Day 173 0f Ania'sdiary

We were up early this morning and we nearly fooled Ania. It did not take her long to sus out that it was her dog walking day. She got so excited and barked incessantly that by the time we got to the vets she was gasping. I had to stop and massage her throat. Ania was so excited to see her friends and in such a hurry. It was bitterly cold but we took advantage that this was the last day we could walk on the beach and she was so wound up. Since we have been home she has been very tired and her breathing very noisy.
At the moment the dogs have gone for a short walk with my other half and that will be that for the rest of the day.
Fudge has been in a teasy mood today so he had to stay on his lead. There were too many dogs on the beach and I wanted to keep him quiet. His poor little tummy is upset and he has been through so much these past few weeks. Tomorrow we will try and have a restful day.
The sun has shone this afternoon though which makes us all feel a lot better.

Day 172 of Ania's Diary

Ania has been lying here and has just finished a choking fit. All the time we were away she was fine but since our return home even her breathing has been worse. We have to get her through until the 8th of April before her next acupuncture session as the vet will be away.
Today is one of the coldest with this easterly wind which cuts right through you.
All the dogs have had their coats on today, especially poor fudge as his sides are shaved bare.
He was very distressed last night and slept on the bottom of my feet. He has a poorly tummy caused bu all the stress he has been through. In himself today though he is fine and recovered from his seizure.
It has been a busy day and I have been cooking for Ania again. She has not appreciated that  her snacks have come out of a tin.
I think we all appreciate being home although our caravan is lovely and warm.

Day 171 of Ania's diary

What a day this has been. Having to starve Fudge and wait until 2pm to see if he would have his scan or not. Well he did. I took him in at 3pm and collected him not too long ago. His little tummy and side are shaved bare.
It is good news though. He does not have any tumours and kidneys are fine. His liver not quite as it should be but nothing to worry about. next week he will  have several water tests done once again.
If it is a brain tumour we will not proceed but he seems to have recovered well from his seizure and with all the luck in the world it will not happen again.
Last night Ania started choking and gagging , the first time since we have been away.
Today has been bitterly cold and on our walks Ania's breathing has been laboured.
When we are away Ania is fine but on reflection we are walking on all completely flat ground and there are no hills or slopes to climb which we cannot get away from here.
At least we can relax and enjoy our Easter which will be one of hibernation if the weather continues as cold as it is

Day 170 of Ania's Diary

Amidst the snow flurries we packed up the caravan and came home.
Ania was very happy and her breathing is still good. The journey has tire her out.
I managed to get an appointment at the vets with Fudge and tomorrow he will go in for a scan if they have the time to do it.
I have to starve him after 10pm tonight and will not know until 2pm whether he will have it or not depending how their operation list goes. If not we will have to wait for another week.
A very sad day as my dearest frineds dog was put to sllep, her second one in the space of a few weeks.
My heart goes out to her as she is distraught as we both care very deeply about our animals. A  very sad day.
I learnt when we came home that another dear friend has died so all in all not a good day.

Day 169 of Ania's Diary.

It is bitterly cold and we now have snow flurries. Ania is delighted, the ground is drying up and she can go to the fields once again. She is enjoying every minute of her freedom.
Fudge is far from well and his eyes show the misery. Tomorrow if he is well enough we will go home and I will take him to my own vets. If only they could tell us what is wrong with them.
There is no place like home when something is wrong. It is too long a journey to take him if he is not well and nowhere to stop on the way.
We are nice and warm in the caravan which is something but at home we will have our own garden and Fudge loves to spend time out there.
I am restricting Fudges water intake in case it was that which caused his seizure.
Easter is going to be one of the coldest on record I believe.

Day 168 of Ania's Diary

It is not so cold today as it was yesterday. Ania is doing very well indeed and her breathing is much  better.
Fudge is very quiet today and I rang my vet and she said it would be better to rest Fudge for a couple of days before travelling home.. We have had a couple of gentle strolls around half of the village and as it is drying up nicely we have just been across the fields. Fudge went very quietly and did not run around at all.
I would rather be at home in case something happens again but when we get home Fudge will go into the vets . Easter will get in the way but as long as he stays well that is all that matters.
A day spent relaxing, the computer has decided to behave itself so I am hoping I will not have to buy a new one.

