Retriever Rescue

Just thought I'd let everyone know what's been happening in our household these last few days.

Our daily walks take us past our vets, and every time we pass Gordon and Codie just have to call in for a "chat". Last Thursday whilst we were having our chat, the nurses asked when Codie was going to be spayed. Codie came to live with us in August last year, and has had two seasons. After being regularly scanned nothing was showing up, so it was decided that spaying would be the best thing to do, just when was it to be done. Well seeing that the fluffies have their breakfast after their walk, the nurses and vet, decided Codie should be spayed there and then. Imagine Bob's face when I walked out with 2 dogs, and back in with only 1. I thought divorce may be on the cards!!

Thankfully it was so the right decision to make as when the vet opened Codie up she was in the first stage of pyometra, known as mucometra, where the uterus is full of pus. It could have been such a different story.

Anyway one very tired, spaced out little girl arrived home at tea time on Thursday, minus her baby basket. Things progressed well until Saturday, when all Codie could do was cry. If we cuddled her she settled down and slept next to us.

On Sunday both Bob and I had to go out, and I arrived back first to a mess never been seen before. The dogs beds in the hallway were rucked up to glory, our duvet and pillows had been dragged off our bed and piled onto the floor, and when I went into the lounge the covers off the sofas had been piled into the middle of the room, the cushions piled on top, and right in the middle at the top were a pile of Codie's toys. Yes you guessed it in one - phantom pregnancy. Apparently this can be quite common when a bitch is spayed and they have a mucometra.

So today at the vet's check up we have got some hormonal drugs which will take down the symptoms, and hopefully convince Codie she is not pregnant. I tell you something she has been flat out asleep all day today, she must have totally exhausted herself with all her hard work yesterday. As Jan said today Gordon would have been no help at all - he probably thought she had gone slightly mad.

I will keep you all posted with the progress. Just goes to show though that if a bitch is not going to have puppies, it is the most sensible thing to have her spayed.

Oh dear, poor Mini Me.
Hope all going well with her now, sounds like you've all had a rough time. Just proves that it can be a good thing with an older bitch to have them speyed. Heard of this happening before, when they are in for speying it is found that the poor girl has got Pyo' and it isn't nice.

Love to G.G and M.M. and you both.

Big Kisses from Ginnie and Cobi to Codie and Gordon

Yes that was lucky... just in time.... poor little girl


I've had two goldens now that have had pyometra. The first time Ceili who was 11yrs, I knew something was not right, got her to the vets in time, 48 hours and the worst would have happened. Jasmine was also 11yrs and had just come to live with us permanently, straight to the vets.... I like that expression the 'baby basket' was removed.....

I know the vets tell you NOT to put anything on a dogs wounds when it has has surgery, BUT I use hypericum and calendula cream ( recommended by a homeopathy vet Christopher Day in his book) it is a natural painkiller for nasty painful wounds, and it seems to heal the wound much quicker, Ginnie had it on her leg after cruciate surgery. We've always found it easier to have them on the bed between us incase there is any crafty scratching during the night !!!! bells on Ginnie's collar and a sweatshirt arm cut up and put around her leg.
We found 2 lumps on Abby's tummy close to her 'nippers', lumps removed and spayed at same time, Cobi after she was spayed and now Ginnie after her removal of the nasty warty cysty thing last Thursday, (she has 12 stitches) it calms the dog down and stops them wanting to have a go at the wound. Holland and Barrett have Nelsons Hypercal (buy one, second half price at the moment £6.22 for the two) good for humans too !!!


The list you get from the vets don't do this... don't do that.... when they have been spayed.... we collected Cobi from the vets and the little devil shot straight upstairs and onto our bed !!!

I am SO glad for you all that this was found in time.
Our first Golden, Leigh, had it at 12 years old. Took her to the vet with a discharge. She suspected it right away and kept her in. Unfortunatly, she was in the last stages and we lost her within 3 mths.
Ella was 3 when she came to us, and because we didn't know her history, we had her spayed after her first 'season' with us. Our Vet also said that if you are not going to breed from them, it is wise to have them spayed.

Hope everything goes well for Codie and she settles down ok

Thankyou everyone for your kind comments. I will be visiting Holland and Barrett today for the hypercal. Bob has been sleeping in the front bedroom last week as I had a stinking cold so it has just been me and Codie in the big bed - much to Gordon's disgust he can't get up onto the bed any more. Definitely easier to catch out the secret scratching and licking, and much easier than sleeping on the floor!!!

Anybody got any solutions for the incessant whining from Codie that starts in the evening??!! Cuddles don't even seem to settle her, usually lasts for about 3 hours. Gordon just raises his eyebrows and goes back to sleep, oh if only we could all do that.

Hope Ginnie is doing OK after her op xxx.

So pleased you are all alright. What a week and it's only Tuesday.

I am afraid I have no solution for the whining is that since the op or all the time. Perhaps John will have a suggestion when he looks in. He is just a mine of wonderful info.

One of mine had a pyometra at four that was a bit of a shock but we were lucky as it was an open one so we were soon aware and at the vets in no time. She was very poorly for a time but then lived a long and happy life.

Glad Codie is OK


We brought our mattresses (they zip together) and all our bedding downstairs on Thursday night as the vet had said not to let Gin try to make it upstairs just yet..... Friday night when I when I went up to change the little madam was determined to get up those stairs.... and had to be steered and turned around like a big stubborn sow... Ginnie whinged in the early hours that night and I put some of the hypercal on her wound and she settled down, she has settled everytime I've put some on (it maybe Codie's hormones, but Ceili used to make chimpy noises and she was like a brooding hen especially when she picked up a certain squeaky toy)
I'm feeling a bit wopped out...it's called lack of sleep... thinking you can hear crafty scratching, and she's just turned herself around.

Cobi totally ignored us after we dropped Ginnie off at 8am on Thursday, we took her with us to the vets telling her Gin wasn't going to be long.... she walked out of the room and refused to take toast or bits left for her on the plate, you could almost hear her cursing us under her breath, I took her for another long walk and she could hardly look at me... she was very respectful towards Ginnie for the first couple of days..but now if she could get away with bashing her she would... had to stop Ginnie from playing with Cobi this morning.

Sending best wishes to all the goldies that are unwell and hoping for speedy recoveries for you (and an end to sleepless nights and worries for the Mums and Dads).

Thanks Honey's Mum

Vet very pleased with Ginnie this afternoon, even though she has had a sneaky scratch !!!

Hope Codie is making good steady progress

and we send to Woody

Thank goodness you called into the vets and the nurse just happened to ask the question. Poor Codie she must be so confused but hopefully the hormones will start to kick in and work quickly. Gentle hugs for her and Ginnie as well

xx

Hi everyone, thought it about time I updated re Codie. At last the whining and whingeing has stopped and she is doing really well, apart from licking her scar (it must be itiching now) things are really good. She is back to her normal self thankfully!!

Hope Ginnie and Woody are coming along well also.

I don't know the things we put ourselves through for the sake of our ever loving four legged friends - wouldn't be without them though.

Thanks again to everyone for your support and care.