Rodney sitting

[Funny that mum mentioned Janet in her comments the other day because I saw her in Waitrose today and she said to say hello. So I did.]

Topol, Gail’s mother’s dog, is not well. He’s presently in hospital while vets try and figure out what they can do for him. He’s only seven but it seems there’s something wrong with his heart. Poor Topol. Anyway, Gail and Dave went off to see the vet today and left me in charge of Rodney. Actually they asked me to look in on him from time to time, giving me their back door key. Naturally I did more than look in.

Before lunch (and after I’d cleaned the outside of the ceiling lantern and skylight which had Freya barking uncontrollably when she could see me on the roof) I went and collected him so he could have a play with the girls in the house and garden while I tidied. Of course I shut the laundry door first knowing how quickly he can reduce a bowl of dry dog biscuits to less than crumbs. (He wasn’t happy about that and stood at the laundry door staring at me for quite a while.)

The three of them must have been having fun outside because I didn’t hear or see them for a while.

When it was time for lunch for Emma and Freya (Rodney eats at around 2:30pm) I locked them in the laundry with their food (the puppy door was open for them) and kept Rodney company outside while I made my own lunch.

Having eaten, we all went up the park.

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The thing with Rodney is that he’s a very big and strong dog. If he wants to go one way and you don’t it’s more than a test of will power. We’d only managed to reach the top of the steps into the park and he suddenly disappeared. I looked around and he was sitting behind Max in our drive, wondering what was going on. I called him and, reluctantly, he came.

The next time we managed to go a few feet further but once again he wound up sitting behind Max.

The third time I put a lead on and dragged him to the Avenue of Trees and through the fence to the Queen’s Bottom. After that he was fine. The three of them raced around, chasing Emma’s ball, trying to eat Emma’s ball and generally having very big and small dog fun.

Size difference

Size difference

Everything was fine until it was time to start heading back. Rodney clearly knows his way home and started heading that way. I called him back, setting him straight as to what way we were going. He took some convincing but eventually he understood who was the Boss of the Walk and followed me back to the house.

I left the girls at home then went and fed Rodney next door. Gail had left his food out and told me to just add some water. I put it on the kitchen floor and left him to it. I figured I’d come back in an hour or so and he could come back and play with the girls. But that’s not how things turned out.

Less than an hour later, Dave rang the doorbell to thank and let me know what had happened.

Last night things were pretty grim. Topol had ‘liquid in his heart sacs’…whatever that means. They’d put him to bed thinking the worst which is why they’d called and asked for Gail and Dave to be there. Then, this morning, he was fine. The liquid had gone and wasn’t coming back. He was just as perky as is normal for a dog of seven years…which is why they were home early. He’d been discharged with a full bill of health.

When Dave asked the vet what had been the problem, he said:

“Well…there’s three possibilities when we see this sort of thing. One: It’s some sort of cancer which is generally fatal for dogs. There’s rarely anything anyone can do. Two: It’s something viral. A big nasty germ has managed to infect the dog internally which is playing havoc with his insides. This is usually very treatable and most dogs completely recover.”
“And the third thing?” Dave asked the vet.
“And three: We haven’t got a clue. One minute it’s there the next it’s gone and the dog is 100% fine and dandy and we send him home.”
“And in Topol’s case?” Asked Dave.
“A three,” Said the vet. “Definitely a three.”

And so, with nothing but a few days rest, Topol is once more home and happy and ready to go wrestling with Rodney.

Mmm, nice stick

Mmm, nice stick

He’s such a lovely boy. We all loved having him over for the day.

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2 Responses to Rodney sitting

  1. mum cook says:

    Poor Topal, but good he is all right now. That Rodney wish you had him over while I was there such loving dog just like your two how nice they live next door to each other. I wonder why he kept going back to sit by your car do you think he was looking for Gail and Dave or maybe he wanted an early lunch. Your two look so tiny next to him but they all have a great time.
    Love mum xx

  2. mirinda says:

    Maybe Rodney just thinks Max is cool

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