There is very little to report today as it has been a very relaxing day one of the very few that I have and I would rather be busy.
The swans and ducks on  Stover Lake

Day 167 of Ania's Diary

Today it is bitterly cold. Ania is still well and her breathing just a little erratic.
Fudge is drinking more than ever and for the past 2 days just would not go to the toilet on his lead.
I decided to once again drive to Stover Park this afternoon. I did not realise that it was only 1 above freezing . Ania and Fudge had a lovely run and we were walking along the pool, met someone I knew and had a chat. We then moved on and all of a sudden Fudge keeled over and went off his legs. He did not know what was happening to him. I shouted for help and a very nice man came and massaged him all over and got him on his feet. A lady offered to carry him to the car but he was on his feet and quite away to carry a 28lb dog.
As soon as he came back he was fine again and all day he has drunk more than ever. I have just spoken to a poodle friend who said it could have been the excess water that flushed his kidneys and went to his brain.I am going to try to withhold the water and make him go longer in between.
He is now in a deep sleep.
You can never tell what is going to happen from one minute to the next and it has been a very frightening afternoon.

I will never be able to thank the stranger properly who helped me out this afternoon.

Day 166 of Ania's Diary

The torrential rain ceased late last night and today we have been left with mist and fine drizzle. The grass is sodden and when I walked the dogs around the village this morning they were so miserable.

I then decided to put them in the car and drive them to their favourite Stover Park.
It was flooded and thick with mud but the dogs were overjoyed as it has been a few months since we have been there. Although we stuck to the paths they were running in water and debris. This did not deter them for one minute.
Ania was so excited that it affected her breathing and we only walked for  40 minutes. This was enough for her. We could not have gone up into the forest though as everything was full of huge puddles. The beautiful lake is now thick muddy water and in places the lake was coming up to meet the path.
Fudge has been drinking more than ever and I have been in and out all evening. One more trip outside and we will all go to bed and at least he will sleep through the night.

Day 165 of Ania's Diary.

48 hours of torrential rain, it is horrendous. Last night was so scary. The river behind us threatened to burst its banks. One caravan was moved and we are now here alone. The dogs were terrified , the grass became thick mud and they were soaked in seconds. Today we have got out twice and each time we waded through flood water.
We cannot go home as driving would be dreadful.
Typing this is a nightmare, the keys keep sticking and I think a new computer will be on the cards.
Ania is well, she has no choice but to sleep and her breathing is good.

Fudge drinks constantly and it is a nightmare taking him in and out in this rain.

Day 164 of Ania's Diary

All night and all today it has rained, torrential and it has started to flood. It was impossible to get into the fields and we have only managed to do two short walks around the village. The minute you step on the grass it is like a sponge and you sink in the mud. The dogs have been brilliant. Abby, only little is the most restless of all and she always needed a lot of exercise.
The river is only behind us and tonight we are on a flood alert. We have moved just in time and we hope that the river will not rise and get to us.
The front of our awning is leaking and we have buckets everywhere. I need to reproof it so we will not go home until I have done so. The thought of driving in these horrendous conditions fill me with horror so we will stay here.
Tomorrow if I have to stay in again I will try and work out just why my camera will not send the computer.

Day 162 & 163 of Ania's Diary.

I have a problem, the photos will not download and the computer is playing up.

Ania is doing well. After yesterdays torrential rain the fields were flooded but we still went across them. The dogs were lagged in mud and I needed to wash their legs. Ania was so distressed at this and broke out of her collar, that the dogs will just have to make do with road walks .
We have had a very stressful couple of days, moving the caravan and clearing up the thick mud from when we were flooded in the awning. Every bone in my body aches.
Fudge is drinking more than ever and wanted to go out at 5.20am this morning. He is such a clean dog and has never made a mess.
Whenever we come to the caravan it either snows or rains and the next three days torrential rain and high winds are forecast. As long as we are dry I really do not worry.
Tomorrow will be an easier day but will have to go and wash a pile of muddy dog towels.
They will all have to be done by hand as they could clog up the washing machine.
Less than a week since I bathed and clipped the dogs and already they look as if they have not been touched for weeks.

Day 161 of Ania's Diary

I have taken  some lovely photos on my phone but no way will they down load on to the computer. It is so annoying as it is a new phone.
Ania is rested today and was up early this morning. AS there was a heavy frost we were able to go across the field but when we came back I had to wash the dogs legs as they were lagged in mud.
They are so happy to be back here.Ania's breathing is very good and we seem to be back on track again. Here in Devon she always could breathe a lot better than at home.
Fudge is drinking as much as ever and it is such a nuisance as the hails were coming down like marbles and he wanted to go out. I get very little time to myself in the evenings as I am in and out.
Tomorrow I will try and sort out the pictures.

