mandy

I don't get the class lark at all mostly I can't get my head round this: Why are people living off the state classed as *working class*??? Sorry I can't do quotes But if you don't work surely you can't be working class?

Axel was back at the University Vet hospital this week with his horrid skin and dodgy hips. His skin has cleared up very well and all the tests confirmed it was "just" a lick granuloma caused by him nibbling his hip coz it was painful He was on metacam for a couple of weeks which didn't really appear to make much difference so I stopped it. He is dosed up with glucosamine, chondroitin and anything else I see that says good for joints!!! He has to stay on antibiotics for another 2 weeks to make sure his skin is absolutely sorted and then if he starts to nibble again he has to go on metacam for a few days to see if it settles down.....if not its back for more anti biotics. They don't seem to think his hips are bothering him too much at the mo so it's really a case of playing it by ear and seeing how he gets on. We have to be carefull about painkillers with his epilepsy medication. At the moment he is well and happy.....I'm keeping him skinny and have upped his exercise a bit which has improved the muscle tone round his back end.....so I just need to try a keep the balance right. Thanks for all your good wishes when I was in bits thinking his legs were going to collapse under him any minute!!! mandy

I am a long way fron Ben Nevis I am nowhere near fit enough...otherwise I'd volunteer.........honest

I'll sponsor you too. Can I add a word of caution? Friends of mine did the three Peaks challenge. There were three of them....and it was just as well as one was airlifted off Ben Nevis (only with cramp but they couldn't get him down) and as it's not really safe to do it on your own, they would've had to abandon their attempt if there hadn't been 3 of them. Just a thought but if you could persuade someone else to join you it would be even safer. Mandy

I hadn't thought of that....just thought she looked a bit odd...but not hairless in a mange/flea allergy kind of way Tina looks a little sweetie!

Yorkie My three would make mincemeat out of her or she could have a couch here bless her

Oh God....only just seen this. So sorry Mel...don't know what else to say but thinking of you Mandy

He's not too bad today thanks Donna. He seems happier (and less whingy) without the fentanyl patch so I haven't put the new one on. He still has to have his "no bite" collar on, but it's much better than a lampshade jobbie, so all in all he's not too bad. We went to a "mind body and spirit" fair today and they had those magnetic bioflow collars for achy dogs. I was tempted, but at £35 I thought I'd research a bit before I splash out!!

Must say it's the first time have ever come close to agreeing with the man! I have 3 dogs...a GSD (with lots of bad breeding problems) a lurcher and an out and out mongrel. I love them all equally, but when I look at my healthy cross breeds, and compare them with Axel who is absolutely stunning looking but suffers from problems mainly caused by irresponsible breeding, I can see where RH is coming from

I've just ordered glucosamine+chondroitin+MSM at £16.95 for 360 tabs....Thanks for the link Axel has managed to scratch his fentanyl patch off this morning, and as it was really bugging him(with the bandage round his neck) I haven't put the new one on.....I'll see how he goes, but he seems a bit happier without it.....but may get more uncomfortable when the effects wear off

Thanks Nettie I am going to enquire about hydrotherapy next time I'm at the vets as I'm sure there is one fairly locally. Axel however, doesn't even like getting his feet wet so I'm not sure how keen he would be!! I'm starting him on glucosamine as I've heard good reports. You can't really see on the pics but he's quite a skinny lad anyway (my last GSD had mild HD....didn't ever need any treatment though....and we always kept her skinny....so I've done the same with Axel just coz I know it's something they are prone to and that being overeight would exacerbate the problem) It's just a shock as we had thought we were dealing with a recurrent skin infection....he was under a dermatologist who just happened to ask the orthopaedic vet to have a look. Even when she examined him, he didn't flinch til she really extended his legs backwards (to be honest I would have flinched too!!) so she said "while he's under GA for his skin we might as well X-ray his hips just in case" so it wasn't what I was expecting at all. I keep telling myself he's no different than he was....it's just I know what's happening now

I had similar problems with Elmo for a while....we were contemplating surgery. Someone mentioned about the possibility of a gluten allergy so i changed his food to Autarky (gluten free) and it appears to have pretty much done the trick. He scoots now and again, and has his glands emptied when he goes for his booster. He seldom has to have them done in between (Thank God!!) Also according to my vet, you can get into a viscious circle if you have to keep emptying the frequently

I think I need to see what a conventional vet has to say first....then I may look into homeopathy as an add on later. As he's on heavy duty painkillers at the moment, I think it would be unwise ( and possibly cruel) to stop them to try anything else right now.

