Mental Midget

I only seem to post her when I have a crisis or a problem. My little girl dog Pixie has just had emergency surgery. She developed Pyomentra. This is nasty nasty. Pixie was booked in to be spayed in two weeks time. When I got her my vet advised me to let her have her first season then wait two months before spaying her as this would be when her hormone levels were back to normal. She advised me not to have her spayed before her first season as she wouldn't be fully mature and it could have some effect on her growth plates. Before anyone shouts me down and says it's my fault for not having her spayed - I followed the advice given to me by my vet. A very nice Austrailian lady. Anyway back to my tail (sic) - Pixie was out of sorts on Saturday, off her food, waning to lie on my lap all day, and getting more and more lethargic. She had also underwent a personality transformation. She's normally a happy, friendly, funny and placid wee soul but boy did she scare Merlin (her partner in crime) and Archie (ruby KCS staying wth us at the moment). It got to the stage where if either of them looked at her she was growling this really evil growl. Late last night I noticed she had a yeuky green dischage from her vulva and it was very swollen. So I called my Vets out of hours number. I told her all the symptons and she told me to keep an eye on her and if she got worse to call and get her to the surgery but to get her up to the surgery this morning (sunday) at 9am in anycase. Pixie in the long tradition of ill Skinkids and Furkids - perked up and was zooming about the house and garden at 2.30am. Long and short of it - We were at the vets at 6am this morning and the vet did diagose pyomentra and admited her for surgery. She's on a drip for fluids and antibiotics and I just want her home now but she's to stay overnight at the vets. Merlin is searching the house and garden for her and giving me hacky looks and wee Archie is looking more dazed and confused than usual. As I type this Merlin looks miserable and depressed and is making more corgi noises than he normally does. I'd never heard of this potentialy life threatening condition before and I just want other people with little girl dogs to be aware of it.

Yup it's Northumberland in the UK. I've never noticed tinned tripe before but then again I've never looked for it! I presume I might find it in the feed store. I'll need to keep my eye out next time I'm in.

Archie - bless him ! Thanks to everyone for the advice. I honestly didn't know best practice about grooming and his ears . His Mummy is still very ill but the prognosis is good for her. I hope we are counting down the weeks now to Archie going home to his mummy. He is such an adorable little character and the Slavettes and I want him to have a happy time living with us. The heart thing - well apparently when he was still with the breeder he was diagnosed as being grade 5 and since then his own vet has arranged for various things/tests/consultations and the grade five went to grade 6. I had him along at my vet today and he more or less confirmed I have a very frail and possibly ill little boy. I've to try keep him calm - Lordy!- and not get him over excited. He's had his ears "combed" and loved every moment of it and he seems quite delighted wearing a scrunchie. I had thought about that but didn't know if it was "Allowed". I didn't know what diet Archie was used to before he came on his "holidays" so I fed him the same as I do the Crazy Combat Corgis . I now know not to feed him the same amounts. Please understand this wasn't any fault on his Mummy's part for not informing me. He came to live with me because his mummy became very very ill over a very very short period of time. My vet has gave me some good tips and pointers to go on. He did say that the Crazy Combat Corgis were the only Corgis he'd came across as a vet who weren't fat. Any advice you can give me about caring for Archie - I NEED- The slavettes and I just want him to be a happy wee boy.

Cavandra I feel so ignorant and I know that is no excuse. I honestly didn't know that there were two different breeds. He does like to hide away in boxes or under chairs when the Combat Corgi's get a bit OTT- I have to say that both of them are very gentle with him. Do dogs sense other wee dogs are a bit "special" or more fragile? I don't want to upset his Mummy by asking. I'm being a coward I know. Is there anyway I can tell? As for his Heart - well his mummy knew when she "adopted" him all about it. She had to sign a thing the breeder presented her with. She got him home at 8 weeks . This was way too young in my opinion but to be honest my opinion of the breeder was PUPPY FARM. She was dead set on Archie - the breeder had gave her pix and web cam of the mummy and pups. I hate to say it but she's been sold a pig in a poke. I just want to care for Archie best I can Ane - the ear stuff . I was scared to give his ears a good comb/groom, slavette #2 is scisors in hand cliping off any knots. Now I don't know if this was/is a good thing. we are learning on the paw so to speak. We had read that knots and tangles in a coat could lead to sores on the skin and it COULD be better to clip the knots out. We need the advice. We just want Archie to have a nice life. The wee soul doesn't know if he is coming or going at the moment. He is missing his Mummy.