Day 160 of Ania's Diary

We are in the caravan!. I was up at 6.15 this morning and Ania being very clever was right behind me.
I went to get the car but it was frozen solid but within the hour it had cleared. By the time we were ready we were on the road by 8.45 an hour later than I intended . We had a good journey up but had I checked 10 miles down the road had heavy snow. If I had known this I would not have travelled but am glad we did.
Last night they had hails that came down like stones and the awning was flooded. I took the dogs across the fields and too my horror not only was it flooded we sank in the mud. My nicely bathed and clipped dogs were covered in mud.
Ania is exhausted. The grandchildren came over and she was too tired too wake up to greet them.
For the first time I took the other 2 for a walk and Ania did not even realise I had gone.

Fudge has not stopped drinking and already we have been out 4 times and the stars are out and it looks as if it is going to freeze tonight.

Day 159 of Ania's Diary

Being Saturday Ania is always up early and alert ready to go on our dog walk. Not this morning. I had such a job to wake her up to get her to the field first of all. Then what happened? The heavens opened and we were drenched..
After that Ania would not stop barking and wound herself up and lost her bark. Despite the heavy showers several people and dogs went but Ania who is usually so excited did not seem to enjoy it. I brought her home and this afternoon she had a very  short walk as she seems so tired.
Tomorrow if it is nice we will go to the caravan and Ania will love it.
I have given up monitoring how much water Fudge is drinking, it is so much but when we come home will start again.
Sunday starts another week and let us hope it will be a happier one.

I have a very dear friend who has a very poorly dog and I have a fear that time is running out. We have such a deep love for our dogs that a lot of people do not understand the anguish we go through when they are so poorly.

Day 158 of Ania's Diary

I am exhausted. Ania had me up so early barking at the door to go out. She ran around the garden like a headless chicken and squatting down. I could not believe it as she had only finished her antibiotics on Monday. So far for the rest of the day she has seemed a lot better.
Now I am retyping this post, my computer is playing me up something terrible and the writing keeps disappearing.
Fudge is driving me crazy, he drinks constantly and is in and out of the garden for half the evening. during the day I can cope but not in the evenings.
On switching on the computer I had some shock news. A poodle friend  has 2 poodles and the 4 year old was taken very poorly and sadly died. Her 5 year old poodle died suddenly last year at the age of 5.
At this moment there seem to be so many people losing their dogs and it is such a sad time.

Day 157 of Ania's Diary

Today has been hectic. The temperatures warmed up and the sun came out. It was time for the dogs to have a bath and clip.
I started on Ania, thinking that her breathing would hamper things. As it is I cant afford to linger and spend hour on her. she was so good and her breathing was very good, in fact the best it had been for a long while. Because of the exertion of this we did not go out on the lunchtime walk.
Fudge came next and half way down his back the clippers decided to pack up. I had to finish him off as best as I could with the scissors.
Abby being very small I was able to scissor but they are all bathed so at least nice and clean. Only last month my old clippers gave up the ghost. As I use industrial clippers they are going to be very expensive to replace. This is not my week as the money is flowing out but not in.
Today I had notification of my pension rise. It was insulting, a paltry 34p!!. How is anyone supposed to manage on that. The bills are horrendous but we have to keep warm. Our savings are draining away.
When we come back from the caravan I seriously have to start advertising my fabric doggy poo bags.

It is time to start clawing some money back in.

Day 156 of Ania's Diary

Ania is so much better, her energy levels are up and her gasping is minimal when on our walk. It has been such a busy day as the car went for a service and needed a lot of work doing.
The other half has had to walk the dogs the rest of the day so they have had to make do with road walks. They do not seem to mind and I am taking the chance to write this in between Fudge drinking so much and having to go out.

I have been down to the vets and got a print out of Fudge's results. They do not mean a thing to me but the Cushings group will analyse them for me. These people in the USA seem to know more about these things than we do.
It was them who sorted out what I could do to help Ania.
The dogs will be counting their blessings. Before we go away they all need a bath and a clip. They do not mind being scruffy but I do hate to see them like this. They should all have had a bath last week but with 2 of them so poorly we could not do it.
Some of my friends on the beach on our dog walking group.

