We have been to the vet again this afternoon, Ben has had an ongoing skin problem for over a year. He has seen several vets and had various courses of antibiotics, potions, lotions and shampoo costing and smelling High.
Two weeks ago we saw a locum vet who diagnosed a zinc deficiency and a wheat intolerance. He also prescribed 2 x 2 weekly injections of a powerful antibiotic, today he had the second one. I changed his food and his skin is so much better, he will go back in 2 weeks for a once over and hopefully we can close the door on it.
If I did not save for possible vet bills I would have struggled to pay for this, because Ben was a rescue dog the insurance premiums were astronomical, I decided to save 1/3 rd the premium and I am still in profit.
I have made a start on the cheater print cot quilt, as it is going to Wales I wanted to make it thick and warm, it gets cold over there! My machines can not handle that thickness so I am hand quilting. Outlining some of the "blocks" and will then tie the rest, I will bury the tails in the wadding rather than leaving them, I do not want to give little fingers something to pull at or even little teeth something to try to chew. This does mean that I will also have to hand stitch the binding, that I do not mind at all, in fact I quite like hand quilting, I can sit and chat or watch a film, slurp cup after cup of tea that I can not make myself as " I am always at a tricky bit that I can not put down"!
I have pulled the last of some fabrics from the stash and cut them into 5" by 2 1/2" strips, I am sewing them into pairs, then the pairs into bigger pairs and so on, these will give me a piano key border for a future quilt, or maybe cut down to 2 1/2" and made into binding.
All the ends that are too small will go into the scrappy paper pieced blocks for a window quilt that I am planning. I will copy Lori Holt's Tulip in flowerpot pattern to put along the quilt bottom to resemble a windowsill.
Some of my ideas take a while to reach fruition but I write them all down in a note book complete with drawing and colour notes.
I have been offered some green tomatoes, I have apples and onions and sultanas, brown sugar and vinegar so will be making chutney on Friday, it will be nice and mellow by Christmas and go in the hampers that I make each year. With a jar of mincemeat, marmalade and a fruit cake, some biscuits and cheeses straws all made by me it makes a good present at very reasonable cost.
Reasons to be grateful.
1. Ben with a clean bill of health.
2. An £85 bill paid with no worry.
3. Only 3 nights to work before 10 days off.
4. Toad in the Hole for dinner tonight, one of our favourites.
5. The flowers in my garden smothered with bees.
On a down note why does spellchecker want me to use American spellings, does my clever computer not know that it lives in England.
The time has come, the walrus said TTFN Pam
PS Thank you to anyone who popped over to see miss Townmouse, and if you decided to follow her a double thank you.
I hadn't realised wheat intolerance could be an issue for dogs. Hope this diagnosis sorts Bens' skin issues up once and for all.
ReplyDeleteOff to put toad in the hole on next fortnight s menu plan:-)
Dinner was delicious, we had cabbage, cauliflower, carrots and onion gravy.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got to the bottom of the problem.
ReplyDeleteWheat can cause lots of problems to animals and human alike.
I new it affected people but not animals, I have done some research and he is now living it up with lamb or salmon and rice as the basis of his diet. What was that about a dogs life.
DeleteHi- just wondered if you could save a few quid by asking your vet to write a private prescription and buying meds on line, we do this for our dog's eye condition and save £50 per month.
ReplyDeleteIf it becomes a long term issue then I will, as his skin is so much improved he should not require further injections. His new diet built around lamb, salmon and brown rice seems to be doing the trick.
DeleteGlad to hear that it looks like you've got Ben's condition sorted out, that can't have been very nice for him. We've just got our renewal notice for pet insurance. It's going up £2 a month this year, £24 in total. That seems like quite a steep jump, and Archie's only three with a clean bill of health. I don't think I'd cancel it though, the minute I did it would be Sod's law that I'd need to claim. Better not tempt fate. The Christmas hampers you make sound wonderful.
ReplyDeleteIt is risky, I just could and would not afford the premiums when I rescued Ben, as it happens I am still in credit now, even with the recent costs. I enjoy putting the hampers together, I make the containers as well, last year they were peg bags complete with 12 dolly clothes pegs, this year I have not decided yet.
DeleteMy dog insurance has risen to £54 a month now she is 9 years old. Do I risk cancelling and just saving some money each month for vet bills?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on your dog but at her age trouble could be just round the corner. If I could have got reasonable priced insurance for Ben I would have taken it and been out of pocket, so far. Who knows what the future holds.
DeleteGlad to hear that Ben is doing better. My aunts dog has the same type of skin condition. They give him oatmeal baths that really help. He is also on a wheat free diet, pet store has special wheat free food, pricey of course.
ReplyDeleteThree more sleeps, bet you can't wait. Have a great holiday. We are in Washington State on our holiday at the moment.
I soak a bag of oats in the warm water that I use to bath Ben and I am giving him Goats milk, it is good for skin conditions. enjoy your holiday
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