Iggy - Summer 2012 - LOWDOWN

LOWDOWN Summer 2012

Iggy - the passing of a much loved hound

by Geoff Alderton & Tony Roberts

Regular readers of Lowdown will remember reading about Branch member Geoff Alderton as being the owner of Mr Jeffries - at one time the dog with the longest ears in the world - according to the Guinness Book of Records.

Geoff also wrote a very moving piece about the passing of his other hound, Lil.

Though living in Essex, Geoff takes a very keen interest in the Branch, always kindly phoning me to offer over-generous, but much appreciated, praise after each new publication of Lowdown that he receives.

Over recent weeks, Geoff and I have had several telephone conversations about Iggy - his much loved thirteen and a half year bitch.

Poor Iggy had suffered for a number of years from epilepsy and had been on an intensive, and very expensive, drug regime.

Of late, the aging girl who had acquired numerous lumps and bumps had also developed some odd behaviour connected with eating. She refused all food that Geoff put down for her, but would whimper and whine for hours on end because she was so hungry. Iggy would sometimes allow herself to be hand fed, but this was not a sustainable long-term regime. Her weekly visits to see her vet provided no answers; so rightly because of her age a decision was reached not do have any invasive investigations done.

Geoff is a more patient owner than many - he has had years of coping with her various illnesses - however, even he was at the end of his tether trying to cope with Iggy’s incessant whining and unrequited hunger.

There was a short reprise when she began to eat normally, but, after raising Geoff’s hopes, she very sadly relapsed again after a few days. It seemed that there were things going on within this old lady that would never be discovered.

Geoff had few options left. He bravely made the decision to release Iggy from her distress and she was put to sleep.

I know that it broke Geoff’s heart to make that last journey to the vet - dear Iggy wagged her tail thinking she was going for a walk. Sweet thing.

Geoff writes:

First of all, through this magazine, I would like to express my most sincere and utmost thanks to Tony for all his help, guidance, and compassion over the traumatic weeks that culminated in Iggy passing away.

Some of you may have seen this following verse before; it was originally written for a cat, but I found it so touching I have altered the words to suit. I hope you forgive me. This is dedicated to Iggy, now reunited with Lil:

Your favourite chair is vacant now, no eager barks to greet me.
No softly padded paws will run, ecstatically to meet me.
No plaintive whine or wagging tail will say it’s time for feeding.
I’ve put away your bowl and all the things you won’t be needing.

But I’ll miss you little friend, and I will always treasure
the happiness you brought to me, the comfort and the pleasure.
But, since God put you here to share in earthly joy and sorrow,
I’m sure there’ll be a place for you in heaven’s bright tomorrow.

Farewell, little lady; sleep well and thank you for seven and a half wonderful years. It’s been some journey. You’ll be desperately missed - but never forgotten. All my love.

Many thanks, Geoff, for sharing this with us. I know that many of us who have had to make the decision to end a beloved pet’s life will sympathise with your pain and loss.

Soon after the passing of Iggy, Geoff was asked to look after another Basset Hound, a young lady called Daisy. As you can see from her photograph (below), Daisy is really pretty, but terribly underweight. This poor girl had been abandoned on the streets by her former owners and left to fend for herself for goodness knows how long. She had been picked up by a dog warden and eventually passed on to Geoff for temporary accommodation.

Geoff told me that she has the most lovely, sweet nature; but she was quite manic. Her long legs meant that she could easily access the worktops in his kitchen and found the baby-gate, which Geoff hoped would confine her in his open-plan home, no obstacle to her wandering and scavenging.

Geoff would have loved to have kept Daisy, but he was recovering from an operation and knew that his home was not suitable for this particular hound, so rightly felt that this was not possible. Luckily, through Basset Hound Welfare a family who had two other dogs came to view Daisy. It was love at first sight for both parties.

I know we all wish Daisy very best wishes in her new life.

