Flying solo

Sun_Addict

Pleased to hear about CD Robin, not so about DS2 but hopefully he's now on the mend. I think you must keep the tradesmen in your village in business. Take care xx

*Robin*

Hello Diary and MSE Friends, :hello:

News first: Dear Vet 'phoned; she asked me to go to the clinic straight away so that she could issue new prescriptions which CD had to start taking immediately.
CD's blood results are very odd; some previously worrying figures have improved, while others which had been "within normal range" are now so far off the scale that DV is worried CD might have a heart attack at any moment! :eek:

Part of this new problem may have been exacerbated by CD's lack of appetite, and my response - giving her things she would eat, regardless of whether or not they are normally part of a domestic dog's diet.
So. Together we worked out a new regime; half the 'raw chicken' diet which CD is used to, the rest frozen packets of therapeutic gloop supplied by DV. If CD chooses not to eat, I must let her get hungry - not try and tempt her with salmon steaks or ham!

Oh, and no more running on the beach for the time being (haven't told CD about that yet ).
Reckon her luck is holding though - because running on the beach is exactly what we did immediately after DV took CD's bloods on Tuesday!
It was a glorious sunset; cooling breeze blowing in from the sea, hundreds of people enjoying the beach. CD had a wonderful time playing with other dogs, we both went paddling in the surf and walked further than we've managed for quite a while..
Keeping m' fingers crossed, but surely if CD was going to have a heart attack, it would have happened while she was chasing her doggy mates or dodging waves with me?

As night fell we shared fish n' chips for dinner at a beach restaurant, listening to the call of gulls and excited chatter from the children of several extended families who'd pitched tents on the sand (CD didn't have chips ).
It was a lovely excursion, memories all the more precious now that I know how easily our evening could have ended in disaster.

So to Sun.A, Granny, Missir, HAW, DFw, Lucky and Chev - thank you all for your positive thoughts. Do believe your good wishes have flown across the ether, helping to protect my dear companion - or perhaps, increasing her luck? :T

Other news: Plumber helped remove Irrigation Bloke's failed valve-thingy and re-routed the pipework to accept a different timer. Huge success - it all works properly now!
Called in at Irrigation HQ on the way home from DV's clinic. Gave back the expensive bit of rubbish in return for 140€ off the bill, which was paid with smiles of relief and hugs all round.

Money stuff: Vet / meds / special food - £40. Restaurant - £5. (forgot this last time). Irrigation Bloke - £240. Ironmonger - £4.

missrlr wrote:

Thanks all, ankle sore but in a neoprene thingy so cooler than a plaster cast but still hot!

Oh good Missrlr, very glad to hear you weren't slapped in plaster - at least you can remove the neoprene cast to wash, and they're not nearly as itchy - a lot more comfortable.

debtfreewannabe321 wrote:

My pesky doggy has decided he doesn't want to eat ANYTHING unless I am feeding it to him out of my hand and of course now i've started that I can't stop! I was too worried about him getting ill again to fight him though. Duke sounds like CD in the fact that he won't take his tablets (when he needs them) from anything but expensive hams! I tried cheese, cake (doggy cake that i especially made for hiding tablets and he just ate the cake and dropped the tablet!) but he was far too clever for that. We ended up force feeding it down his throat a few times and I cried every time afterwards (what a wuss I am)

Aww! Are you still hand-feeding Duke, DFw?
..There is an easy trick for getting pills into dogs - if you're interested, will pm you with details - to avoid boring everyone else, lol.

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote:

Sorry to hear about Divo Two's predicament

Hmm, it's an old problem which has left DS2 with a health weakness. If he indulges in what for him is 'risky' behaviour, sometimes he ends up in hospital. Thought he'd learned / understood the implications after two previous episodes, but I guess every few years he decides it's worth the risk? <sigh>
He'll be fine in a couple of weeks' time - it's when he doesn't seek treatment that he could really get into trouble!

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote:

glad CD is doing ok (amphibians and reptiles aside!).

Amphibians and reptiles, how apt! :rotfl:
Abundant wild-life is one of the attractions of living here, but would rather the more dangerous examples kept their distance, lol.
Much more welcome are the Nest's resident chameleons, although I don't catch sight of 'em very often.