Day 155 of Ania's Diary

It has been a good day. Ania is doing very well and thank good too. The weather is at it's coldest for the whole winter and we went out in -2 this morning. The wind was cruel. It was too cold for my other half to go out so the dogs have had 3 walks in the field below. Because of the freezing temperature I was able to have the field to myself.
It was a rare treat for Fudge to be able to go off his lead , 3 times . Even though he is tired he has been out twice already this evening and his drinking as bad as ever.
Although bitterly cold we are giving up our allotment so I have been down and dug up the rhubarb. It originated from my late Dad and we bought home buckets of it to give away. We will also plant some in the garden.

If all goes to plan we will go to the caravan on Sunday and if all is well we will be able to get on our new pitch. We still have loads of dried mud to clear out of the awning. Once this is done perhaps we will be able to enjoy the summer.

Day 154 of Ania's Diary.

It has been an agonising day. I rang the vets to see if Fudge's test results had come back. They had but the vets kept me waiting nearly all day before phoning me. The latest tests show that he has not got cancer unlike the others. Relief but anger at the agony they have put me through this past week by telling me all of this. I have refused to have any more tests done and we will see if any other symptoms develop.
Ania is doing well but I am sure this is the coldest day of the year. Even I could not stand the searing cold of the north easterly wind and it has been near freezing all day although feeling more like -5.
Our walks were really short and the heating has been kept on to keep her warm . Her antibiotics have finished and I just pray that the cystitis does not return.

Last night I hardly slept so tonight I hope to get a good nights sleep.
The dogs are all desperate for a bath and clip but it is far too cold to do it this weather although I think they will all feel better afterwards.

Day 152 & 153 of Ania's Diary

Did not feel like writing yesterday. Being Saturday it was our dog walking group day. Firstly Ania did not get up and come downstairs until the very last minute. I took them for a short walk before going for toilet duties etc. Her breathing was bad and I was so worried. I wanted to leave her behind but she was having none of it and was determined to go. She gets so excited that the barking made her breathing a lot worse.
We did the walk although very slowly and the group are brilliant . It turned out to be nice weather so we sat on the beach and had a cup of coffee whilst Ania had a rest.
After arriving home Ania was exhausted but still managed a short walk later in the day.
After a much better night Ania seems to have turned the corner and our morning walk was so much better and she is getting back to her bouncy self. Tonight is the last of her antibiotics so hopefully she will get there and that will be another crisis over.
Tomorrow I will wait anxiously all day to see if the results of Fudge's tests come back. I am hoping it will not be as bad as we thought., I had already convinced myself that there was nothing wrong with him. We will then reassess what the future will hold for him. it is like a weight hanging over your head.
This week I am going to update my website, try and get some more bags sold to pay for all this treatment at the vets.

Day 151 of Ania's Diary

Ania took a turn for the worst this morning. Her breathing became so bad that she could hardly walk home.
We had to been in the vets early with Fudge and was so lucky as my vet was there. He arranged for me to go home and get Ania for an extra acupuncture session and Fudge's tests would be fitted around that.
It meant that the pair of them were home with me by lunchtime .
Ania's breathing had not been so bad since we first started the acupuncture. It was the stress of the cystitis that has caused this. She has now gone upstairs on the landing and I am hoping so much that she will get better again.
While Ania was having her acupuncture the vet explained exactly what was happening with Fudge. I would rather know exactly so I know what we are dealing with .
It is going to be next week before we get Fudges results so we are going to try and put it out of our mind and enjoy our weekend.

An exhausting, worrying time for us at the moment.
This photo was taken on the beach last week.

Day 150 of Ania's Diary

It has been the most dreadful day.
Ania at last has turned the corner and her breathing has improved. She is eating well and her waterworks have greatly improved.

We have had the results on Fudge's tests and he has Cushings disease, basically tumour on his pituitary  gland. Tomorrow he has to go and spend the day in the vets for yet more tests.
In the six years I have had him not once has he left us and he is going to hate it as we will too.
We are so worried as the medication will be very expensive and already Ania's acupuncture is costing us a small fortune.
My head aches with it all and we have to try and get our head around it.
The thought of losing my beloved boy is toomuch to bear .