Just changed his dressing and took a photo....bless him he's not a happy boy!

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions Axel is still whinging this morning....but I think it's bad temper rather than pain as he stops when something interesting is happening! I'll get a poorly photo of him when he stops pacing round! His surgical site doesn't seem to be bothering him....I think it's the massive neck bandage holding the fentanyl patch in place that's bugging him more!

I guess it might be an option....we'll see what the orthopaedic vet says when we go....and take things from there

We're home Poor Axel is thoroughly miserable and crying all the time He won't settle down and is still a bit groggy. He's got a massive bandage round his neck holding the fentanyl patch on and I think that's upsetting him as much as anything....God knows what he'll be like when his No Bite collar has to go too ....hopefully it will be better than a lampshade....they make him unable to lift his head!!!

The vet has just phoned from the hospital and it turns out Axel has severe hip dysplasia which is why he's nibbling his back and making it sore. I need to pick him up at 2pm. He needs a long course of antibiotics (up to 4 months) to sort out his skin plus heavy duty painkillers. The painkiller they would like to use is contra-indicated because of his epilepsy so he's going to be on oral tabs plus fentanyl patches. Once the sensitivity results for the bigs come back he will start his anti-biotics and he will be going to see the orthopaedic specialist in about 4 weeks. I'.m gutted....it's just not what we were expecting....guess we now need to look at all the options available as he's only about 4. Please send him some healing, brave boy thoughts as he's a wuss at the best of times. Here he is....sorry the pic is big....I don't know how to shrink it!!!

I've been contemplating homeopathy....trouble is we don't know what "that" is yet! Once we actually know what it is we will look at treatment options...my vet (not the dermatologist) is always up for complementary therapy (as am I)....but to be honest I'm a bit sceptical about "alternative" therapy.....if you get what I mean

Well.............we're back Dermatologist (very nice chap) said it was very interesting.....that doesn't bode well does it? He wants him in for loads of test (bacteriology,histology, bloods, urine,X-rays etc etc etc), but got an orthopaedic lady to see him to as they think he possibly has an underlying musculoskeletal problem which is causing him to nibble his hip. But they are being quite honest in saying they are very puzzled. They are also doing another MRSA screen as its resistant to some antibiotics and "after all you do work in a hospital!!".....bit worrying that they think it could be something I've brought home from work!! Anyway, the upshot of it all is he has to go back next Wednesday so they can do everything all under one anaesthetic. I will keep you updated

....we stll can't get Axels ongoing "deep pyoderma of unknown aetiology" under control, so he's off to the small animal hospital at Liverpool University for the day. Hopefully their dermatologist may have a lightbulb moment and give us a new option to try. At the mo I have 3 very hungry dogs bugging me for breakfast....but if Axel can't have breakfast, the others can't either!! Fortunately they have said they will claim direct from the insurance, which is good as I suspect it may be very costly. I know people have talked about E&L being bad at paying out.....glad I changed from them as the form says "if you insure with E&L you have to pay upfront"!!!.......They must be really bad for places to single them out like that!! Anyway, I'll let you all know how he gets on

At the last DNB do, I'm sure I heard Pingu saying they had a few in Wallasey RSPCA

LOL.....I sat out all night in Blackpool in the rain to get tickets round about 1982 Didn't have to do that this time thank God!!!!! I am so excited its pathetic!!

Nothing can upset me tonight....I got my tickets to see The Police

I am waiting (very impatiently) for Police tickets to go on sale at 4pm