Saturday 5 December 2009

Lumps, bumps and a new addition

As promised, here's lumpy Jana and some puppy news. It's taken quite some time getting this post up due to computer and photo problems, hopefully these will soon be ironed out. Computers are wonderful...but only when they do what you want them to!

Jana-the-accident-prone-vizsla must have felt it was quite long enough since her last mishap (the wound which required stapling) and came out in quite spectacular hives last weekend. It started with a small lump above one eye and a slightly fatter lip and soon developed into more widespread bumps and a distinctly wrinkly-stocking look to the legs! Since she also brought up her last meal, I suspect it was an allergic reaction to something she ate, the most likely thing being a 'smoked barbecue flavour ' rawhide chip dog treat that she'd had for the first time. She won't be getting any more of those...just to be on the safe side.

Thankfully, the reaction soon subsided and she was back to her normal smooth-skinned self by the end of the next day.

EDIT I should add that Jana was promptly given a steroid injection by the vet and, although she got worse before she got better, she didn't suffer a prolonged itchy spell and has made a complete recovery. I suspect some form of added colouring in the treat was to blame but it's difficult to know for sure. The paps ate the same thing but none of them reacted.


Poor Jana




Now for the good news.

Pansy had a single dog puppy three weeks ago. It wasn't to be the conventional way of entering the world, Pansy did not get down to the serious business of pushing and so a caesarian was required. However, the pup was strong and soon sussed out where the milk bar was. His mother, still a little woozy during the first night, was quite horrified by this strange puppy which was being thrust upon her and had to be encouraged to stay still in order for him to suckle. She would run away from him to start with! That all changed the next day, she gave him a lick or two and then decided that of course he was hers and woe betide any of the other dogs who dared come anywhere near him!

She has proved to be a dedicated mother and, unlike her mother and grandmother, she does do bottoms.


Pansy and son


Three weeks old


He is tri-coloured, you can just about make out his eyebrows




The (contented) End