Three weeks and one day…

I can’t believe it’s only three weeks (and one day) since Gandalf’s operation!

He went swimming in the river for the first time yesterday–there were too many waves on the beach. He loved it. And the aquatics people were there and they know him well from previous summers. They were a very appreciative audience, and he got lots of pats and congrats.

Got up early this morning and went to the river again (checked the sea, too rough). It was so early that I forgot his thong…eeek! Luckily I found a nice stick, no nasty bits on it…good swim. But I came home and immediately went on line and bought a harness. There was a heart stopping moment when Gandalf went up stream a bit too far where there are only rocks rather than sand on the edge of the river. If he’d had a harness on, I would have grabbed him I think. But he was pretty cool. I waded in (yep, shoes and all) and directed him to walk along the sandy edge until it was safe to come up the bank.

I stopped the previcox (anti inflammatory) yesterday too. His stomach has been a bit upset, and it might have been that. He seems ok. Happy. He was on the previcox (and before that carpreve/rimadyl) mainly because of his front legs (he’s missing a line of bones in his paws, wrists are basically fused) and he used to get a lot of shoulder pain. The arthritis in his back legs hadn’t been documented then, so I was worrying that he should be staying on it. But I think the wrists fusing now has lessened the chance of that shoulder soreness. So we’ll see. I’ll keep up the 3 monthly cartrophen injections.

Well, maybe not so happy. I left him home today for a few hours.

But when I got home we went to see “the girls” at the veterinary surgery. We have a routine where we weigh in, then he gets treats. 22.9kg. Hasn’t put on any weight, which is good. Saw his lovely Natalie, to whom he gives big kisses (and if he accidentally gives a lick to anyone else, we say “don’t tell Natalie”). Gandalf  isn’t a kissy dog, so these kisses are very, very special!

The physio is coming in the morning, so any sore muscles will be looked after.

I started including a bit of BARF (rabbit variety) in his breakfast and dinner today. Apparently it’s got anti inflammatory properties?

Anyways. Am feeling a bit down because my little Henry Tigger Fang (the first) has to go back for a followup blood test. He’s the most beautiful ginger cat with huge green eyes. He has been a non-visitor to the vet except for vaccinations. A week or so before Gandalf’s operation, he had to have a couple of teeth out, and they did a blood test. I was too distracted really to take in what was wrong, just that there was some abnormality. The vet knew I had Gandalf as priority so really didn’t get into explanations. But I asked the nurse to look it up tonight, and she said something about abnormal platelets blah blah…yes we need to take that blood again. Next week.

Oh yes. And that naughty Gandalf bossy britches mom’s attention is all mine boy. Last night snapped at Angel Piggy Poggy Poodle (white cat, tabby patch on head and tail, formerly feral). Angel is such a cool cat, didn’t care (and there were no teeth involved…I HOPE). But we were all on the lawn tonight with me giving cat pats (Gandalf wasn’t that estatic about it, so was concentrating on his rawhide bone).

Oh and yes. Gandalf got on the sofa today. I think he’s probably done that before, but today I actually saw him. Will organize a platform or something so he doesn’t do too much of a jump. Or I’ll just take the sofa out…:)

On that note, will go give some doggy snuggles.