PET'S CORNER

[Stanley]

I was struck this morning by how good it is to have a dog that can be trusted. I let Jack off the lead as much as possible but not when I am in the town centre. However, when we get in the car park I always take his lead and collar off, it's safe from there on to home. This morning he saw one of our favourite Co-op ladies and went straight to her. At the same time the cat that lives in Cooperative Street but patrols the car park went across to her as well. Jack and the cat had a sniff at each other and got their stroking from the lady. He is cat-proof, he is interested in them but doesn't chase. Nice......

[Wendyf]

Our cats and dogs live happily alongside each other, but there is no doubt that the cats rule!
I've had a worrying few days with Feebie the fluffy cat and with Dennis. Feebie started sneezing just over a week ago, it seems she had something irritating one nostril. As she was otherwise well and going about her business happily we hoped it would sort itself out but it gradually got worse. I took her to the vet on Tuesday who couldn't see a cause but gave her a jab of slow release antibiotic in case there was an infection. If that doesn't work she needs to go back to have it flushed out and investigated under sedation. She is still snuffling but producing less mucous, so fingers crossed. It was Feebie who got shot a few years back and she has bits of lead shot embedded all over, it could be one of those causing a problem.
Dennis came in lame on Saturday, with a hot and swoĺlen joint on a hind leg. He said it was too sore for me to touch and threatened to kick every time I tried, so I gave him some pain killers and left him overnight . I suspected an abscess but it was obvious the next morning that he could put weight on it. I hosed the mud off and managed to establish that there was a hard lump on the inside of his pastern just above the hoof, he had probably kicked himself. He went out as usual and over the Sunday and Monday the swelling and heat reduced and i started to feel a bit more relaxed about it but Tuesday it had swollen up again so I called the vet who came out yesterday morning. Antibiotics again, and a confirmation of my diagnosis but with the addition of a possible cut which had got infected.
Another small fortune heading into the vet's coffers but it's well worth it for peace of mind!

[Stanley]

Poor Dennis.... I so admire the way you look after those lads! All I can tell you is that it's treasures in heaven. You ought to get an award! I hope he gets over it......

[Wendyf]

Any responsible horse owner would do the same or much more Stanley, they rely on us completely!

[Stanley]

How is he?

[Wendyf]

Still slightly swollen and uncomfortable, especially after standing in his stable overnight. I would leave them out if the field was drier, but it's very wet and muddy and they sink nearly up to their knees in places! I have a better drained area of field where they spend the winter, but its usually towards the end of November when i move them on to that patch. Its been a very wet year.

[Stanley]

Tell him I'm with him in spirit! Mrs Hanson once cured a carbuncle of mine with a Diatherm Poultice. It was an irritant that promoted blood circulation and was usually used on horses legs......

[Stanley]

Jack's tail has healed completely but it looks as though he will have a small stub of naked tail with no hair for the rest of his life! he is no longer physically perfect.....

[Cathy]

Our cat wasn't born physically perfect, she has distinct kink in her tail which happened in the womb and she also likes to lick most of the hair of off her tummy but we think she is close to perfect anyway.

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[Wendyf]

That's a "try and move me off this nice clean white bed at your peril" sort of expression isn't It!
Dennis has cellulitis, with lots of nasty weepy sores emerging around his pastern...thats the sloping bit between the hoof and the first (fetlock) joint. More antibiotics from the vet this morning and some cream to apply if he will let me anywhere near!

[Stanley]

Not good news Wendy, tell him that he is in my thoughts!
You're right about that cat..... Looks like Jack when he joins me in bed. He growls when I move him to a position that doesn't inconvenience me!

[Stanley]

I had news yesterday from Ian Capstick that my yard cat and the undisputed master of the back street for 13 years, Oscar the tomcat, has gone to the great cattery in the sky. He was failing and when Ian took him to the vet it turned out his kidneys had packed up and all that could be done was put him down. Not the most friendly cat in the world and all the dogs were terrified of him. But, definitely a character and I am sorry he is gone.

[Cathy]

Oh dear, but good to know that it was noticed that he had a problem and he was helped.

[Tizer]

My cousin's Labrador dog is called Merlin and when he's out on a walk he likes to play with other dogs. He's taken a particular liking to one - a dog called Arthur. I wonder if they'll ever find one called Lancelot?

[Stanley]

Cathy, Ian looked after him. He had a good life and a peaceful end. Not a bad score.
Tiz, dogs can form real friendships, Jack has always had the ability to form close friendships with some dogs who won't have anything to do with any others. Particularly if they are old or lame. I've always said that dogs are a reflection of their companion animals.....

[Tizer]

Merlin the labrador never chases other dogs, he always prefers to be chased and teases them until they come after him. It's amusing to see little dogs haring after him but he has a long stride and gives them a run for their money. Another of his friends is a dog who has some sort of anxiety complex and won't go anywhere with out carrying his soft ball in his mouth. He reminds me of the kid in the Snoopy cartoons who always has the end of a blanket in his mouth.

[Stanley]

Jack knows his limitations.... He gets quite grumpy with one of his mates, a young Bedlington Whippet that is like lightning! He has exactly the same reaction to that as he has to me when I tell him to do something that isn't on his agenda or say no. He growls to himself like a grumpy old man. Still they say they get like their companion animals......

[Stanley]

I had sad news this morning. Cass the big Ridgeback/Mastiff, a big friend of Jacks, died on the 8th of December. A tumour on the spleen. I've seen Betty this morning and she told me. I commiserated with her, it's a bereavement and the price you have to pay for unconditional love. I know these things are inevitable but it's still sad.....

[Julie in Norfolk]

Honey, Sam-u-el the Span-u-el's best mate, is recovering from a mastectomy on 11th January. She had a mass on her mammary chain which needed to be investigated. Fortunately it was benign, however she has been through the wars since including the first wound opening up and a night trip to the emergency vet and further surgery this Thursday just gone to restitch and put a drain in.

As we stand now, she is wearing a baby's sock to stop the back leg scratching the wound, she is wearing a dog romper suit to minimise her licking the stick-on dressing. We are sharing a camp bed downstairs to try to ensure she behaves. She is distinctly less frazzled than I.

[Stanley]

That's above and beyond Julie. Good on you. Amazing how quickly they can open a wound up if it's itching...... I hope she heals quickly!

[Wendyf]

I hope she makes a quick recovery Julie.

[Tizer]

Here's a pic to brighten Honey's day. It comes from the front page of today's Telegraph as seen on the BBC web site...

[Stanley]

You couldn't do that pic with Jack. He'd be on the bar top with his head in the glass!

[Julie in Norfolk]

Vet's appointment today at 09.00, more struggles with dressings yesterday so I took matters into my own hands. A quick look at the pharmacy yesterday, assuring the pharmacists that it was for me (my peace of mind anyway) and large, self adhesive melanin dressings and crepe bandage later, she spent the night trussed like a Christmas turkey. Two straps over her shoulders stopped physics interfering (bandage riding down to the narrowest point) and we are fit today. Fingers crossed, I think the drain should come out Tuesday or Wednesday.

[Stanley]

Well done Julie, nowt like using your head. The pharmacists today are nosey buggers aren't they. They want you to regard being served by them as being a privilege! I get the questions whenever I go in for Abidex, the liquid vitamins for babies. I give Jack an occasional dose. I get the impression they think I am committing sacrilege! Funny thing is that when they were selling really dangerous things like Chlorodyne and Kaolin and Morphine there was no comment at all! See THIS for a Wiki article on J Coliss Browne.
[You could also look back in Stanley's View for my 'Drugged to Death' articles......]