Pendlewitch

I hope he's more comfortable now, he's a lovely boy!

Good boy Blue! As I've had a new knee plus the trauma of losing Jack I haven't been to the yard for a while. Got a surprise when I popped up today, the winter hardstanding turnouts have been roofed, it looks amazing. The shet's have been given an under cover area too, no more mud! l knew it was on the cards but didn't expect it to be finished so quickly!

Thanks to all for your kind messages, it means so much to me!

Jack's condition worsened rapidly this afternoon and I had to make the decision to let him go. He fell asleep in my arms and looked so peaceful, pain free at last. Goodbye little dog, you were simply the best, reunited with Cecil and Jumble.

Jack has had further blood tests, no improvement at all, his pancreatic levels are off the scale. He has constant flare ups when he won't eat, is restless at night and follows me around a lot. Last night he was very unhappy, let him out at 5am, when he came back in he didn't settle at all after and ended up under the bed. This is where he goes when he is frightened of something. He's also tucking himself into corners he doesn't usually use. About 7am he threw up and was hunched up in the middle after and didn't relax his posture at all, his gums were very pale. Took him to the vets and was given a pain killer shot and some ab's. There is a mast cell tumour somewhere but it would take an MRI to find it, I would not put him through that though, he doesn't travel well and is a stresshead. His vet said I should be thinking about his quality of life now as the flare ups are getting worse and more frequent. The decision is getting nearer but harder to make. I don't want to wait for a crisis, if I do I've let him down. This is so hard!

Wow, an amazing achievement!

Hello all, I'm feeling really good now, love from Jack!

Took Jack for his x rays and didn't have the usual booking in procedure, I was taken into a consulting room and we ran through how the tumour seeds and just how painful this can be. Also how he would start with sedation but if the breath holding pictures were needed he would need a GA. The results would then give me an idea of where we would be going next! Went home and tried to get a bit of sleep as I had just come off a night shift, rang the surgery at noon with a quaking heart and the results were: NO TUMOUR!!!!!! I could not believe it and the vet certainly could not or have been more surprised! Jack has to stay on the low fat food for at least 6 months, he has to have further blood tests in the new year! I can't explain just how I feel, a huge black cloud has lifted and my little dog is going to be just fine! Many thanks to all for your support, it meant so much to me! Now lets party!

It's four weeks since his last test so took him back yesterday for repeat, results could not be worse. All the various levels were off the scale, so because of his history it's highly probable that he has a mast cell tumour in the pancreas. He's having x-rays on Friday to confirm and if confirmed there is no treatment for him. I can' t believe this happening again, I lost Cecil to pancreatitis two years ago, then Jumble to DM this July. Jack seem ok at the moment, he's eating the horrible low fat food with great delight, is happy in the house and wants to play ball all the time. He is not very happy on walks though, he's very clingy and though not reluctant to walk he's highly anxious and has his tail clamped down, if I use the scooter he wants to sit on my knee all time. I'm not sure why this is so I am reducing the walks and doing more ball playing. I'm back to one day at a time, the ground has been cut from under my feet!

Awww, that's lovely!

I have tried swimming him in the past Ian but although he can swim like a little clockwork toy it terrifies him. Shame as we have a super facility nearly on the doorstep!

That's what I'm hoping Ian, Jack is doing very well, he's more cheerful, more active, loves the awful looking food and has lost weight. At 8.5kg he was a serious porker, now down to 8.2, not a huge change but a start! I'm still using the ball to distract him from begging and am going to try to avoid treats altogether! I think I should join him on the no treats but maybe not the dog food!

Jack hasn't been right for a while, not wanting to walk and increasingly nervous especially round other dogs. Took him to the vet and asked for blood tests, the results came out as very high for pancreatitis. The worry is that with him having had two high graded mast cell tumours is that he could have a tumour in the pancreas, if this is so it's painful and untreatable. It could be diet related, he's been eating Cesar dog food which is high fat and I'm guilty of giving him a lot of treats including the little rice pots and yoghurt cartons to lick out and lots of Tesco's misfits. Then there's bacon fat and chicken skin, etc, I could go on for ages to be honest! It's only now I've withdrawn the treats I've realised just how much I've been stuffing down him and he is now a bit of a porker at 8.5kg. Fortunately he is ball obsessed so when he's giving me puppy dog eyes for a treat I chuck his tennis ball and he takes off like a lunatic and forgets about food. He's now on the disgusting low fat Royal Canin which does look as though it's been through a cat's bum, amazingly he loves it! Cecil dog would not touch it at any price so I was a bit concerned about Jack refusing to eat it, fortunately no worries. I'm also wondering about when I got Flossie dog on trial from the kennels, I took Jack's behaviour as aggression which is his default mode but after seeing his reaction to other dogs recently I'm wondering if it was pain related, he does sort of cringe then gets in with his teeth. I suppose it's a possibility. Blood tests again in three weeks, if his levels have not come down then it's x-ray. Needless to say I'm very worried!

That is strange, hope the vet can sort her out. She has a lovely, cuddly face!

