dogblog

Hello fans!  Well, I don't know about your part of the world, but it's been freezing here!  I've had to wear my coat on every single walk, particularly as my hair is so thin at the moment.  Mind you, Jasper's insisted on wearing his too, even though there's nothing wrong with him.  He is such a wuss!

I managed to give the holy owner a bit of a fright the other day, and even Lollipop was rattled (and it takes a lot to worry her!).  You see, I went out for my morning walk, and I didn't... erm... ahem.... sorry - it's a bit indelicate.... I didn't do a poodle wee-wee (I know, I know, but that's what the holy owner calls it - never know she'd been a nurse would you?!).  As I hadn't been out for ten hours they thought my bladder might be about to burst!  So, I got an extra walk at around 10am, and I still didn't go!  Of course, then the holy owner's nursing background kicked in, and she started to worry that my kidneys might be packing up altogether.  There was talk of vets, and unpleasant sounding things beginning cath- something, and then the holy one had an idea.  She felt my bed.  Ooooops!  It was very, very soggy.  Apparently my bladder was working fine, but at the wrong time, and in the wrong place.  I was worried, I can tell you.  I waited for one of them to shout at me, but they didn't.  They said, "Oh, poor Quinta", and bustled around changing my bed and washing me.  As usual, the vet has come to the rescue, and upped one of my many medications, so I shouldn't have any more embarrassing moments like that for a while.  And, to be fair to my brother, he didn't make a fuss, or laugh at me, or anything.  So he's okay really..... sometimes.  

Yesterday was a very exciting day, as our groomer came to give us our six-weekly wash, cut and blow dry.  My brother Jasper always grumbles about it, as he likes smelling of dog, but I'm quite a girly poodle (I can't think where I get that from!) so I enjoy the whole process.  Our groomer was very sad to hear that I'm poorly, and treated me very gently.  She didn't trim my coat on my body at all, as it's very thin and patchy, but she did a good job on my ears, topknot, tail and legs.  Of course, when we went out for our walk at 6.15 this morning, it was raining - it always does the day after the groomer has been!

Our Saturday morning walk is always good fun, as the market traders are setting up at their pitches in the High Street (apparently they have to be ready by 8am).  They construct their stalls from these huge metal poles and heavy brackets, and then unload the fruit and veg or racks and racks of clothing from their vans.  Jasper is such a fussbucket; this morning one chap dropped a whole load of poles and Jasper jumped right up in the air - I did laugh!

The holy owner has been googling my condition, glomerulo nephritis, to see if there's anything else that could be done for me, but she hasn't found anything so far.  Still, I'm taking all the pills the vet prescribed, so there's life in the old (oops, I mean young!) dog yet! 

Had a marvellous 10pm walk last night, not that we go far, just far enough to get comfortable for the night.  There were two 'toowit toowoo' type owls talking to each other and a couple of 'screech' owls too.  Can't think what they find to talk about; they just fly about or sleep, not nearly such an exciting life as we canines.

On the subject of excitement, I'm not wearing my collar at the moment, which makes me feel very daring - haven't been without it since I was a pup.  Thing is, I've got a bare patch on my neck where that nice vet-lady took some blood, and I can't resist scratching it, so I've made it rather sore, just where my collar sits.  So last night the owner took the collar off (she's used to taking dog collars off, if you see what I mean!) and put some special homeopathic cream on my neck.  Very soothing it was.  Also stopped me scratching; I mean, I wouldn't want to get my paws all 'icky would I?

At 6.15 this morning I set off for a walk with my brother and two of the owners.  We stayed together for a bit, but I'm still on slightly reduced rations so after a while we went our separate ways.  This was my chance to put on some speed (don't like to show Jasper up, as I'm the one who's the invalid - he's just lazy!), particularly as we turned towards home.  The holy owner struggled to keep up; I did laugh.  Puffing along behind me she was! 

Anyway, we're all back home now, and I've had breakfast, so I think I'll settle down for a little sleep.  

I'm the better looking one of the two - the black one on the right.  The other one's my brother, Jasper, but this isn't about him; it's about me!

I'm a female standard poodle, just six years old, but I have already lived life to the full.  Admittedly, a lot of it has been spent in doggy hospital, partly because I'm unlucky, partly because I'm naughty, and partly because I'm accident-prone.  (Just don't ask me about the 'fish hook in the bottom' incident, okay?)

Unfortunately, it looks as though my life is going to be shorter than Almighty Dog (no, that's not a mis-spelling; that's what we canines call the One upstairs) originally planned.  I had one of those no-nonsense talks with the vet last night, and apparently I've got something called glomerulo nephritis.  To put it bluntly, the old kidneys (well, young kidneys actually) aren't what they were.  The vet wouldn't give me an exact timescale (you know what these medics are like) but it sounds as though I'd better make the most of this Christmas, as it will probably be my last.

I spoke to one of my owners last night (several people think I'm 'theirs', but the one who matters knows who she is!) and said: "Look, instead of getting upset over this, why don't you arrange for me to have my five minutes of fame and, along the way, it might help other dogs and owners who are going through the same thing."  After all, it's what we're all put on this kennel for - 'love your neighbour', and all that - although I draw the line at the retriever across the road; he's got a funny look in his eye if you ask me!

So, starting from this morning I've got loads of pills to take (I have my own medicine chart) including some squirty stuff through a syringe, which tastes a bit rough, but I get a biscuit straight afterwards.  I've been out for my walk (only allowed to go for half my usual time, until tomorrow, as I had a general anaesthetic yesterday) wearing my new coat (not the one in the picture; that's too big for me as I've lost quite a lot of weight recently), with my brother Jasper dragging along behind me (who's supposed to by ill around here???).  I've had my breakfast, but I'm keeping an eye open because it's owner breakfast time now and, if I'm lucky, someone might just drop something.

Keep on keeping on: I intend to - well, for a while, anyway.