Tag Archives: Patterdale terrier

What a Difference a Day Makes

Well, someone is feeling 100% better and would happily eat all the meals she missed on her day off.   I must admit I do try and feed her slightly more when she’s hungry because she’s already a skinny little dog.

But the happy light in her eyes has returned and she is back to bouncing like Tigger so I am relieved. I can worry about something else instead like Skippy, (my electric wheelbarrow) who died this morning – dammit.

You would think I would just get used to Pepper’s eating difficulties and learn how to harden my heart and wait it out but I find her visible suffering difficult to watch. I take it very personally and it reminds me of BeAnne’s slow demise which broke my heart.

Anyway, again, Monster’s medical skills obviously worked.

“The best thing we can do is go on with our daily routine”

Meanwhile, outside it goes from the sun shining to violent hail showers in seconds.  Floss and I were tidying the big shed when this arrived.  The noise was incredible and then as quickly as it arrived, it stopped.

Not Well (Again)

Guess who said no to her breakfast (again)?

Guess who is wandering around like a wet weekend feeling very sorry for herself, while making wretching noises and constantly asking to go outside with her tail between her legs?

Well, obviously not Ted – he’s on fighting form, happily eating anyone’s unwanted breakfast/supper/tea/bedtime snacks, etc. Ted, the actual dog dustbin.  I have yet to find anything he doesn’t eat – even broccoli stalks.

Luckily, the excellent on-site nursing staff are very atttentive and taking good care of our utterly miserable patient.

I am not neglecting Pepper either. Today she has had slippery elm, albeit unwillingly, two good sleeps and has now managed to choke down a little bit of boiled chicken, from my fingers – apparently she can’t eat out of her bowl anymore.  OH even went to town (for supplies) via the vet and collected some Promax (probiotic paste).  I bought some pumpkin powder online too.  I can’t think of anything else.

It is a bit all or nothing with Pepper.

PepperPot Update

Pepper is feeling much better again and thank you all for your kind words.  I am sure they helped her.

All four legs seem to work 100% and she is back to being very enthusiastic about food. She has this horrid habit of trawling the ground while she runs looking for anything edible, even if it isn’t.  Nothing stops her and then she is ill again.  She never learns.

This morning Pepper asked to go with me when I was taking the Eggbox (Jimny) out for a spin as it had had a flat battery through not being used very much.  I shoved her in the back and off we went to see a friend and her two Shetland Sheepdogs.

There was lots of running around.

Plus a bit of growling but no fights. The dogs were just establishing boundaries.

Well, Pepper mainly.  She was the only girl and she had to make her point of who was going to Rule the World.  Her, obviously. Them’s her rules.

I had a cup of coffee, a good chat and then Pepper and I went home only to find this…..

While I was having a rest on my bed, I heard weird heavy breathing.  When I looked over to Ted’s unmade bed, I saw Monster had secretly taken up residence, which made him the weirdo as that is only Ted’s bed.  No one else ever sleeps there.

Pepper arrived upstairs and could not believe her eyes either.

It was a very odd thing for Monster to do.  So not like him.  He has been a bit lame recently so I bought him a new bed, which has not got here yet.  I wonder if he will continue being strange once it arrives.

A Worrying Day

Pepper has not been well. She’s wretching all the time, refusing to go on a dog walk (unheard of) and has been on the whole pretty miserable.  She even walked away from her uneaten breakfast.  Not a well Pepperpot.

So I’ve been nursing my sick little dog all day, in the belief that the best cure is nil by mouth (fresh water only) and sleep. I did give her 5ml of slippery elm in a syringe this morning which I think has helped to calm things down.

I have no idea who or what Pepper has eaten or even how she found it as she was already on house arrest since running after a mountain hare (it luckily escaped) and then produced a limp out of nowhere, which became steadily worse all evening and even added a back leg. As Pepper could no longer walk, we were carrying her around the house, and garden and I was very frightened for her, worrying all night. But suddenly the next morning, of course Pepper was fine again, all limping gone but hence the 24 hour house arrest, just to be sure.

I hate it when Pepper is ill but on a good note, though, she is a sweetie and always takes herself outside to be sick, which I appreciate hugely.

Into my shed we went this afternoon, for peace and quiet.  Pepper slept a long time, which was exactly what I wanted for her.

Afterwards I let her outside to run around a little while I fed the ducks, etc.

When we got inside, I gave Pepper some supper and she wanted to eat it so hopefully whatever was bothering her, is now leaving her system.  Honestly, I’ve never known such a dog with so many troubles.

Busy Doing Nothing

Another lovely day and, by choice, I have done nothing much because I just don’t feel like it.  I took no photos, didn’t go for a walk, or do anything.  Floss, on the other paw, has run around all day and even cooked supper too.

Last night I almost saw the Northern Lights.

This photo was taken by precariously holding my phone from the bathroom window. They never really got going, or if they did, I wasn’t aware of it.

So it is a boring blog because I wanted a day off from all my days off of total inactivity.  I felt lazy today. A chocolate-eating day, if you will and yes, I did share my chocolate with Flossie while she whisked past with the hoover.