I really think we are going to have to let him and Stu play sooner than that.  Stu wants to lick Murph's stitches for him, so it is good they are in my office all day so that I can keep an eye on them.

This waiting period has given me a lot of time to think about so many things....mostly bad things that involve the word cancer and I end up in tears.  I have to remind myself that we don't know ANYTHING right now and I am getting ahead of myself.  The important thing is that I love this little boy and I am so thankful that he ended up in our house.  Our job for the time we are lucky enough to have him is to make his life happy and comfortable and that is exactly what we are going to do...and hopefully for a very long time.