Redford relaxing with his favourite possession
15 Likes
The entire sofa ?
2 Likes
Saffy is the Duchess of Sofa, Redford is keeper of the balls and Lord protector of all boundaries.
4 Likes
Still love that dog
2 Likes
We all do 
2 Likes
Redford has taken over your wife’s role then? 
2 Likes
Finally coming down off a Very expensive 24-hours of canine drama.
Max is old - considering his past abuses and the fact he’s a big lad it’s astounding that he’s made it to at least 16 years old, possibly 17, impossible to know. He’s slow, stiff, lazy, mostly deaf, half blind, warty - insert dog/owner joke here. Anyway, we know his time is approaching, and awful tho’ that is, he’s had >10 years with us and loved every minute of doting on Sam - while giving me PLENTY of floor-cleaning work…
Most mornings I come downstairs anticipating that perhaps this is the last one, and yesterday my worst fears were realised - with a floor covered in vomit, faeces and urine, and an unconscious dog sprawled amongst same…
Except it was Tara, not Max. Tara’s about 8, fit as a flea, never done worse than nick herself on barbed wire… She’s the sweetest natured dog I’ve ever met, super-chill, loves everyone, ADORES Sam, loves to cuddle both of us - she’s been a bundle of joy every day we’ve had her, and is probably the #1 reason Max has lived so long - he really truly loves her… So naturally I panicked. I did find she was both breathing and had a pulse, albeit not strong, and was able to bring her around a bit, but it was a terrifying half hour drive to the emergency vets.
The vet clearly had no clue what was wrong and gave every impression that we were looking at this being a one way trip for her, but Tara was actually starting to rally a little at that point, perhaps sensing this was a good place to get out of… So a blood sample was taken - which, after a ludicrous wait, came back with heavily depleted electrolytes and non-existent blood sugars. Lots of things can cause this - many of them very bad indeed - but so can losing the last 48 hours worth of nutrients via all 3 orifices…
24 hours of KCl drips and hand-feeding showed this to be the case and bless her she rallied around to 90% of normal. We got a call at 1am to say all was well and she would be discharged in the morning - Max however had howled incessently from lights-out, so we leapt in to the car and an hour later Tara was home, on the sofa cuddling Sam and I while we both fell asleep to South Park, and looking somewhat bemused at all the fuss…
One reason Tara reacted so badly I think is her eating habits - i.e. ignore water for 23hr 59m of every day, then for 60 seconds empty the whole bowl as fast as possible / ditto with food - this time she really overdid it, threw everything up copiously and made herself so nauseous and weak she ended-up pissing and shitting herself where she lay.
She 100% always runs on fumes - there’s no margins, not an ounce of fat or reserves, so she ended-up too weak to move - dehydrated + depleted electrolytes. She’s a super-fussy eater, and also has a VERY sensitive stomach, so the food she gets is the kind of stuff you’d usually give a hyper-obese Flabrador to get its weight down - anything with any fat or significant sugars and she’ll shit herself hollow. Max is rather similar, and has had similar episodes, tho’ usually precipitated by eating Werewolf Shit, or broken glass, or anything else that no other sane animal would touch (while ignoring his full dinner bowl…).
tl;dr - 'kin dogs are heartbreakers/walletwreckers
23 Likes
Quoted for truth.
Glad they’re both okay.
3 Likes
Really pleased that she’s rallied, caring dog owners invest so much time and love in their dogs that illness creates a huge rollercoaster ride for them. Wouldn’t whenever possible be without them though. 
1 Like
So glad she seems to be recovering well mate 
1 Like
Cheers all. She’s had a sponge bath this afty - which is something she loves, and then laid out in the sun to dry / be fussed-over / nosh on treats. Pretty much back to her usual self thankfully 
15 Likes
So glad that she’s getting better. Jan, Basil and Bandit send their love.
1 Like
First read this as ‘Cocaine drama’. Had to re-read it…
Thank god she is okay .
1 Like
I’m so pleased she is okay! 
