FED UP1

Mabel : This staying on the lead thing is driving me nuts. I am very fed up. Morris, bless him, doesn't help. He keeps running after things and then coming back and asking me why I'm not running too. We usually chase together. Ii's nice to know he's missing me. I've has laser again and at least it meant I didn't have to do hydro. Just watched Morris do his.

Morris: It's not so much fun chasing things on my own. There's no one to compete with or do pincer moves with or to egg me on. I'm trying to get her involved but she's on the lead all the time. I know she's getting fed up. In the long run I know it's better for her but she is getting a tad upset.

LEADS!

Morris: I am having the most amazing time. Mabel is lead bound so I get to run about without worrying what's she's up to, where she is, or does she need a hand chasing something. I get to play with the ball without being charged down, ambushed or tackled. I've made chums with some new pets because she's not there sticking her nose in, being the life and soul of the party. All in all it's been quite fun. I am more tired because I'm running about more but this is just idyllic. Mabel: I had laser and massage on Wednesday. It was brilliant. I just fell asleep. So warm and relaxing. Things are lookng better already but I'm still on this lead thing. I managed to break it the other day. which astounded everyone. I saw our friends Lexi and Murphy and wanted to say hello. Pulled Ewen over and pulled the lead to bits. Pam kept going on about F=ma or something like that and that I really must have leapt forward.

Anyway, having sore joints means that I need to be comfortable when I lie down. Usually it's Pam who gves me jacket, coat or jumper. Managed to crack Ewen!!!!

OH DEAR!

Morris : Been a quiet week. We went to see Katie but I wasn't really involved. They took my wee sister away and did a whole lot of things to her. I missed her. When she came back she wasn't allowed to run about. She's on the lead for six weeks. This means I get a lot more freedom. I don't have to keep checking on her all the time. Nor does she keep ambushing and attacking me. And I get to give smells a really good sniffing without being interrupted by Mabel sticking her nose in. It has its benefits. On the other hand she is the one that finds things to chase and I'm missing that.

Mabel : Thursday was a bit brutal. They said I was going to visit Katie, our physio, to get some laser on my knee. When I got there Katie gave me an examination and led me off to see a vet. Next thing I know I'm being led away and then I wake up in a strange bed. And then I'm given drugs that make me a bit woozy. I really needed a run to clear my head but I'm not allowed. I had to make do with sticking my head out the window and letting the wind clear my ears. Very fed up. No running. Hurrmmppphh.

Mabel had a bit of a limp. We took her to see their favourite, wonderful physio and hydrotherapist Katie Roethenbaugh, at Greenside Regenerative Therapies and Rehabilitation. Katie gave her a once over and took her off to see one of the vets there Suzie Bendall. The stars alligned. Suzie had a cancellation. She didn't like the feel of Mabel's back right knee. Over the next few hours Mabel was given an absolute work over. Every part of her body was X-rayed, with the practice head Andy Armitage checking in too. At not even 5 years old, it turns out Mabel has bad arthritis in her knee, which has given her arthritis in that left shoulder she's always moaning about. She even has it in her toes. She's on limited walks for six weeks, medication and physio. We cannot convey how amazingly lucky we feel to have Greenside so near. They have become friends and are so supportive. It was perfect fate on Thursday. We are so thankful. Katie and Suzie were just AMAZING. Mabel, like Pam, will always have arthritis but with care, physio and some meds we hope she'll be running again soon. Maybe not up hills and dunes but enough to feel the wind in her ears and enough to seriously irritate Morris.