After my sad news yesterday, I'm delighted to announce that Eddy is 15 today!
Not bad for a pedigree dalmatian!

We rescued Eddy 3 and a half years ago when he was 11 and a half years old, and knowing that 11-12 is the average age for dallies to get to, we decided to give him a home for his last few months.

When we got him he was a bit of a state, he'd never been abused or anything like that but was very arthritic, overweight and his teeth were coated in muck.
Since then he's gone from strength to strength :D He actually moves better now than he used to!

Sadly, he was diagnosed with Kidney Disease a few months ago and I wasn't sure he'd make it to see his birthday but the little guy has just done so well! I refused to treat him as it would involve taking away all the foods he likes and feeding him a special diet - at 15, I think he's entitled to a bit of enjoyment even if it means he doesn't last quite as long! Even though he hasn't been treated, there's been no deterioration, and since Bubble's arrival he's more like 15 months than 15 years!

I've bought him a new collar and a little box of choccy drops (it's actually supposed to be a Christmas present but he loved tearing up the one he got for Christmas so much I decided he could have one for his birthday too!) and we're going to have a lovely day together - he'll get a nice cup of tea, join me for deliveries and then I think I'll take him upto Wyming Brook for his favourite walk :)

I'm so proud of him, he's a lovely boy... I just can't understand how his previous owner gave him up, I know she really loved him, I just can't imagine life without him now, no matter how inevitable it is.

Here's a pic of the birthday boy :D taken on Christmas Day when he was suitably shattered after playing all day!
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b10/Lottiepics/Takara/snow086.jpg

Awww Happy Birthday sexy man!! :love::love::love:

Aww, happy birthday, lovely owd lad!

Happy Birthday eddy,Hope you have a good birthday and t and bubbles dont eat your present:)


seadog

bless him, he shares his birthday with my daughter then. She's 14 today, but Eddy looks much better than her :hihi:

Happy birthday Eddy!! 15! wow thats a great age. He certainly doesn't look like an old man whenever I've seen him.

Enjoy your day with your mum.

xxxx

Happy Birthday Eddy :love: xx

Happy birthday to a lovely old lad. Enjoy your day - you can be as naughty as you want and mummy won't tell you off!!! :hihi:

Sadly, he was diagnosed with Kidney Disease a few months ago and I wasn't sure he'd make it to see his birthday but the little guy has just done so well! I refused to treat him as it would involve taking away all the foods he likes and feeding him a special diet - at 15, I think he's entitled to a bit of enjoyment even if it means he doesn't last quite as long!

I have to work this one out for my cat. Vet wants to put him on lots of meds and special food. I'm also not convinced of the benefit other than to the vet's bank balance.

He's a rescue cat, timid but happy with us, don't want to cause him excess stress just to prolong his life.

Wow, Happy Birthday Eddy.

Happy Birthday Ed!

bless him, he shares his birthday with my daughter then. She's 14 today, but Eddy looks much better than her :hihi:

LOL! Aww that's so mean!

Thanks guys :) He's such a special little man, I'm really very proud of him!

Happy Birthday t'auld lad XXX

Happy birthday Eddy, have a lovely day x

AWWWWW HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDDIE xxxx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDDY :)

What a fantastic age and well done to you Lotti for taking such good care of him, i`m sure that has helped towards him reaching such a good age. :)

Hope u have a good day edd

Happy Birthday Eddy :D

Happy Birthday Ed!

Sorry to have missed you on your delivery round today ;)

I have to work this one out for my cat. Vet wants to put him on lots of meds and special food. I'm also not convinced of the benefit other than to the vet's bank balance.

He's a rescue cat, timid but happy with us, don't want to cause him excess stress just to prolong his life.

I've come to the conclusion that vets today concentrate a bit too much on keeping pets alive, without considering quality of life and probable outcome. The last 2 vets at the practice took a much more pragmatic approach and tended to say when they thought that further treatment would be a waste of time. The younger ones who are there now seem to concentrate solely on treating the immediate problem, without taking the long-term prognosis into account.

It's bad enough when you lose them, without ending up feeling guilty for making their last few weeks miserable by subjecting them to constant visits to the vets to be poked, prodded and have blood taken. To say nothing of them not wanting to eat the food or take the meds.

I've come to the conclusion that vets today concentrate a bit too much on keeping pets alive, without considering quality of life and probable outcome. The last 2 vets at the practice took a much more pragmatic approach and tended to say when they thought that further treatment would be a waste of time. The younger ones who are there now seem to concentrate solely on treating the immediate problem, without taking the long-term prognosis into account.

It's bad enough when you lose them, without ending up feeling guilty for making their last few weeks miserable by subjecting them to constant visits to the vets to be poked, prodded and have blood taken. To say nothing of them not wanting to eat the food or take the meds.

Oh I hope that isn't how my vet has come across. She's fantastic and I talked it out with them when I made the decision not to worry about treating him.
They're also incredibly compassionate when it comes to 'the time'. I couldn't be more happy with them.

Oh I hope that isn't how my vet has come across. She's fantastic and I talked it out with them when I made the decision not to worry about treating him.
They're also incredibly compassionate when it comes to 'the time'. I couldn't be more happy with them.

Good lord, no, I certainly didn't mean to imply any criticism of your vet!

The last one I really liked at my practice was unfortunately so good that he ended up promoted and only works at Rotherham now. My neighbour takes his dog to Rotherham, just so he can see him! Unfortunately, not having a car, I don't have that option.

I think part of the problem is that they seem to have so many working there, you can never be sure who you are going to get. And the vet I did prefer decided to go on holiday for a couple of weeks when George was poorly.

But none of them even mentioned the possibility of giving up on treatment, it was always let's do more tests, try this food, etc. I do think that a good vet should tell you when it's time to consider giving up, especially since you're usually so emotional at a time like that, you tend not to be thinking too straight.

I agree Dozy, completely.

That's how I felt at Hallam to be honest, it was only one vet that we'd ever had problem with there but because of how bad she really was, I couldn't risk getting her again! Hence my choice to move.

(And out of principle because I'm like that :lol: )

Aw! I wish i'd realised it was his birthday - i'd have bought him a present!
Was nice to see you both, he certainly is a handsome old gent :D

Been offline so missed his special day but just wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDDY! and more to come old boy, you're looking grand xxk

Dobermutt went for her vaccs on Friday and annual health check. She'd got 3 small lumps that had appeared in the previous year, our old vet told us nothing to worry about, just keep an eye on them, but didn't offer to check them properly (just looked). Switched to Vets4Pets at Millhouses and it was Ailsa's first visit. Lovely locum vet took fluid from all three and showed us they were all clear suggesting they are fatty lumps, not something to be worried about - and didn't charge a thing for the service, isn't that great -its not 100% scientific but much more reassuring than someone just taking a quick glance. I was expecting a big bill from it but no... Mind you, looks like Ashia and Aero have got to ge their teeth done soon...