Dog days!

A question: Are dogs a man's best friend or could they possibly be their worst enemy? 

Well, our old dog Abbey has not been well recently. She has been tottering along at the ripe old age of thirteen. Generally she seems to be doing quite well. She sleeps a bit more than she used to and like us has entered what I call her retirement era. 

Then a couple of weeks ago, she started to have a cough, nothing major. Just enough to make you notice that it was more frequent than normal. She was still enjoying her food and a walk each day. But she is a picky eater - she knows what she likes and is happy to forgo a meal if she is not actually hungry. Then she started to do a low half moan half growl. This is her normal way of demanding asking for a bit of whatever it is that you happen to be eating. Only now she was doing it when there were no tempting titbit's on offer.

So we are on alert and keeping an eye on her food and water intake. We were also keeping an eye on her food and water out-takes as well. There was nothing there to make us worried. But we knew that something was not quite right. Then just over a week or so ago, she was most definitely under the weather. So we took her to to see the vet. A full check-up found no obvious problems, heart lungs were doing quite well. Other than the occasional cough, there was nothing more than a general lethargy. 

We had some urine tests done. The vet prescribed some anti-biotic pills and administered an anti-biotic injection as more of a precaution than a specific treatment. We took her back to the boat. She promptly went to sleep and did not wake for 24 hours.When she did come around she was still very lethargic and only wanted her usual cup of tea. Abs did her ablutions and then went back to bed for another 18 hours! We were quite worried parents by now.

When she woke up, she seemed to be a bit brighter, but still quite lethargic. So special tempting meals of chicken and rice or fish and rice were the order of the day. The vet had also prescribed a pro-biotic paste "yakult" like potion for restoring her good bugs after the anti-biotic treatment. A few days later we had to take her back to the vets for further tests and checks. The results of the urine test were negative and no problems highlighted.

Abbey was much better, than she had been for a while. Then she spotted a cat in a basket in the waiting room. Now apart from our old cat Jasper who would cuff her nose if she became boisterous with him.. Abbey had always had a loathe hate relationship with cats. Now she was motivated, she wanted to sort out the cat. Then another cat arrived - she was now in her personal heaven.  High stepping, running, jumping being a PITA. So the vet relieved us of a three figure sum. We took the old girl home and she has continued to be full of bounce, vim and vigour.

Abbey is on the right.

In view of Abbeys return to vigorous and lively good health. Combined with the spring in her step, I intend to visit the vet and start the same course of treatment next week!

Later...