A history of health problems...
At 4 months old along came the first of Homers 'health problems'. After watching him for several weeks I noticed he walked a bit robotic and a couple of times his front leg 'gave way'. He was therefore dragged to the vets, underwent a couple of weeks of rest and pain killer etc, until he was finally diagnosed with OCD.
He was carted off to Willows at Solihull and £3500 later I had a dog with 2 shaved legs resembling a rather gone wrong parisian poodle (he looked like he was wearing furry wellies). After remortgaging the house to pay his vet bills, Homer got back into the swing of things. Well not that he actually was really 'sick'. For a dog with problems (and he has more later), he has never given any sign of being in any discomfort, and has just proceeded in his whirlwind little fashion to cause chaos every day.Just after the 'op' with his shaved legs. Obviously crunching a de-capitated doll was very therapeutic...
And more...
After a couple of pretty good healthly years, at the tender age of 3, Homers cruciate ligament snapped on the
day we were going on holiday. Homer was dumped into the care of my daughter, who had strict
instructions that he was allowed to do nothing but rest. Not an easy feat when he was going to Cornwall for a
week.
Anyway we came back off hols and he was whisked away to Willows where they did TPLO surgery to
repair it (can't recommend it enough, brilliant results)
Felt quite guilty taking him back for more ops. I did warn them that Homer was a bit clingy (understatement) and inclined to protest if they ignored him.
Picked him up the next morning after checking with vet if that was ok ('Please do, we have resedated him just to shut him up, he is on wet towels cos he has a temperature from barking all through the night'..)
The nurse
was great when i collected him, said she was new and that Homer had 'sung to her all night'. I know the song well, I heard it for 12
months solid. I asked if the poor thing (Homer not the nurse) had managed to eat anything..she replied yes
quite happily, it had barely touched the sides. He then came banging through the door with a lampshade on
his head, 'Chappie' dog food plastered all over his nose and a 'I am going to make you suffer for this'
expression on his face
12 weeks after the op, he is back to to prancing around like Tigger again. So that's health issues out the way (hopefully) although there is a 60% chance his other crucuiate ligament
will go - in which case I will be selling the house to pay yet more vet bills and living in a tent!!
