Our pets

Oops, Sally left the dining room chair out!

 

My friend Jaffa is 21 next birthday, just checking out the bike

 

My lab Orlaugh on the left, with one of her pups Bear. He's only 7 months old and the same size as her now. Missus has stayed in contact with his owners, so met up today for a walk and a swim (they were swimming, not me!). Had to pit them in the river, absolutely caked in mud.

 

21!

He’s doing very well indeed.

 

He is indeed, was rather under the weather this year, had some teeth removed, now he is eating properly and looks very well.
Enjoys kipping, day time telly and being waited on.

 

We have half a 21 year old cat! The old bugger has moved in next door with the retired couple, soon after we got the lab, so can't really blame him. He's a big fat grey matted miserable fecker of a cat!! He occasionally wanders into our garden and howls at us, then wanders back next door.
He gets salmon, his own space on their bed, and lifted at 4:00 am every morning to be taken outside for his business!!! Nae feckin chance I was ever going to do that. Cats are bastard though.

 

Tough life isn't it?

 

BE WARNED LONG WINDED BUT AS SHORT AS I CAN TELL IT

Well never said anything till now, this has been a long time coming but my girl (Jess) got diabetes in april this year, were still getting her to a point were she is at an acceptable insulin level been giving her injections morning and night loads of checks in between in order to try and get her to a good level, food now at twice a day 12 hrs apart given just before her insulin injection, Nowt else and all other bits or pieces and treats is gone now for life,
Anyway you soon find out that diabetes is just the beginning of a diagnosis, its followed up by cataracts caused because of it, my girl went completely blind within a weekend (can occur over night) terrible to go through, well its been 6 weeks now since she went through a double cataract removal operation and she has been fitted with replacement lenses.
Even though it shouldn't matter but in reality it does, I will tell you it cost 3,900 for the op plus approx 500 quid since for check ups and pre-op checks and I reckon we've a good while to go, but were getting there now and we've have been given a full 2 months before our next follow up appointment.
The good bit is She can now see again and what a massive difference its made to us an her of course, no more crashing into furniture walls, kerbs etc you name it she tripped over it, they say dogs do well without sight but for them looking on its rough
I'm glad to say for once her insurance company came through but not completely that would as you all know be asking to much of them,
She was covered for 4 grand for any one illness but cover would not continue for the same condition, we didn't make a claim for the diabetes at all, but we claimed for her eye sight,
Now because she has just gone past 8 years old she's a senior dog, so that means you pay 20% of the final bill plus the first 99 quid, so we paid approx 900 quid of operation bill plus we paid for the initial consultation fee 230 ish. plus a 100 quid follow up appointment all came to approx 1300 plus pounds.
Now what the insurance don't say is that the 4 grand she is covered for includes my contribution as well so they paid the difference of 2700 in full and final payment and all of her follow ups are down to us now.
something we were not aware of initially but are now for sure.
So beware to check your policy, as we all know insurance is something else completely !!!
BUT ITS ALL BEEN WORTH IT, NO GUARANTEE'S OF COURSE BUT SO FAR SO GOOD.
(This is Jess on her local holidays to Haggerston Castle Caravan site shortly after her initial diabetes condition, note her shaven legs following I V's )

 

We got caught out by the thieves called insurance, now we hold an 'empty' credit card for such emergencies.
Glad your little fella is seeing better, and enjoyed her holiday!

 

Hi Tez, poor little Jess, she's 'been through the wars' hasn't she? Hope all continues well for all of you.

Merry Christmas, give her a hug from me would you ?

 

Glad to hear she's going through a better patch. Re insurance: The policy for our dogs was going up year on year, to the point that we made a decision to bank 50% of the premium money in case either of them required a trip to the vets. This account has now accrued over £3K to date & making interest (granted, not much)

 

Thanks for all your comments and compliments Guys, To be honest having worked out premiums over the last nearly nine years we've actually done ok, its just a shock when you make a claim and discover things/ rules you knew nothing of and I thought I was pretty much on the ball.
One other surprise was to find out if a claim was not made within 90 days of an illness then you lost the right to claim at all, that was worrying as although we informed the insurance of her diabetes diagnosis we chose not to claim, then came the cataracts etc we thought because no claim was made on the diabetes and it was this condition that caused the cataracts they would refuse the claim, Happily for us they didn't do that, so we were glad of that and it helped swallow there other rules and regulations.
SPOON FULL OF SUGAR AND ALL THAT !!!! thanks again chaps
PS - Have to add the ins company was - Animal Friends (which i've heard slated)

 

Do you need to measure her blood sugar levels a la humans or is it an educated guess with regards to the insulin dose?

 

Yep blood sugars checked at vets very much same as humans but via a different level to humans urine sample too checks for keytones etc
insulin is changed via her level

 

Wow, full time carers then?

 

Not my dog,I just found this;-
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2Sh0LC/:uSrUi-Ka:npLlDQqC/www.youtube.com/watch

 

Well funny that Sprinter that was the day when dogs went out alone and amused themselves lol brilliant mate,

 

That will be my next dog(s), I've had 2, really intelligent dogs, and easy to train.

This was Deefa,

This was Haggis, both lived into their teens, Haggis was a Shetland B.C. thick set and hefty, longer legs to get over boggy ground.
Both of them were born in Shetland when we were up there, Haggis used to swim with the seals, never any bother to either, the ground she's on was where she laid and the sheep just walked round her.
Deefa was more prim and proper, didn't like getting muddy or wet, but she was a fantastic smaller bitch.
Yep, definately be getting another one!

 

yeah Im on my second best dogs.

 

Well, our 2nd oldest Greyhound is suddenly getting 'old', we don't think she has too much time left, she's as alert as can be expected for her age (12), not in pain or ill, just getting on, we've seen it before, suddenly goes down hill and gone!
Our oldest is quite incredible, nearing 13 and bouncing around like a 2 year old.
We've planned it out, not to be mercenary, but my youngest will be 6 in June with probably another 6 to go, so if we get a pup now with a full life expectancy I would be 70 and a bit more hopefully when she passes on, then we would decide what to do dog wise then, possibly an older dog from a home.
No more greyhounds though, we've done our bit through the years for retired's, now its time to be totally selfish and get another that Border Collie that we want and we pick.
Why am I saying all this?
Meet BONNIE!!
10 weeks old, picking her up from Oban probably Thursday, she comes from Isle of Lismore, 5 min boat trip from Oban.
WOW, the price of dogs now, then the disappointment when you phone only to find they've all gone!
£400-£500+ for Borders that were a couple of 100 or free a couple of years back, we hit it lucky last night and started negotiations, to conclude today, more discussions and bartering than May & Merckle at Davros!!
Looking forward to the road trip up there, going past Tyndrum too, some lovely country side to go through.
Jabs and chipping all lined up, new disc, bed and bowl.
Ho hum, here we go again!!
Terry