cathya

Okay, so obviously I haven't worked out yet how to make them smaller then bigger to look at - will keep working on this

Am adding just a few photos of Mack from yesterday. One taken with some of his four legged family checking out what is happening in their street, one off to the groomers for his twice weekly socialise with the girls there (in his favourite place - the car ) and have also included one with him drinking water out of a bucket and an old photo of him at the shelter drinking water out of a bucket just so you can compare his weight and fur!!! Now that I've finally worked out how to do this photo upload/download thing on DOL you can expect more photos

He could also have problems feeling stable on a soft bed, with his bad hips. Finds it hard to get a steady grip to get up. Good point MB ;) He finds it hard to get stable a lot of places! He's doing much better this week. By the way....did I tell you all how much I love him

Thanks for that info about Kenzie, sounds like Mack I guess my ideas of what would be comfortable for him aren't necessarily his ideas! He actually got onto his bed last night and slept for about half an hour so I got into bed feeling very pleased about it but then up he got, wandered into another room and dropped to the floor and slept the rest of the night! He's such a funny boy!

Thanks everyone for all your loving words and thoughts for our Mack. I'm so touched at the obvious care and love for this beautiful boy. He's going quite well during the day, not so good at nights. Am desperately trying to get him to sleep on his new comfy bed rather than on the hard timber floor. Have tried treats, cuddles and the lot but he still goes back to the floor. He will get on it if I sit there with him but as soon as I move, he does - as usual, he follows me everywhere! We are having a great time with me trying to get out the door to work :rolleyes: Don't know if the sleeping on the hard floor is habit? Any advice here is welcome including whether I should just leave it be, but I figure the bed will take pressure off his hips! Will get some more photos up soon so you can all see his FULL coat of fur!!!

I know that I will be facing this decision with one of my dogs in probably the not too distant future. He still has that 'vital life force' in his eyes but I have been dreading the time when it goes. Having watched this in a person I loved, I know exactly what you mean about when this goes. While I know I will struggle with this decision when the time comes, this post has helped me so much and when the time does come I will be making sure I read it again (and again).

Mack had a review at the vets today. He is now 46 kgs , he was 29 kgs when I picked him up. As you can probably guess, he likes his food ! He is struggling a bit some days but vet has given him some other medication for these days. He's happy, I love him and he loves me !

Hey....Mack chased the ball yesterday!

Well Mack is doing well considering his ailments. His baldy patch on his back is now covered in new hair growth so it won't be long before i can put up pics of him being not only a happy, but again a hairy (well furry) dog. His yeast infection in his ears is gone as is his kennel cough. His pressure sores have healed. He struggles up and down the stairs a bit but we try to take it slow. He now has a ramp to get in and out of the car - he LOVES getting out in the car. He's still having twice weekly grooms and it's doing wonders for his coat (and his social life!). Just want to thank Robyn who has offered to donate towards Mack's vets bills. Robyn has 3 rescue shepherds of her own and after seeing Mack on DOL wanted to help. Robyn, your offer of support for his vet bills is so greatly appreciated but also, so is your concern and love towards this special boy (and your kind words to me to help me cope with hearing the bad news about his bone cancer). At this point, Mack has decided he's very happy here and feeling better than he has in a long time, so both Mack and I (and his newfound four-legged family who adore him) are going to take it one day at a time.

Thanks ish, yes he is gorgeous and it's interesting to hear about the bi-colour and working lines which I don't know much about at all but will certainly check out now.

Not sure myself but I'd be interested to hear what others think. I've never seen a full Belgian Shepy except in pics. I love the pack pics too, the other dogs treat him as if he's always been here and in fact, are quite respectful and gentle with him. The most interesting one is my wolfy cross boy Wally who has been quite dominant with other adult males but actually protects Mack and watches over him in the back yard. My pups love him too and he had a play with one of them this morning - it was so cute.

Well some good news for Mack this morning, he started his anti inflammatory/pain relief medication yesterday and he seems much more comfortable this morning. His bad foot/leg has gone down a fair bit so it seems that the meds are going to help. However, on the not so good side he decided to wake me up this morning (talking to me at the top of his voice - hilarious) at about 5.30 am (much earlier than his normal get up time) and head for the front door - am sure he wanted to go for another road run! He has also worked out (clever boy) how to open the kiddy/doggy doors in the house with his nose. But, rather than barging through them (like some of my others do) he actually puts his nose in the edge of it and opens it towards him - see, he's not just gorgeous he's also very smart! You can see his new fur growth pretty well in the photos. He still has a baldy patch on his back and around his face/ears his hair is a bit thin but it is certainly growing in those areas too. He is starting to show what a handsome boy he really is. I particularly love the pic of him sitting at the top of the stairs - looking so handsome and happy and if he's the king of the world! Interesting to note, the day I picked him up he kept pulling out all the treats out of the dog treat stand at the vet - even tho I bought him a packet to eat! I realised yesterday that he didn't go near them (although did want to socialise with the other dogs coming in) which would tell me his tummy is full and satisfied!!! Thanks for all your loving thoughts and comments about my Mack (or is it our Mack?). They helped me through a couple of hard days so I could get back on the job and focus on him, not on my own sadness! He is off to the groomers again today so will be happy about that, not for the bath itself but because he's already the local shop owners' favourite down there and everyone comes to say hello to him and pat him, usually before I can even get him out of the car!

