Cali Dogs

[Joker 1299]

 

[BeagleMum]

Took him for a walk today.

We are both getting old, my troublesome heel killing me and his arthritic hip hurting him.

Today, on the beach, we were both in our own worlds, me mourning the loss of a friend, him still remembering a friend that since last August has not been with us.

Both of us want to be away camping, he cannot understand why not, me not quite understanding anything.

He is my friend. We are just us.

View attachment 59106

These 2 love the beach

 

[willwander]

They look happy
Can't wait to take ours back to the beach.

 

[Amarillo]

They look happy
Can't wait to take ours back to the beach.

The new freedoms mean little to Meg. She has a snapped tendon and has had a hock arthrodesis at considerable expense. She's confined to a crate 23h 30 per day, only allowed out for short 5 minute walks in the garden for the next 6 or 7 weeks.

 

[BeagleMum]

They look happy
Can't wait to take ours back to the beach.

Yes the are always really happy & full of adventure. We are only a few minutes away from the beach so go most days. Like you we can’t wait to travel & explore different beaches, whether that will be this year who knows. We had to cancel Arran & Galloway in April, due in The Lakes end of May, that will be cancelled. Trips booked end of June beginning of Sept & Oct, can’t see any of them surviving. However a few missed trips is nothing compared to what some are enduring.

 

[Velma's Dad]

The new freedoms mean little to Meg. She has a snapped tendon and has had a hock arthrodesis at considerable expense. She's confined to a crate 23h 30 per day, only allowed out for short 5 minute walks in the garden for the next 6 or 7 weeks.

Poor girl. We had to keep our spaniel on crate rest after an op a couple of years ago, so I know how it is. (Although I guess we kind of all know how it is, these days!)

 

[BeagleMum]

The new freedoms mean little to Meg. She has a snapped tendon and has had a hock arthrodesis at considerable expense. She's confined to a crate 23h 30 per day, only allowed out for short 5 minute walks in the garden for the next 6 or 7 weeks.

Sorry to hear about Meg, at least now you have a diagnosis.
We understand the difficulty you are experiencing, Bryher ruptured her Cruciate Ligament 2 years ago, she has a plate & 6 screws in her leg.
She had to have long crate rest before & after surgery & then months of minimal exercise which slowly increased every couple of weeks.
Following that she graduated to hydrotherapy which she still attends.
We wish Meg well in her recovery.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Ha, yes, hydrotherapy. We were paying out for that for a while before I won the argument with Mrs VD that walking the spaniel on the river bank a couple of times a week provided just the same hydrotherapy opportunities and a bloody sight cheaper. But it's easy with a spaniel as any body of water will do. A cattle trough is fine in Betty's case, better still if it's green and disgusting.

 

[Amarillo]

Ha, yes, hydrotherapy. We were paying out for that for a while before I won the argument with Mrs VD that walking the spaniel on the river bank a couple of times a week provided just the same hydrotherapy opportunities and a bloody sight cheaper. But it's easy with a spaniel as any body of water will do. A cattle trough is fine in Betty's case, better still if it's green and disgusting.

I think that the vet's bill hurts us more than Meg's discomfort.

£4,200 for a small metal plate and eight self tapping screws.

We were offered an amputation for ~£1,000.

 

[BeagleMum]

I think that the vet's bill hurts us more than Meg's discomfort.

£4,200 for a small metal plate and eight self tapping screws.

We were offered an amputation for ~£1,000.

Yes unfortunately vet prices are horrific, respect to you for not going with the cheaper option. Anytime an MRI is needed the bill is around 2.5K before you start!

We paid similar for Cruicate Ligament surgery.
Prior to that unfortunately within 18 months she had 2 horrible episodes of Meningitis that required hospital admission, spinal taps, MRI’s etc & 9 months Meningitis medication on each occasion, together these were around 6K.
Her sister needed to see an Orthopaedic specialist for an elbow problem, again with MRI’s, tests etc that was close to 3K.

 

[BeagleMum]

Ha, yes, hydrotherapy. We were paying out for that for a while before I won the argument with Mrs VD that walking the spaniel on the river bank a couple of times a week provided just the same hydrotherapy opportunities and a bloody sight cheaper. But it's easy with a spaniel as any body of water will do. A cattle trough is fine in Betty's case, better still if it's green and disgusting.

We decided to continue long term with hydrotherapy, she’s been going for 2 years now & we can see the benefit. Unfortunately she’s not been able to go since lockdown, hopefully it will resume soon.

 

[Amarillo]

Yes unfortunately vet prices are horrific, respect to you for not going with the cheaper option. Anytime an MRI is needed the bill is around 2.5K before you start!

We paid similar for Cruicate Ligament surgery.
Prior to that unfortunately within 18 months she had 2 horrible episodes of Meningitis that required hospital admission, spinal taps, MRI’s etc & 9 months Meningitis medication on each occasion, together these were around 6K.
Her sister needed to see an Orthopaedic specialist for an elbow problem, again with MRI’s, tests etc that was close to 3K.

£282.81 (inc VAT) for an initial consultation which was 2 minutes in the car park with the nurse while I handed over Meg and confirmed that she'd had no food that morning, and 5 minutes on the phone to the Orthopaedic surgeon learning what I'd already learnt from our local vet.

 

[T6 CFO]

£282.81 (inc VAT) for an initial consultation which was 2 minutes in the car park with the nurse while I handed over Meg and confirmed that she'd had no food that morning, and 5 minutes on the phone to the Orthopaedic surgeon learning what I'd already learnt from our local vet.

