Dylan at St. Andrew's School

WTDT is running a KCGC Bronze Award Course for young people. To promote this activity which is paid by Croydon Council Karen, I and Dylan and Chucky went to St. Andrew's School in Croydon today. There were lots of children which crowded us, but although Dylan and Chucky sometimes were a little overwhelmed with the sheer numbers, they did really well and were very good with them all.

Afterwards we went for a short run on Purley Way and a cup of tea at Karen's. At home I gave them all a bone, which they enjoyed. And Dylan is now knackered and sleeping. :-)

Training class

I took Dylan to SEDTS pet obedience class on Wednesday just to give him some 1-2-1 time and a little something to keep his brain sharp and give him a bit of socialisation time. He really enjoyed it and hasn't forgotten anything - even the sending to a mat he did perfectly! He had a big smile on his face, he had a great time.

Two lumps removed

Dylan's had a little collection of fatty cells on one of his nipples and it grew very slowly and became pinker. At the week-end of 23rd July, it had grown a bit more and I thought I'd have to have it checked by the vet to make sure all is well. When I looked at it on Monday evening, it had trippled in size and looked very angry red. I took him to see Mark on Tuesday who said it needed to be removed. I didn't have time on Tuesday and Dylan had already eaten, so he was booked in for Wednesday.

Tuesday evening I came home, looked at the lump again and touched it... and with that it burst a load of slimy blood into my hand. I cleaned it all up, put a plaster on it and took him to Mark's on Wednesday morning. Mark said it had to come off still as it didn't look very nice.

During the surgery, Ian then called and said he'd found another lump on his hind leg that he would like to remove as well, which of course I agreed to.

Luckily a few days later, we go the good news that the lump was just a benign tumour and the burst lump was an infected teat. Everything has healed up now, I took the stitches out yesterday and it's all looking good! What a relief!

Here is the man with his t-shirt on when he still had the stitches in a few days ago:

And here's a couple with Bérénice who was staying with us for a week.

And here's a couple of me and the gang

11th BIRTHDAY

HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY, my beautiful boy! It was yesterday and we celebrated in style with friends coming over last night for a little get-together!

I can't believe my boy is already 11! He doesn't look it and most of the time doesn't act like it either which is great. He does get more tired on walks after going mad, but that is to be expected.

Love you so much, Dylan!

Thyroid fine too

I took Dylan back to see Mark today for his thyroid test. I do feel he is a little more tired lately, so was keen to see the T4 results. Well, Mark is now able to do this test in-house, so within 15 minutes, we had the results and it was perfect (35 I think it was), so nothing to worry about there. In addition, we did a more general test just in case (liver, kidneys etc) and all the results looked perfect. That's excellent, Dylan's passed his MOT without problems and I am over the moon. So he will come to the chiropractor at the end of the month to get his spine straightened out again after two tumbles he took (once running over my leg and once when Flash ran into him a couple of weeks ago). Perhaps that's what is slowing him down, or it may just be age related. But for now, I am simply happy that all the results for the blood tests were perfect! Yipee.

Yearly check up and vaccination

Well, it's that time of the year again to see the vet for vaccinations and check up. Dylan has only had lepto vaccination for the last two years, so would have been due a full set of vaccinations. However, I have decided to titre test him this year. I am positive that he will show full immunity. Also meant to do the thyroid test, but I forgot that it had to be at least 4 hours after meds and it was only 2... so that was out! Never mind, will have to go back for that. Mark said that Dylan was in good shape, which is always good to hear from a vet especially considering that it will be Dylan's 11th birthday next month!

Dylan took a tumble

We went to the country park early this morning as always and I just crossed over the stream across the concrete bridge. Dylan ran up behind me and must have tripped over my leg as he went flying ending up on his side... and not putting weight on his right hind leg when getting up! After some limping and some panic on my side, he was absolutely fine again after 10 minutes or so! Phew!

No more limping

Dylan's been on lead for two weeks and a bit now (they were all at Karen's last week-end as I was away in Switzerland) and I hadn't even used Rymadil because he hadn't been limping at all from the day after the vet visit...

Yesterday was the day where I let him off lead again and waited anxiously whether the limp comes back... but it didn't. Yippeee. He's been off lead this morning too and running around like a loon, and still no limping. It looks like he just hurt himself a little last time.

Limping

Two weeks ago, Dylan suddenly started limping on his front leg. It was so faintly though that I couldn't even work out what leg it was. I kept him on lead until Wednesday and he wasn't limping at all, so I let him off lead. Within 5 minutes though he was limping quite badly.

I took him to see Mark and he suggested x-rays... probably thinking the same as me... better safe than sorry as lurchers and older dogs are particularly prone to osteosarcoma. X-rays came back clear with a little something around a toe, but nothing drastic. Mark sent it on to Fitzpatrick to get their interpretations, but I haven't contacted them yet to find out about it.

Dylan has been on lead for 10 days now and he is not limping at all, he wasn't limping from the following day of the x-rays so I haven't actually given him any Rimadyl either which Mark prescribed...

I'll book Dylan in for this Thursday (when I am off) to have a chat with Mark, but I guess he'll be able to go off lead again after that and we'll see what happens.

10th Gotcha Day on 22nd March 2012

I can't believe that it is already 10 years since I have adopted Dylan! And what an excellent decision that was. I was looking for a standard poodle at the time and ended up with Dylan instead, what a great twist of fate and I have never regretted it as Dylan introduced me to the wonderful saluki!

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY, my special boy! Love you so much.

Update - a new lump

Just two weeks after Dylan's lump was removed last year, another (much bigger) lump appeared right next to the one that was removed. Only this one is close to his armpit. Mark said it was a fatty lump too and that if it grows it should be removed. It was growing very quickly at the time, but I decided to watch it a little and it has stopped growing, so I haven't had it removed yet. I'll watch how it goes and let Mark check it again next time we are due at the vet's.

Other than that, Dylan is doing great, fit and healthy without any problems.