Update on the dog poo/poop wormery
We’ve had our dog poo wormery for a month now. Finally the worms have got up to speed and are digesting all three Min Pin’s daily poo. The trick is to build up slowly – initially just adding small amounts as needed and disposing of the rest of the poo in the usual way. Despite being small dogs our three Min Pins produce a surprisingly large amount of poo – probably the equivalent to one large dog or two medium sized dogs. I was lucky that I discovered a wormery that came with 1500 worms (most are supplied with just 500) so we...
read moreDiabetes in dogs: The Contessa has just been diagnosed with this condition
We noticed that The Contessa was suddenly pencil thin, drinking a lot, having accidents around the house and generally off colour. She was eating well and responding with delight to cuddles and massages. But the weight loss was dramatic, fast and worrying. The Contessa is a sprightly 10 year old Min Pin. She is Danny’s secret favourite gem. And we’d both hate to lose her. Yesterday I crept down with her into the garden at dawn and managed to get a urine sample by slipping an old saucer under her. A dip stick test at our vet’s (Swayne...
read moreUpdate on Inca
Inca is still being cared for at the Animal Health Trust. We get daily updates from the vets. She has been stable for three days now and is eating. The infectious diseases tests are due back today. Depending on the results they can balance the correct medication for her condition. I also got a call yesterday morning from a vet at our local practice – she had been up at the AHT and visited Inca. “I gave her a stroke but she’s still very shaky.” We are missing Inca like mad. I hadn’t realised how this little dog has got under my...
read moreCanine meningitis
At five yesterday evening the phone rang. “Hello this is Lara. The results have come back from the spinal tap. Inca has meningitis.” My head whirled. People die of meningitis. “Is it treatable?” “Yes but she has bad meningitis. She needs to stay with us.” “Is it contagious?” “No canine meningitis is not infectious. Your other dogs are safe.” It’s been a bit of a roller coaster ride with Inca – she was deteriorating fast. So she was finally referred to the Animal Health Trust yesterday morning. They are running other...
read morePet insurance
No time for tunnelling today as Inca is ill. She wasn’t well yesterday and a lengthy trip to the vet threw up few clues. She was vomiting all night – white bedclothes are great for working out how much this has happened. So it was back to the vet today. Inca is insured but we have to pay the vet’s bills and then claim the money back from the insurance company, which can take months. The balance on my account was sparse so I plucked up the courage to say that I couldn’t actually pay any more bills – yesterday’s was over 60...
read moreSnoozing with Min Pins
The Min Pins are not “tuck us in and we’ll sleep right through the night” dogs. They are miniature guards that protect us from rats and mice and stray broccoli. Yes you read that right. Last night Inca went hunting and caught a head of calabrese that somehow had become separated from the rest in the carrier bag hanging on the back door of the cottage kitchen. I was alerted by an extra heavy thud as she landed on the bed, mouth clasping broc. Too sleepy to care I was lulled to sleep by the rasp of teeth on crisp broccoli....
read moreTelepathy
The Contessa our senior Min Pin bitch is nearly ten years old. She is a beautiful dog and would have been a perfect show dog if her temperament was a little more grounded. Early trips to the vet meant that Dr Quito came too. She would only be examined if I was ‘examining’ Dr Q on the other end of the bench. She has been through the mill in terms of illness too. A delicate dog with a huge personality. Once when we were away she tried to ban my mum from using the sitting room. My mum won, needless to say. And The Contessa lay on her back...
read moreZebedee the Houdini hen
When our new Italian hens arrived I divided our long run into two. The old flock of four bantams and one Maran stayed on one side. The Italians took over the other side. This was largely due to the size of Baby. This tiny Leghorn runt needs to grow a lot more before both flocks can safely combined. The Italian hens are very different from our flock. Lazing in the sun, taking endless dust baths and staying up much later to strut on the roof of the Ken Doherty Day Centre. The Min Pins are still fascinated by them and sit in the long grass...
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