View attachment 59155

View attachment 59156

It’s disgraceful. Several years ago we had a retriever and she had cancer. Even then they wanted ridiculous money for chemotherapy. She was in pain and 11. She’d had a good life.

Sadly it was her favourite bits of food a gentle walk then she was put to sleep. It was the right decision, we loved her dearly.

Vet did not make it easy, “That’s your choice Sir”. He could have helped, the decision was obvious. Even the nurse was embarrassed.

I’m sure there are plenty of good vets.


Mike

 

[BeagleMum]

It’s disgraceful. Several years ago we had a retriever and she had cancer. Even then they wanted ridiculous money for chemotherapy. She was in pain and 11. She’d had a good life.

Sadly it was her favourite bits of food a gentle walk then she was put to sleep. It was the right decision, we loved her dearly.

Vet did not make it easy, “That’s your choice Sir”. He could have helped, the decision was obvious. Even the nurse was embarrassed.

I’m sure there are plenty of good vets.


Mike

Sounds like that Vet made the heartbreaking decision you had to make even harder.

We spent in excess of 15K 2 years ago, our choice & we would do it again as at aged 3 at the time hopefully she’ had another 10/12 years in front of her. To be honest if we needed to we would remortgage the house if necessary to pay for treatment if it was in the best interest of the dog.
That always has to be the overriding factor, no animal should suffer pain or debilitating treating to save its owner having to make the devastating decision no owner ever wants to make.
Grief is the price we pay for love, the grief & loss we’ve felt over the years for the loss of our dogs is to us immeasurable in money.
Non pet lovers won’t understand this, but for us they have never been just a dog, they are family that have enriched our lives, loved us & brought us immense joy & happiness on a daily basis.

 

[Amarillo]

Sounds like that Vet made the heartbreaking decision you had to make even harder.

We spent in excess of 15K 2 years ago, our choice & we would do it again as at aged 3 at the time hopefully she’ had another 10/12 years in front of her. To be honest if we needed to we would remortgage the house if necessary to pay for treatment if it was in the best interest of the dog.
That always has to be the overriding factor, no animal should suffer pain or debilitating treating to save its owner having to make the devastating decision no owner ever wants to make.
Grief is the price we pay for love, the grief & loss we’ve felt over the years for the loss of our dogs is to us immeasurable in money.
Non pet lovers won’t understand this, but for us they have never been just a dog, they are family that have enriched our lives, loved us & brought us immense joy & happiness on a daily basis.

I'm afraid I take a somewhat harsher view.

The pet won't know it's about to be euthanised so it can't suffer any anguish at the prospect. We shell out all this cash on our pets for our benefit, not the pet's benefit.

 

[CaliBear]

R.I.P. Nigel!
The worst part about having a pet is having to say the final goodbye.

 

[HowieDog]

Lost our 11yr old retriever Howie in September - have to say our Vet (Southern Counties) we’re truly amazing and the Kennel Club insurance worth every penny.
Introducing Monty our 12 week old Springer Spaniel!!

 

[BeagleMum]

Lost our 11yr old retriever Howie in September - have to say our Vet (Southern Counties) we’re truly amazing and the Kennel Club insurance worth every penny.
View attachment 59193 Introducing Monty our 12 week old Springer Spaniel!!
View attachment 59194

Sorry to hear you lost Howie he looked a cracker.
Welcome to Monty, Springer’s are a lovely breed.

 

[Jay gas]

Our Bassett Nelly decided to eat one of our 6 year olds socks just over a year ago. It cost £2500.00 for the op and follow ups. Thank god for dog insurance.

 

[T6 CFO]

Lost our 11yr old retriever Howie in September - have to say our Vet (Southern Counties) we’re truly amazing and the Kennel Club insurance worth every penny.
View attachment 59193 Introducing Monty our 12 week old Springer Spaniel!!
View attachment 59194

Every time we think about another dog it always comes back to a Golden Retriever.
Good to hear about your vet.



Mike

 

[Velma's Dad]

Our spaniel has (so far) cost us £1600 for an inhaled ear of wheat, and about £3k I think for a cruciate. Plus all the usual stuff including anal gland evacuations twice.

(I was thinking about learning how to do the anal glands myself, a nice lock-down self-improvement project, there must be a Youtube video. On the other hand, that attic isn't going to clear itself out..).

 

[BeagleMum]

Our Bassett Nelly decided to eat one of our 6 year olds socks just over a year ago. It cost £2500.00 for the op and follow ups. Thank god for dog insurance.

View attachment 59195

Beautiful girl, Bassetts are a lovely friendly breed.

 

[BeagleMum]

Our spaniel has (so far) cost us £1600 for an inhaled ear of wheat, and about £3k I think for a cruciate. Plus all the usual stuff including anal gland evacuations twice.

(I was thinking about learning how to do the anal glands myself, a nice lock-down self-improvement project, there must be a Youtube video. On the other hand, that attic isn't going to clear itself out..).

It’s relatively easy to do, but never as effective as when done by professionals.

 

[HowieDog]

It’s relatively easy to do, but never as effective as when done by professionals.

I was just having my dinner...

 

[Velma's Dad]

It’s relatively easy to do, but never as effective as when done by professionals.

Okay you've just convinced me. Anyway, Betty has been cowering in the corner every time I get the Marigolds out.