Am sending Julz some more photos of Mack so hopefully she can put them up for me! No matter how I try this upload/download photo thing just doesn't agree with me! In the photos you will see some of Mack's new doggy family, he and his new best mate Wally (going on a drive and hanging out in the back yard), Mack standing at the top of the back steps deciding if it's worth the effort to go down them and I'm sure I put in at least one of him with his head on my leg which he does all the time now. Did I tell you all how much I love him!?!??!

Thanks for telling me that Stefie, about your boy, it gives me hope that Mack and I will have more good times together and that he will not necessarily be suffering as much as I expected. Hearing that sort of news yesterday sent me into a bit of a 'tail' spin because he had been doing amazingly well on all other fronts and the thought of losing him to something so awful was indescribable. But knowing about your dog certainly eases my panic! Yes, he definitely has lots of new fur growth and it is quite fluffy and a really shiny black.

Ditto on all the above.....................Mack looks to be in heaven at your home.. I looked at his pics and my heart went out to him............... I put this on a Facebook comment this morning for a friend who had a horse run through a fence last night and broke his leg..........and yes it was his time to go to the bridge BUT................he was also a rescue and knew that there were people who loved him and would do anything to make his time happy it seems appropriate to repeat it here.. In life we don't understand the reasons but I truely believe we meet for a reason and sad as we feel we all have a big plan.... Enjoy the time he has with your wonderful family there is nothing like the love of a senior rescue to make you happy that you are involved. And sometimes we dont know how long any of us have......................so enjoy all the time with him. Thanks so much Ellie's mum - your words make me cry. Mind you I have been crying for a few hours now but tomorrow is a new day for Macky and I and he, Wal (my wolfy cross boy and Macky's new best mate) and I are probably going for a road trip - Mack LOVES road trips! He hangs his head out the window with the biggest doggy smile you can imagine.

xx thank you from me and my Macky, he loves hugs and I could do with some too after today xx

Thank you Alyson, today has been a hard day (and my eyes have been filled with tears for a large part of it) but your words really touch me. Yes, I am glad we have found each other too. How fortunate I feel to have Mack in my life.

Thanks so much HonBun. I have already been repaid....nothing and no-one has ever touched me like this boy! I wonder if he actually rescued me.

I wouldn't be surprised if he was a full shepy but its hard to tell with his age and condition. His remaining time will be drowned in hugs and more hugs and more hugs again. We love him here and he is certainly happy here. He has 7 other dogs (including pups) that fuss over him not to mention my incessant I love you's and cuddles. Julz and I were hoping Macky's thread would be all positive about his ongoing recovery, which after a week seemed evident, but sadly it may not be. However, I will still be putting up info on his antics (which are many) and his adventures! He loves getting out in the car and runs (albeit slowly) to the front door whenever I get out the lead so there is certainly plenty of spunk left in this beautiful dog!

So sorry Too Far North, after several atttempts to upload or is it download his photos I gave up and asked Julz for heolp. She will put them on about 9 pm, after she gets home.

Mack had an early review at the vets yesterday because his right foot continues to swell. He had xrays today and we hoped it would be a fracture gone wrong. Sadly for beautiful Mack and for us that love him, Mack has bone cancer in his right hip area and a secondary fracture. At this point in time, he is happy and not in obvious pain so he will be on AIMs and pain medication and we will be just giving him all the love in the world and seeing how he goes. All your love and prayers for this gorgeous boy are welcome at the moment.

For the record, I want to mention Brumby who without her wonderful support Mack would still be in Renbury (lovely place but he needed out). Brumby supported me in making this rescue and has kept in constant contact re Macky's progress. I love you to bits Brumby for helping me save the most special dog I've ever met!

Due to my non technologically savvy computer skills I can't seem to upload Mack's photos so will ask the lovely Julz for help.

Mack is certainly a heartbreaker, before I'd even got him home from Renbury I was so in love - he is an adorable and gentle boy and has the most beautiful face. Mack's first week was so busy. We went straight to the vets on the way home from Renbury because I didn't know if he'd make it through the night (f I'd had an ambulance he would have been in it). Mack had all sorts of problems - to mention a few he had huge pressure sores on his so bony hips, a major yeast infection in his ears, oedaemas from the infection (so we thought) and hardly any hair on his matted and dirty old coat. BUT... he had a good heart, no heartworm, he loved the car trip home (with his head hanging out the window enjoying the breeze and the view) - in between falling over every five minutes. He was welcomed in a minute by my dog family at home (pups and oldies alike). In the first 10 days Mack put on 12 kgs going from 29 kgs on day one (18th Feb) to 41 kgs on the 1st of March. He loves his food - especially if I put a sprinkle of grated cheese in it! He started his twice weekly Malaseb baths at the groomers and his coat started to shine. He got so many hugs from me and so many kisses from the puppies that he was probably sick of us within a day. But, he wagged his tail whenever I spoke to him, started to take slow runs when I called him and the high point, started putting his head on my leg and gazing at me and following me everywhere I went.