Day 149 of Ania's Diary

Ania has not been at all well. We had rain overnight and our morning walk was very slow as it became very misty. Ania gasped all the way around the field and she looked so miserable. Her chest is rattling a little and I am so worried that she will develop the dreaded pneumonia.
Fudge knows there is something wrong and he would not leave me out of his sight this morning.
I spent the morning cooking biscuits for the dogs.

By this afternoon it had cleared up and the sun came out and we decided to take the dogs to the beach. Ania brightened up considerably but she is her own worst enemy as she will bark in the car and this led to her gasping for breath. I took her toy which would stop her but she managed to lose it before we got very far. It  is much warmer but Ania is now so exhausted. Probably it was too much for her but not fair on the other 2 and they enjoyed it. Tomorrow the exercise will have to be restricted. Hopefully I will have Fudge's test results back tomorrow so it is going to be an anxious day of waiting.
The view of Gyllyngvase beach across to Pendennis Castle in the distance.

Day 148 of Ania's Diary.

This is a real setback. Ania is far from well and this has affected her breathing. It could be the antibiotics as she is not running around like a headless chicken anymore. We only managed a couple of turns around the field this afternoon.
Fudge had his appointment in the vets today for his blood tests. No one thought to inform me that he would be staying in and he had to be starved. Luckily he had not had his breakfast so it was decided to give him the first one, let me take him home and feed him, then back in exactly 2 hours for the next blood test. We did this only to find the vet had gone off sick and I had too wait for another vet. The test was done 40 minutes after the time so I was not too happy at all.
A wasted day. Both yesterday and today we wanted to get down to our allotment to sort it out. the dogs go with us but Ania would not be well enough but as it was warmer today she could have gone for an hour or so.

This week is going badly so hope for a better day tomorrow.

Day 147 of Ania's Diary

Last night and early morning things were going from bad to worse, Ania was in such a state and in and out into the garden and her breathing was terrible.
First thing this morning we were off to the vets and when they tested her water sample it showed she had cystitis and was quite poorly. After a pain killing injection and antibiotics we were home and she was sleeping peacefully. I was supposed to keep her quiet but she was determined to go out.
It was so frustrating when we went out this afternoon, we met someone who had only seen her on Thursday and just would not believe there was any thing wrong with her. Again she said to her daughter, see there is nothing wrong with that dog. Ania wagged her tail and wanted her chew thrown for her. If only she could have seen her 15 minutes later when she was gasping for breath and we had to curtail the walk as she found it difficult to breathe.
Tomorrow Fudge goes for his blood tests. I just cannot believe that I have two poorly dogs. As long as number 3 keeps well.

I have decided that we are a vets dream and they will never go broke with me around.

Day 146 of Ania's Diary

Ania is poorly!. It started last evening when I went to put them out in the garden. She went mental, running around and around and kept squatting down. I then took her out and she went crazy and was in such discomfort.
We were up at the crack of dawn to go out again and I have now worked out Ania has either a water infection or cystitis. It has not helped her breathing as she is in quite a state at times.
The vets have a huge excess if you go on a Sunday so I did my research and found the causticum that she should have for her LP and Vitamin C is what you give. This has been duly given and if she is no better tomorrow off to the vets we will go.
Ania is drinking  a lot more today and so it is impossible to monitor what Fudge is drinking. I just seem to be putting down more and more water.
We have just been for a short walk, it is bitterly cold and has been so windy that the washing dried easily today. Day after day of this dreary weather is so depressing.

Ania always go out with her coat on and when we go to bed she has her woolly coat on. Her immune system is not great so it easy for her to pick anything up.
I am so tired and have been busy cooking the roast dinner and making the bread which has taken up a lot of the day.

Day 145 of Ania's Diary

It might as well have been Friday 13th rather than the 1st March.The day started badly.
We went for our morning walk in the field and a dog, known to be nasty came behind us and Fudge went across the field where the dog attacked Fudge. I shouted at his owner a prominent business man in the town and he rudely shouted at me, no apology forthcoming at all. Luckily Fudge was fine but with all his problems we did not need this to happen.
Although we live in a beautiful place we have very few dogs where it is safe to run the dogs.
Ania is doing well and slept for ages after her acupuncture. She has just managed to fall going up our steps but she is fine. It has been so bitterly cold today so  I have kept the walks short

Tomorrow  is our dog  walk with the vets so it will be great excitement tomorrow morning.