westiemum

Yep Trish so did I - I spent a fortune on a bed with hood for Mac and all he did was sleep on top of the hood! So I took it off and its now used as a normal bed.

I'm no expert but I'd say that needs to be biopsied. You need another vet.

Oh my goodness they are beautiful photos, brightening up a sad day. Thanks YJ! :)

Yep snugglessafes are great as are little Gifts jumpers. mac wears his jumper overnight on really cold nights as well as plonking himself on the hot water bottle.

Yep Little Gifts jumper is back on tonight after needing a wash!!! He's snuggled into the crook behind my knees on his favourite Onkaparinga woollen blanket - my little heat-seeking missile.

Thanks so much for that SM. it means a lot. I've worked really hard with my vets to get his pain meds right - and I think the combination of the Loxicom and Gabapentin is right for him. I'm so glad your pain is well controlled too SM - I hope its means you are much more comfortable - pain control is so important to quality of life for you and for Mac. xx

Oh and I forgot his favourite Adelaide Blue Cheese!!! Mr Mac is doing well today. Pottering around, interested, snoozing in front of the gas fire...

I had one very anxious westie looking over my shoulder at the laptop!!! Fabulous Yonjuro - but I think your daughter will need to ensure she has other marketable talents!

You're so right VM - loved he certainly is - so much so I look after him better than I look after myself. Pain relief, slow cooked duck, raw meat, basmati rice, belly bands, poise pads and trips to the park in his stroller! The things we do... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Tig is just brilliant! Made me laugh so hard I frightened the one westie who can hear! Just gorgeous Yonjuro!

Yes exactly. Well said HDW.

Mac has me wrapped completely around his paws and his wobbly little back legs!

Great idea DD - thanks. tdierikx we're fairly sure that Mac's wobbles are neurological. Yes he does have arthritis as well so the Loxicom in the mornings is a godsend and what keeps him going - he's brilliant on it. But he's also on gabapentin at night for nerve pain - I know it seems a lot - but at his age keeping him pain free is a priority. And will do coogie - thanks for popping by - Mac is right next to me on the lounge loving your pats!!

Thanks VEhs - These westies eat better than I do - on tonights menu for Mac is slow-cooked duck in bone broth and basmati rice. I need to see if I can find some turkey so I can make another batch. (One of my westies seems to only be able to digest turkey - but the duck seems to have gone down OK too). Yes thanks DD - yep he's one amazing old dog - even the vets are amazed he's still with us. The bone broth is going down a treat - and now I know how to do it it should be easier to make this next time. Mac was getting too think any way so putting on a bit of weight won't hurt him - just not so much that it makes it harder for him on his wonky back legs.

My amazing little resilient old man has bounced back - for the moment. After being sure I was going to lose him last weekend this weekend he's standing on his wobbly old back legs, front paws on the lounge and demanding lap-time and a cuddle!! He's very much wobblier and more unsteady, particularly in the mornings but once he gets going he's OK. I spent days making him duck bone broth earlier in the week - and thy all love it. I think such good nutrition is making a real difference to him too.

On the age thing - I rehomed a 4 year old westie girl to an 84 year old lady - match made in heaven. After the lady died her daughter took the westie on - they loved her as much as the lady and it was a natural succession plan. As far as i know she is still there.

Thanks Scottsmum - yes the duck, blue cheese, scrambled egg - he's doing well and making the most of it!

nickyp I'm in a similar boat with Mac - and he's happiest when I feed him really tasty meals so he can smell them and I make time to spend with him. I'm also fanatical about his pain relief - I make absolutely sure its a good routine and is well controlled. I find that makes a huge difference to him. And treasure every moment - and take as many photos as you can (Mac's pretty sick of having a camera in his face already!)

Big hugs to you and Boof Anne.

Thank you everyone - Anne big hugs back to you and Boof. Thanmks DD and CHA - really appreciated. Mac is doing much better today and enjoyed his slow-cooked duck, bone broth and basmati rice dinner! But its still very much a day by day proposition here - he goes downhill so quickly. ari thats a great name!! Hope your new puppy is doing well. Little Gifts recognise his jumper? He just loves it and pretty much lives in it at this time of year! (Except when its in the wash! )

Mad Woofy thank you - you've summed it up perfectly - it's a form of dithering decision-making so it's really hard to know what to do. And to make things worse he's bounced back in the last 24 hours - possibly a little slower and wobblier - but much brighter. Too late tonight but I'll try and post some photos tomorrow night.

Thanks DBS - very interesting reading. I can't believe that people are actually advocating pumping 12 million of public money into a greyhound track when the industry is under such a cloud and so many questions remain unresolved. What planet are these people on? There are far better more sustainable economy building activities that 12 million would buy which would benefit Ipswich than a dog track.

Yeah I was wrong - the horses at Peterborough are slaughtered for EU human consumption - the abattoir at Peterborough and one in Queensland are the only two in the country licensed to slaughter horses for human consumption and export. I'm surprised that people would shoot and dump horses like this...

There's a horse abattoir at Peterborough north of Adelaide I believe... so given we don't eat the meat I assumed it was pet food? But I could be wrong...

So did I sars... it appears that illegal dumping is not confined to the greyhounds...