the most pitiful little loaf in the world

The past few days have been pretty much as far from fun, interesting and lovely as one can come - well, I know there are much worse things in life, of course, but nevertheless craptastic they've been - as if me having continued feeling tired to the bone, generally hapless and uninspired wasn't enough - it's a weird cold of some sorts, I won't bother you with the details, but they symptoms are strange and the process very atypical from anything I've experienced before. I'm hoping the Easter weekend will make it go away, if not I suppose I'll have to go and see Doctor Feist next week -

Malte aka little loaf aka loaf dog extraordinaire showed symptoms of not being his usual self either. On Friday afternoon he was tired and started limping on one leg. We hoped he'd get better or at least not worse until my usual vet was back at work on Monday, but when he wasn't eating, drinking, peeing or wanting to walk at all on Sunday we went to the veterinary hospital. With a very dirty, unhappy dog in bad need of a Spring shaving - those extra things that makes one feel like a really bad dog owner.

It was just a horrible visit, I thought it might be some sort of tick-related virus - yes those nasty things have already shown up for the season - but the vet kept insisting it most probably was intervertebral disk displacement, which would mean a very dire, lengthy, perilous, costly process with a bad prognosis "and given his overweight...". Needless to say I was insulted and aghast, angry and devastated, not only was she very categorical with the diagnosis she was also clearly one of those persons who don't know the Norfolk terrier breed. He was admitted to the clinic and they would call us the next day. Home we went with only the leash. One of the saddest situations one can find oneself in.

I talked things through with a dog breeding friend and she assured me things couldn't be as bad, that the vets on call during weekends aren't specialists etc. It made me feel better, but I didn't sleep a wink that night. The next day a very cheerful vet called me and said little loaf was much better, that he rested and walked on his leg again after having had antibiotics. And the issue was something as bizarre as a wound on his left hindleg pad which had led to an infection making its way up to left testicle which also was swollen and infected. Do I have to mention I was once again appalled by the weekend vet who didn't see this but instead basically gave him a death sentence?

The cheerful vet said he wanted to keep him at the clinic another day so he could observe the swelling. Today M picked him up after work. Little loaf isn't his usual self, with all the things he has been through and the antibiotics who would be, but at least he is eating, drinking and likes a cuddle. And he was returned with a strange, but airy shaving, bathed and with his claws clipped, thumbs up for that. For the next ten days there's an impressive amount of wound-care, ointments and antibiotics to be given. Plus he needs to wear one of those plastic funnels. Not a happy loaf. Not very happy cats.

Poor, poor bunny loafie. But I suppose that the fact that he has been completely injured free for 8,5 years is quite an achievement for a dog. I'm glad he's well-insured. And I'm so much more than glad that the initial vet with an obvious lack of competence wasn't the one who continued to take care of loafie. And happiest of all I am that he's back home again!

You are more than welcome to send good vibes and healing thoughts for his speedy recovery.

Not the nicest way to start April, on that we and the most pitiful little loaf in the world agree.