I have a little Ruby King Charles Spaniel staying with me at the moment. It's a long story as to why he is now living with me, The Crazy Combat Corgis and the the slavettes. The long and short of it is - My friend is very ill at the moment and is unable to look after herself nevermind Archie. I've never had to care for a King Charles Spaniel before and I really need some advice about how to make sure I'm doing it right. His ears are one of my concerns. I am grooming him daily (to avoid tangles and knots in his coat)but how do I look after his ears? I have him booked into a grooming parlour to be groomed professionaly but they are very busy and that appointment is 2 weeks away. The other concern I have is that he has Mitral Valve Disease grade 5-6. I know this is a very serious thing and any advice with this is very welcome. General info about Archie He's a year old in August, desexed at about 5months, was the "runt" of the litter, is very leggy and has a slight build.(to me anyway but I'm used to corgis), he seems very excitable, he may be small in stature but he has the heart of a lion. He is very sweet and very affecionate. One last bit of info - he hoards things in his little crate. It can be the lost shoe (he doesn't chew them), the missing school tie, the keys to the orange bubble, hair brushes - anything. I don't know as yet if Archie is staying for a short time or if he may be staying permamantly at the moment, as I said his mummy is very ill and it depends on her recovery.

Pixie and Merlin can be washed every day if they find smelly stuff to roll in on our walks ! Normally only if they need it, neither get a doggy smell and I don't use conditioner

Just don't do what I did when getting a crate - now known as "It didn't LOOK that BIG in the shop - I had never used a crate before. I was convinced that buying one was a good idea after my two Crazy Combat Corgis were left alone for the first time. I popped to school to pick up the Slavettes and in the 40 minutes(max) they were home alone was long enough to leave our house looking like a demolition site. After cleaning up about 16 trees worth of loo roll, and popping the was-clean-when-I-left-clothes back in the washer, setting dining room chairs back where they normally live, removing chew toys from table, placing vase back on table, cleaning up the contents of the kitchen bin from the living room and having a good swear to myself, I headed for a large pet shop about 18 miles from where I live. The three Slavettes all wanted to come, this was an exciting purchase afterall. It was quite an uncomfortable car ride for the Slavettes and myself AND the Crazy Combat Corgis. The Daddy was out in the real car leaving us all to squeeze and shoehorn into my beloved ancient sports car. We arrived at the big pet shop and unfolded ourselves (well #2 and 3 slavette had been crammed in the back seat (ha!) of the Toy with the Crazy Combat Corgis on their laps) from the car. We toddled into the shop and I asked one of the big pet shop people what type and size of crates I should get. Anyway I ended up taking the advice of someone who is younger than a pair of tights I have crammed at the back of a drawer. The young gentleman advised me that ONE big crate would be better than 2 smaller ones. I should have known when 3 of us couldn't lift the thing into the car. So we ripped off all the box and tried again. Still no joy. SO... I had a brainwave. I'd take 2 of the Slavettes home with the Crazy Combat Corgis and leave #1 Slavette guarding the crate outside the big pet shop. When I got back to the big pet shop #1 Slavette and I still couldn't get it in the car. I spotted a couple of big blokes in the car park sniggering at our efforts and asked them if they could lift it in the car. They did but only after I had removed the parcel shelf and the cd player from the boot and pushed the back seat (ha!) as flat as it would go. We set off for home with the boot tied down with a tow rope. Oh and I also purchsed a book about crates. Once home, The Daddy said something along the lines of "What the **** is that?" and "Where the **** are you going to put it ? " I had already planned where it should go. Downstairs at the end of the passageway. It was too big. I did find a place - the dinning room. To fit it in we had to turn the table round and shove it right up against the wall and the crate fitted nice and snug. To say it's large is a slight understatement. The 3 Slavettes and I can all fit in it. The Crazy Combat Corgis LOVE it. It's their special wee den. They go in it when they want to have a snooze or just chill out. It's also the place you look first if something goes missing. Get the crate. Even if like us it's never been used for anything other than the Crazy Combats Corgis Club House where they plot and plan their next mad half hour zooming about the house and garden like loons or stratigies to break into the food store. It's somewhere you puppy can retreat to when he/she wants peace and quiet.

Thanks. How long does a season last. I do know that its not just when she has a discharge or bleeding and will Merlin have to go his holidays while she is in heat? He has been "sorted" but will he still have the ... erm... urge?

Hello everyone. I'm looking for advice. I have a 6 month old corgi puppy(girlie) and I also have a 15 month big boy(also corgi). I'd like to know what age Pixie may come into season and how long it lasts for. I've had corgis most of my life but it must be 20 years ago I last had a bitch that had a season as we always have our dogs "sorted". My vet advised me to wait till she had a season before having her spayed. Its been so long I just can't remember and I forgot to ask the vet.