Hair There and Everywhere

Here is Keesha, one of my two Norwegian Elkhounds. She is a gorgeous, cuddly friendly girl and apart from a few 'oddities' is a perfect pet. I sometimes call her 'Weesh'. She has the longest tongue and likes to catch you off your guard by giving you a big wet slurp.

Although litter sister to Freya - our other elkhound, we only got Keesha at the age of 3 as she had been living with a lady in Hexham who had become ill and unable to look after her so asked the breeder if she could find her a new home. We had just lost our male elkhound in a traffic accident and so had an empty dog bed. Keesha came to us overweight and in need of a good brush. She immediately bonded again with her sister and the two of them are inseparable.

The photo above is of Weesh 'hiding'. She doesn't like hoovers, or anything that lives in the tall kitchen cupboard. She thinks monsters come from it! When she first arrived, it was in the summer and the corner where the tree is has a big fern growing there so she hid behind the fern with just the tips of her ears showing over the top. Of course, when the fern died off, there was just the tree, but she still 'hid' there whenever something came out of the cupboard.

Anyway, why am I telling you all this?

Because she had to go to the vet again today with a lump in her paw that had become very inflamed. I had decided to change vets after being told that I would have to pay another £75 consultation fee to have her looked at again - having paid the same amount plus the cost of medication a week ago when the vet said she couldn't see what the problem was but suggested anti biotics and Metacam. This is the vets that have just opened a new fancy hospital that resembles a 4star hotel and specialises in spinal injuries and equine treatment for those who can afford it!

So I managed to get an appointment with another vet today, who immediately found the problem, gave me the options and booked her in for an operation on Monday. Although we are covered by insurance, the normal consultation fees and charges are much better and certainly don't try to rip you off.

I hate taking my dogs to the vets. As soon as they step into the waiting room every other hair on their body leaps out of its follicle and everyone in the vicinity ends up covered. The floor is like a mohair rug and my car ends up having to be hoovered top to bottom. Even the vets seem to be surprised at the amount shed. If nothing else it means less for me to brush out in the fields!

But despite my lovely, shiny new car with smart black upholstered seats, I'm prepared to get out the old duvet covers and hoover and spend at least an hour cleaning it up again so that my Hairy Bear can once again go out for walks with a spring in her step. Fingers crossed all goes well.