Sun_Addict wrote:

I think you must keep the tradesmen in your village in business.

Haha; hardly! Up here in the back-wood hills, life doesn't have much in common with tourist resorts. The locals expect to find what they need close at hand, so entrepreneurial folk service that requirement.
There are some strange specialities: one house up a side street at the top of a steep alley, sells only bottled gas (and loans a cart to help purchasers get full bottles home / to their car). At another, the front room is piled high with ten-litre bottles of olive oil (grown and pressed within five kliks of the village). Then there's the old lady who sells nothing but wool and knitting needles, the school shop (note-books, pencils, paints, etc - parents have to supply all that here, including text books). Plus the chicken-food shop, the man who makes windows but not doors.. Could go on, lol.
There are more recognisable establishments too; the ironmongers' was heaving [:rotfl:] when I got there - at least six customers spilling onto the pavement (Canny Owner has a solid counter just inside the door, defending her cavernous stock-room; no self service unless invited in by the boss. Very Spanish - protect what you don't want to lose ).

maddiemay

When I noticed your last post, a few minutes ago, Miss MM and I (her slave) immediately crossed all fingers and paws, hoping that it would be good news!

I suppose it is a case of so far so good and we will continue to keep everything crossed whilst you and DV do what can be done.

Little licks, tail wags and virtual hugs from the middle of England:)

Oh, great news about the irrigation system.

*Robin*

Hello Diary and MSE Friends, :hello:

Thank you for popping in, Miss Maddiemay and Devoted Companion.

maddiemay wrote: »

When I noticed your last post, a few minutes ago, Miss MM and I (her slave) immediately crossed all fingers and paws, hoping that it would be good news!

I suppose it is a case of so far so good and we will continue to keep everything crossed whilst you and DV do what can be done.

Yes indeed, so far so good. Clever Dog seems to be hoarding her energy for our evening walks - look at her then and you'd think she is a happy, healthy young adult dog; trotting ahead ears pricked and tail waving, stopping to investigate scents then leave her own. She even still pulls me up hills cheerfully!
But when she's had enough CD turns and heads for home, pausing after a few metres to check whether I'm following.
Between walks, CD spends most of her time snoozing - she'll get up and follow me outside or from room to room, then settles down again within reach of a cuddle; just wants to be close to me.

I feel more hopeful than last week, although would like to get to a 'pro-active' point where the disease is controlled, rather than treatment being a reaction to symptoms which is what is happening now.
Working on that.

Meanwhile, am carrying on making preparations to come homehome, along with several other destinations. Thanks very much to Beanie and Rising, veterinary cover in Scotland should be fine. :T

maddiemay wrote: »

Oh, great news about the irrigation system.

Thank you, yes! Am so pleased with it, I sometimes rush out to watch when the pump comes on - it's incredibly satisfying to see myriad drips raining down into every flower-pot! [:rotfl: - little things!]

Forgot to mention I actually made some money last week. An entrepreneurial acquaintance wanted to increase his work-force by one, but it's a very small company - doesn't even have a full-time secretary. So when 186 CVs arrived in response to Boss' advert, he asked me to reduce the pile to a reasonable short-list (he knew I'd done this in the past).

Around 140 were from recent graduates. Two thirds went straight in the bin due to poor language skills - some of the spelling mistakes were atrocious! Why don't people check?
Then there were a dozen who ignored the "science subject essential" requirement. How a media studies graduate would expect to cope in a laboratory setting is inexplicable!
Do folk apply for any job simply to fulfill JSA requirements?

Anyway, it wasn't hard to slim down the pile of CVs.
Boss was happy - result £300 into budget.

Knit_Witch

Yay to the £300, and yes the DWP expects you to apply for everything and anything!!

debtfreewannabe321

Great news about the £300 income :T

Fingers and toes are still crossed for CD. At least CD knows when enough is enough on the walks I've heard a few stories lately about dogs going and going until they literally collapse from heat stroke/dehydration. Dukie also knows when enough is enough, he doesn't turn round though and go back he just lays on the floor and refuses to move.....I had to carry him home the last time I must have looked like a complete fool :rotfl:

And an easy way to give clever dogs tablets you say? Yes please to that info!!!

missrlr

Oh *robin* pleased that CD symptoms are being managed (albeit not quite proactively) and hope you can with DV manage to get to that point. Good she is still enjoying life and walks.

