Saturday 11 February 2017

A trip to the vet / recuperation in Torridon


First things first: I know some of my kind friends are anxious to hear the latest on my poorly paw and what happened at my appointment with the vet on Thursday evening.

Well my vet, whose name is Katrine, agreed with Gail (and me) that the horrid Apoquel tablets were not doing me any good at all, and so I have stopped taking them. Katrine is concerned that my sores are still seeping and apparently infected, despite three weeks on antibiotics. So eventually I allowed her to take a 'swab', which is being sent off to a lab for testing, and I may get a different antibiotic when the results come back. I do not have a high temperature - I will not go into how she found that out...

For the itchiness, apparently there is another medication I could try, but in fact my paws are not as itchy as they were and so we are "seeing how things go"  this week.

Needless to say, the frequent paw washing continues.


Perhaps you will have figured out from nice view behind the sink that we are at the Torridon cottage for the weekend. Hooray!

It is true that I still do not feel like walking very far, so when we woke up this morning and saw the weather was, for mid-February in NW Scotland, quite spectacularly lovely and sunny, I suggested Gail go for a walk by herself, and maybe take some pictures to show me later. I know from experience that if Gail does not get her regular outdoor exercise, she can become grouchy alarmingly quickly. And as for myself, I envisaged a few hours happily curled in front of the wood-burning stove, dreaming of my forthcoming date with Nurse Addi....

So this is the photo Gail came back with.


It only took a momentary glance for me to realise that this would not do at all. Something important was missing! It is part of our unwritten contract that this blog supplies its readers with pictures of our stunning Scottish landscape, but also that these should where possible be enhanced by the presence of a certain handsome wire-haired fox terrier.

What to do? A dilemma indeed.

In the end I persuaded Gail to take me for an afternoon drive around Loch Torridon, stopping at various scenic spots so I could pose for photos which might meet the high standards my friends have come to expect, without me having to hobble too far.

I hope the results are to your liking.


 
 
 


Last but not least. A most generous spirited and thoughtful blogging friend took pity on me for having to wear the dreaded 'lampshade' and sent me this soft collar all the way from France Profonde. It is super comfy, and came ready decorated with a few furs which may possibly once have been attached to a much loved PON.
 

The collar is very chic, don't you think?

I am wondering, if I were to accessorize it with a black beret, then might someone reward me with a wee sliver of croissant...?


28 comments:

  1. Bertie bless your little brave heart. You are such a trooper. I think a change of scenery is what you need and for sure good for Gail and the weather is spectacular. Wow thank you for these stellar view of your lovely Torridon and thank Gail for her photography and for driving Mr. Bertie around to pose. As for the kind gift of the soft collar I thin a wee bit of red tartan plain would be a great accessory
    Hugs to you and your devoted Gail...she is a keeper please keep us posted on the swab results
    Yours truly
    Madi your bfff

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  2. Hari OM
    Those beauty shots hit the bill pawfectly, Bertie dear. Glad you are off the nasty stuff and there's an element of let's see... though it does require some patience and forbearance, one appreciates. The new collar is indeed rather chic. Can Gail knit beret's too, I wonder??? Hugs and wags (and cont'd POTP), YAM-aunty xxx

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  3. You look Shakespearean in that collar Bertie. We hope that without the drugs you at least feel a little bit better.

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  4. We totally agree, Bertie. Pictures featuring a doggie are MUCH more interesting. I can't believe SOPHIE sent you her collar!! 'Course we're sure she never wants to see it again! Soooo, fourth photo from the bottom... is that some sort of trap? Lobster? Crab? Do tell. And in the photo above that one, are you giving us a hint about how the vet knew your temperature??

    -Otto and Osa

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    1. The cages are for catching prawns (langoustines). Gail says they are delicious, but most are exported to Spain.

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  5. Bertie, we're so sorry to hear that your poorly paws aren't better yet. However, what a beautiful place to recuperate in, you lucky boy. Those photos would not be the same without your handsome self to grace centre-stage.
    It was very nice of Sophie to send you her soft collar, and we hope you won't need it for long.
    I know all about how the vet lady would find out about your temperature - ours finds out mine the same way !!
    Has Gail considered buying you some doggy shoes to wear when you go outdoors? They might help, and protect you from nasty germs on the ground.