BY GEOFF ALDERTON & TONY ROBERTS

Regular readers of Lowdown will remember reading about Branch member Geoff Alderton as being the owner of Mr Jeffries - at one time the dog with the longest ears in the world - according to the Guinness Book of Records.

Geoff also wrote a very moving piece about the passing of his other hound, Lil.

Though living in Essex, Geoff takes a very keen interest in the Branch, always kindly phoning me to offer over-generous, but much appreciated, praise after each new publication of Lowdown that he receives.

Over recent weeks, Geoff and I have had several telephone conversations about Iggy - his much loved thirteen and a half year bitch.

Poor Iggy had suffered for a number of years from epilepsy and had been on an intensive, and very expensive, drug regime.

Of late, the aging girl who had acquired numerous lumps and bumps had also developed some odd behaviour connected with eating. She refused all food that Geoff put down for her, but would whimper and whine for hours on end because she was so hungry. Iggy would sometimes allow herself to be hand fed, but this was not a sustainable long-term regime. Her weekly visits to see her vet provided no answers; so rightly because of her age a decision was reached not do have any invasive investigations done.

Geoff is a more patient owner than many - he has had years of coping with her various illnesses - however, even he was at the end of his tether trying to cope with Iggy’s incessant whining and unrequited hunger.

There was a short reprise when she began to eat normally, but, after raising Geoff’s hopes, she very sadly relapsed again after a few days. It seemed that there were things going on within this old lady that would never be discovered.

Geoff had few options left. He bravely made the decision to release Iggy from her distress and she was put to sleep.

I know that it broke Geoff’s heart to make that last journey to the vet - dear Iggy wagged her tail thinking she was going for a walk. Sweet thing.

Geoff writes:

First of all, through this magazine, I would like to express my most sincere and utmost thanks to Tony for all his help, guidance, and compassion over the traumatic weeks that culminated in Iggy passing away.

Some of you may have seen this following verse before; it was originally written for a cat, but I found it so touching I have altered the words to suit. I hope you forgive me. This is dedicated to Iggy, now reunited with Lil:

Your favourite chair is vacant now, no eager barks to greet me.
No softly padded paws will run, ecstatically to meet me.
No plaintive whine or wagging tail will say it’s time for feeding.
I’ve put away your bowl and all the things you won’t be needing.

But I’ll miss you little friend, and I will always treasure
the happiness you brought to me, the comfort and the pleasure.
But, since God put you here to share in earthly joy and sorrow,
I’m sure there’ll be a place for you in heaven’s bright tomorrow.

Farewell, little lady; sleep well and thank you for seven and a half wonderful years. It’s been some journey. You’ll be desperately missed - but never forgotten. All my love.

Many thanks, Geoff, for sharing this with us. I know that many of us who have had to make the decision to end a beloved pet’s life will sympathise with your pain and loss.

Soon after the passing of Iggy, Geoff was asked to look after another Basset Hound, a young lady called Daisy. As you can see from her photograph (below), Daisy is really pretty, but terribly underweight. This poor girl had been abandoned on the streets by her former owners and left to fend for herself for goodness knows how long. She had been picked up by a dog warden and eventually passed on to Geoff for temporary accommodation.

Geoff told me that she has the most lovely, sweet nature; but she was quite manic. Her long legs meant that she could easily access the worktops in his kitchen and found the baby-gate, which Geoff hoped would confine her in his open-plan home, no obstacle to her wandering and scavenging.

Geoff would have loved to have kept Daisy, but he was recovering from an operation and knew that his home was not suitable for this particular hound, so rightly felt that this was not possible. Luckily, through Basset Hound Welfare a family who had two other dogs came to view Daisy. It was love at first sight for both parties.

I know we all wish Daisy very best wishes in her new life.

BY GEOFF ALDERTON & TONY ROBERTS

Cover of the Basset Hound Owners Club newsletter Lowdown

first published in LOWDOWN

editor Tony Roberts