Bonus with the £300 there and helping a friend too!

Leg now in boot, and did too much in work yesterday so retesting up today.

Fingers crossed, and a tail wag from Doglet (cooler today but still a bit much for a small dog!)

chevalier

Well that 300 will offset the vet bills nicely so yeah for that. Well ok at least help a bit lol.

Wiffles from the bunny to CD
chev

Brightspark87

Hello Robin and CD, sorry I havent been around as much recently I loved catching up on your tales - £300 makes a big difference!

I was so sorry to hear about CD thinking of you and hope that you have lots of nice ham to keep you happy xx

*Robin*

Hello Diary and MSE Friends, :hello:

Thanks for dropping by, Knit Witch, DFw, Missrlr, Chev and Sparky. :T

Knit_Witch wrote: »

Yay to the £300, and yes the DWP expects you to apply for everything and anything!!

But doesn't anyone check that folk apply for jobs they are qualified to do? If not the system is ridiculous (:think: wonder if my friend's advert was one of the top twenty listings in the paper, so idiots just fired off their CV at each job offer until they'd done enough to 'earn' their JSA?)!

debtfreewannabe321 wrote:

At least CD knows when enough is enough on the walks I've heard a few stories lately about dogs going and going until they literally collapse from heat stroke/dehydration. Dukie also knows when enough is enough, he doesn't turn round though and go back he just lays on the floor and refuses to move.....I had to carry him home the last time I must have looked like a complete fool

Carry him? Oh no! :rotfl:
Lucky for me, CD grew out of being carried a looong time ago - if she did the same thing, I'd be on the 'phone to Dear Vet immediately (and whoever else I could think of, who happened to be close enough and strong enough to come and carry her!).
..How very sad that some dogs don't have enough instinct left to seek water or stop in the shade before they collapse - wonder if any particular breeds are prone to this?

Re pills: Cat-dosing technique may be more appropriate / easier for Duke - he fits comfortably on your lap, yes?
Will pm you, but don't hold your breath (won't be today, sorry, Lawyer claims precedence; wants more papers before she goes on holiday).

missrlr wrote:

pleased that CD symptoms are being managed ..... Good she is still enjoying life and walks.

Fingers crossed, and a tail wag from Doglet (cooler today but still a bit much for a small dog!)

Day by day, CD is perking up; she's started 'talking' again which is a very good sign - asking for more food, reminding me when it's 'walk time' etc.
My bold - that's a bit of a worry. The difference in humidity makes 25'C in the UK much less comfortable than 35'C here - am worried we'll finally get permission to leave, but I'll end up making CD suffer - so much time driving in the van, then being reliant on our host during stops / visits..
:think: Wish I had a crystal ball. <sigh>

missrlr wrote:

Leg now in boot, and did too much in work yesterday so resting up today.

Please take it easy - know it's hard, but.. Being careful for a few weeks is well worth it, to avoid having a painful or 'dodgy' ankle for the rest of your days! Are you still getting lots of help at home (hope so!)?

chevalier wrote:

Well that 300 will offset the vet bills nicely so yeah for that. Well ok at least help a bit lol.

Indeed. Makes a nice change to add to income anyway.

Brightspark87 wrote:

I was so sorry to hear about CD thinking of you and hope that you have lots of nice ham to keep you happy

Alas, CD isn't allowed ham any more - but she is enjoying DV's special-diet gloop, which looks just like a normal meatloaf mix. The clinic has it made locally to their recipe (so no preservatives, fillers, or corporate profits ).
Tbh, were someone to put a loaded gun to my head and say:
"If you don't want to get shot, fry up and eat a burger of that gloop or consume a macnasty - NOW!"
..Well, the frying pan would already be sizzling! :rotfl:

Gentle wags, a lick and a woof from CD to all her four-legged friends-in-the-box.