Banner and Lilli had grown hairy mammoth coats and were sweating quite heavily, Banner had been full clipped once already! They have both had chaser clips and look amazing rather odd because of the thickness of their coats. They do look as if someone just ran a lawnmower across their middles. It was Lilli's first clip and she was really good, I was so pleased with her as she can be a tad challenging at times. Wanda Woo is due for her second clip, she may go for the chaser or the naked look, depends on what Sam decides. How is everyone?

Banner did her September competition yesterday and was really naughty, she will probably score minus 100! Sam who was filming said she had such a 'make me' face on and was clearly taking the mick. She wouldn't stand when asked, refused point blank to trot and legged it at one point, I could only laugh as it was just so awful! Then I did the long reining course and was much better but the blessed cat joined in! When driving through the gate the moggie leapt at her and then lay on the floor in the scarey corridor, Banner just stepped over him! A sad time at the yard too, Sam has had to say goodbye to Sheri, her brood mare. She hasn't been right since Weed was born and really struggled with lameness, back problems and constant abcesses last winter so Sam and her mum took the decision to let her go. The right thing to do but always so hard but I'm told the vet was lovely and Sheri's passing was very gentle and peaceful. Run free Sheri love, no more pain!

Yantan that's exactly the situation! It does make me feel better to know another dog reacts the same way as Jack, I did sort of think I'd failed him in some way. He's been very anxious and stressy recently but is beginning to come round now and is actually playing with his tennis ball again.

I think it would be best for Jack to be an only dog, I could not go through another heartbreaking situation as with Flossie. He will meet his friends on walks but won't be bringing them home for coffee and dog biscuits!

Sadly I have had to return Flossie to the rescue. Jack's behaviour over 24 hours went from bad to worse, there were constant Jack led incidents and I was on guard all the time. The last incident errupted into massive violence on his side and some serious damage would have been done if I hadn't got my foot on his head in time. Flossie was as near perfect as any dog could be, she was house trained, didn't chew things, walked nicely on a lead and was a charming and entertaining little dog, Jack was a total nightmare and made it very clear this was not what he wanted. He has to come first though and I have had to abide by his decision but have to say I'm gutted I couldn't keep her. I'm very certain she will quickly find a home though as she is such a delight. Sorry you couldn't stay Flossie love, you were a star!

More Floss pictures, just how gorgeous is that face?

Isn't everyone doing so well! Milo's pictures were awesome and doesn't Blue look so good and very handsome! Very nicely turned out Gooster! Banner is continuing to be amazing at agility, I just looked at the September competition and she's gone up a level, she's now at Medium and is 26th in the international league! A very mucky Banner! Clipped and clean! She had a huge coat already because of her cushings so whizzed it all off!

Floss pictures! She's going to be spayed tomorrow then if she's ok she's coming home on Wednesday to me to recover. She was wearing a football shirt today, one of the staff had put it on, she looked seriously cute! Jack was fine with her until coming back from a walk, when I put her in her crate he swore roundly and rudely. Floss totally ignored him! I'll get better pictures when I have someone to hold her for me. She is such a happy little dog, hopefully her manner will rub off a bit on Jack.

Oooo, hot news! Scruffy JRT (Flossie) is gorgeous, kennels rang me today so we dashed up to see her. She's the sweetest little thing, was brilliant with Jack who was not that brilliant with her to be honest, he didn't do anything horrid, just grumped. I've got a reserved sticker on her, we have to go walk her a few more times, she has to be spayed then she can come for a sleepover, then for a week. Hopefully Jack will realise just how nice she is and will come out from under his black cloud. OH likes her too which is kind of useful, he's as much of a grump as Jack! I am now brain dead, I'm on nights and have had only 2 hours sleep but could not miss the opportunity with Flossie!

Well Jack's friend didn't work out, we were second reserve and the first one took her. Went to look at a Beagle at the same rescue, she was gorgeous but a nightmare to walk, she just powered from side to side and near on took me off my feet! She needs someone younger and stronger than me. There is a yorkie in now who can't be homed with children as he's been know to bite and a scruffy coated terrier coming in on Sunday so we will keep looking. If we are meant to have another one will turn up I'm sure. Would you believe it, there is a 3 month old staffy pup been given up, owners can't cope with her puppiness! At least she's in care and not passed from pillar to post. I've been casually surfing dogs for sale and preloved etc just for interest and I'm horrified at the amount of puppies for sale, where do they all go? I can't see how they can all be absorbed, everyone in Britian must have at least 6 dogs. Then there's the silly named cross breeds, the jackapoos and cockerpoos etc, ok they make cute dogs but at £400 plus!. There was an advert on preloved for jug puppies due soon and there was a picture of the dogs mating!!! Not necessary I'm sure and I registered a complaint as inapropriate! I think the worst one was an ad for a Labkita, out crossing Akitas is not a good idea I'm sure.

This little girl is in a local rescue, Jack is going to see her, isn't she gorgeous? All depends on Mr Grump's attitude though.