Home …but very sleepy

Came home about an hour ago and it’s good to be back but I’m very sleepy after the anaesthetic, painkillers and antibiotics.  I did manage to wag my tail and make a happy moan when I first saw my mum but I’m right done in.  Couldn’t manage the exuberant greeting I’m famous for.

The vets are very pleased with me, especially since I am now beginning to bear weight on the leg which was injured.  I have a huge shaved area from my shoulder to halfway down my leg even though the dressing for the incision isn’t very big at all.  There’s a colourful bandage on the other leg to cover where the drip and drugs went in.  My mum was given one of those lampshade things in case I start licking or chewing – better behave myself, don’t want that round my neck.

I’ve to take it super-easy for the next few days until we have a post-op check in a week – no further than the back yard, no jumping, no stairs (as if I’m allowed upstairs to the cats’ territory).  Then I’ll have more x-rays in six weeks to make sure all is well with the pins in my elbow.  I bet I’ll be springing by then.

http://www.moorviewvets.co.uk/

I broke my elbow!

Well, I wasn’t any better this morning so my mum and I went to the veterinary surgery and the outcome is that I broke my elbow!  Apparently this injury is common in springer spaniels. I suppose that’s cos we….er, ‘spring’ a lot.  I was charging around when it happened.

X-ray of my broken elbow

I had special orthopaedic surgery this afternoon to pin the bones together and will be in the doggy hospital overnight.  If I’m not in too much pain I hope to get home tomorrow.  My mum says I have been very brave and will get lots of cuddles and treats.  I’m looking forward to this!

 

Mum says I’m accident prone and reminds me that it is almost exactly four years since I broke a toe on the other foot (picture, right).  Hmm, was laid up for ages after that, no romps, loads of rest and short rations in case I got fat with lack of exercise.

Not looking forward to that!

 

I was treated at http://www.moorviewvets.co.uk/

Patient update

Enjoying the last of my mum’s soup lunch.  See how I can’t put my leg on the floor?

I’m a lot perkier today though still not using my right leg properly.  My mum says if it’s not weight bearing by tomorrow we are off to the vet to see exactly what I’ve done.  She’s making a big fuss of me, giving me treats and loads of cuddles.

Two of my favourite people called this morning so that cheered me up no end.  I love visitors.  There were fresh cheese scones but not a crumb came my way.  Mind Marley Cat was busying about and he didn’t get any either.

We had a short three-legged walk down the street to do the necessaries because I wouldn’t perform in the back yard.  I thought it was FREEDOM…  I was raring to go but she grabbed my collar and made me slow down.  Still, I got to inspect the hedge and see who’d been around.  Then it was back in the house for more rest and minestrone soup for lunch.

Hope I’m much better by tomorrow cos I don’t like going to the vet’s surgery.

 

Time out for injury

Having a wonderful romp in the park, chasing the ball and catching it mid-air (my speciality – I have amazing eye to ball co-ordination) when, oops, I’m limping, front right leg off the ground, probably a pulled muscle, impossible to put down.

My mum fussed me and tried to work out what had gone wrong but couldn’t find a particularly tender bit.  So then it was turn round and go back home.  She made me sit down several times because I was on three legs all the way.  Fortunately we weren’t at the far side of the playing fields.

I’ve never been so pleased to see our gate.  I had drink but couldn’t be fussed with my post-walk biscuits and now I’m taking it easy for the rest of the day.  I’ve been injured before and it doesn’t usually take me long to recover.  My mum is being especially loving and giving me lots of hugs.  And I expect I’ll get a treat in my dinner.*  There are bonuses in being injured!

* I let my mum hand feed me some smoked venison from her lunch, and carbonara from her dinner.  Didn’t fancy my dinner.

 

Stuck indoors

Nearly May and it’s been snowing so, after a brief foray this morning, we’ve been indoors all day.  My mum has been doing some woodwork painting, I’ve played with my toys and had my dinner, plus a few sleeps.  I’m just having my post-dinner rest then I’ll forage in the toy basket again and play with my mum so she doesn’t get bored.

I wallow in daffodils

There’s a big patch of daffodils in the park just round the corner from our house and though my mum says I haven’t to romp and knock them over they are sooooo cooling after I’ve been running about chasing the ball.

Sometimes we have daffodils in the house and that Marley Cat stuffs his face in them and tries to drink the water from the vase they’re in.  He has no shame – sips from taps, sticks his head in coffee cups and even tries to drink my mum’s gin and tonic.

Stupid, I reckon, when he has his own water bowl and is not shy about slurping from mine.

But then who knows how cats’ brains work.  Not me, for certain.

Marley and the daffs

https://www.facebook.com/Marley-Cat-1608609869393626/timeline

 

 

 

 

 

Mushrooms on toast

Mmm, the aroma was divine but I got my nose slapped out of the way pretty quick.  No way, said my mum as I caught the waft from her ‘creamy woodland mushrooms with toasted sourdough bread’ in one of our dog friendly cafés, Pulp Fiction*.  Well, the table was just nose height so it was hard to resist.  At home I might get a crust when she’s finished but that’s taboo when we are out.  Non doggy people can be critical if they see dogs being fed in the same place as them.

But I did get lots of fuss from other customers and staff.  There were two other dogs, both perfectly behaved.  I like going to cafés and doing my bit for doggy PR.

http://www.virginstartup.org/case-study/virgin-startup-week-pulp-fiction-future-food/

She shampooed me!

Lovely romp over the playing fields this morning – up the waggonway then a bit of ball throwing on the football pitch until I was too hot to run any more.  My mum knows when I’ve had enough cos I lie down and start rubbing my chin and chest along the grass to cool off.

Was I in for a surprise when we got home.  Not satisfied with hosing me down, she lathered me with shampoo, foamed it up then rinsed it off.  She says I’m now perfumed and handsome.  Handsome I’ll take but perfumed – I’m a rufty tufty dog dog, I don’t do perfume.

An anniversary

Well, whaddyknow, it’s seven years exactly since my mum brought me home as an eight-week-old puppy.  I was a cuddly bundle of gorgeousness, made myself at home straight away by chewing plants and trying to steal food out of the cat’s bowl.  That was Sherry who smacked me on my bum, a very rude awakening!

My doggy mum, Holly, lived with another dog and two cats who weren’t at all bothered about puppies on the premises (we were nine!) but Sherry was not happy to have me.  We learnt to live together once I realised who was boss (her).  Sherry’s gone but there are two others in her place so I still have to watch my ps and qs.

I know I’m a very lucky dog to have such a loving home and friends, to have fields and a beach nearby where I can run, swim and sit in puddles.  Doggy heaven.

Today on the beach                                                    On arrival, 2009

Today on the beach

First day