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    1. Gail says: Thank you for the shoe suggestion. Believe me, I have tried various forms of protective footwear, but the weatherproof ones (even the supposedly soft ones) are still stiff enough to be very uncomfortable on his sores and so Bertie will not move an inch when wearing them. I even tried a bigger size and lining them with baby socks, but still to no avail..So I have concluded that walking him where possible on dry ground ( which can be hard to find in the Scottish winter) and washing his feet the minute we get back is the best option for now. Since last week, I have also been asking his dog walkers to wash his feet post-walk, something I had previously been reluctant to do as although he's fine with the bathing bit, he doesn't at all like having is paws patted dry, even very gently. But this new routine does seem to be helping damp down the itchiness, reinforcing the theory that the problem is some sort of contact allergy.

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  6. That was from Inca of course !
    She gets quite upset when I forget to sign off with her name !

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  7. that looks great on you... and it makes you a pee-r somehow... Lord Bertie... yes, that is great...

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  8. Crikey Bertie that first photo is mighty pretty but I must say the ones with you are much, much better. Mum nearly flipped her lid when she spotted the one of your cute little derriere. Oh and I'm so glad you've got that soft collar thing instead of the old cone. So much more comfy, aye and you're right ..... a black beret to go with it would be very becoming and I'm sure it would earn you some very tasty treats.

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    1. Oh and Bertie ...... I don't suppose it would help and maybe Gail has tried it already but our Lucy used to have very bad problems with her feet in certain months of the year. Mum used to put some oatmeal in the bottom of an old stocking and tie it up and then stand Lucy in a dish of warm water with the oatmeal stocking in it. she would squeeze the oatmeal stocking all over Lu's feet. It really helped her a lot. She wouldn't rinse it off either. Just let it dry off naturally. It didn't cure Lu but it sure helped her.

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    2. Gail says: thanks for this suggestion. An oatmeal treatment sounds benign and soothing at the very least, and of course here in Scotland the raw material is readily accessible!

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    3. Hari OM
      Oh yes, oatmeal of course... I used that for Jade when she had a general skin itch one particularly hot dry summer. It worked a treat! Yxx

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  9. Bertie: thank you for the touristy terrier photos, and for the one of you patiently soaking your feet in the sink.

    And Teka loves the Peek tail. (her spelling) Her intended meaning I think.

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  10. Oh rats, we do want that paw to get better! Gail must be sick with worry! The photos and scenery are beautiful but really we are just thinking of our pal!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  11. 'Recuperation in Torridon'...such sweet sounding words. The best place to be. AND it looks like the weather agreed!

    So beautiful. SHE says if SHE had a view like that, perhaps our windows wouldn't stay smudgy for long.

    Nice of Sophie to donate one of her soft collars. We're sure she's happy to get rid of it.

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  12. We are so happy you have so much beauty surrounding you whilst you are healing Bertie. We sure hope those pawsies feel better soon!

    Arty also wears a similar Elizabethan collar during allergy season!

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  13. Hip Hip Hooray! I found a new Dog Blog. :=) The new soft collar looks as good on you as it did on Sophie. I hope you stop itching soon. Beautiful Pictures.

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  14. Very Chic Bertie. Beret or top hat would be an absolutely spiffing look. How special for Mlle Sophie to think of you. By the way do you have any Dandie Dinmont friends

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    1. Sadly, no Dandie Dinmont friends. Its a very rare breed of dog these days, in Scotland at least.

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    2. I think it is a world wide thing these days. I used to breed them and another breed and they were the most delightful characters, though not quite like your goodself.

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  15. So hope that you get better soon. That certainly looks the place to be to recuperate - so beautiful! Take care and look after yourself - nose licks and love from Moth xx

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  16. You were so brave to go out to get those pictures despite your poorly paw! No sacrifice is too great to uphold blogging standards!

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  17. Dear Bertie,

    That all sounds very annoying. I am glad you got a non-lamp-shade collar, at least that's a little better! And YES, all beautiful scenery photos are incomplete with a Dog!

    We hope your paw problems get figured out soon!

    Licks,
    Cobi

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  18. Bertie - Glad the collar made it safely. Does a paddle in the loch not stop the itching ?

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    1. Oh Angus, how could such a kind chap as yourself suggest such a thing? And just when I have trained Gail to understand that one's paws should always be bathed in nice WARM water...

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  19. Poor Bertie...there you are on holiday and you can't go hiking :(
    At least you have a handsome "get well" collar and sympathy in the form of croissants!

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  20. Happy Valentine's Day Bertie and Gail We do so pray that your paws could heal quickly. Love does not need a reason. Pure love will come from the heart without reason and it’ll stay every season. Yep that is a dog's love.
    Thanks for being a friend
    Sweet William The Scot

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