I love the daily updates or when you have time to write them! I have never showed Hens/Ducks/Turkeys but have shown Cows and Sheep and know that it takes weeks to prepare them then a full day the day before the show to get them ready, so know that your days must be very busy.(but what else would we do with our spare time!)
I think you are remarkable for taking Peppa on. This little girl is at the best place possible. The more you can do with a young pup the better dog it will make. She will never have any fears, will no how to behave when she meets livestock/people/hens/etc. Living with other dogs will also help as they can show her what to do and protect her if anything scares her. These are for everyone who has been envolved in the care of Peppa. Look forward to next update.
Amy, Stephen
Coco and Mazy
Amy, Steve
Tilly, Meisha, Pip, Coco and Mazy
Miss our old girl everyday. RIP darling Katy.
Urinary incontinence in female puppies is not uncommon. In Peppas case, all the symptoms suggest juvenile incontinence which is a condition what more often than not will cure itself as she grows. Seasons tend to be used as the 'turning point' because that is the time her body would be considered mature.
The incontinence improves as she grows because the levels of oestrogen rise along with other things which helps to tighten the sphincter and mature her internal bits and pieces. It wouldnt just stop but improve as she aged.
A caution is always to be aware of the possibility of infection and keep on top of cleanliness and to know the dog intimately so you can identify any changes early
As always, the rescue vet guides us when it comes to treating the dogs who need medical help. There are cases where dogs are referred for specialist assessment early and others where the initial decision is to wait, monitor and see how things develop. In this case due to the problem and her age the decision, made in discussion with the vet was to wait and see how she went.
Because of subtle changes like strength of smell and many other factors, the decision was made to refer her to the hospital to see what can or should be done and also as a double check that she has not picked up any infection. We may again be advised to wait or there may be something they can start doing now such as oestrogen tablets.
When the rescue decides to take in dogs like this it is discussed and decisions made as to how we will care for the dog. The backup plan for Peppa was to go to Ky, the plan for Sophie was to come to us.
Trying to find a one to one foster home for a leaky pup is pretty much impossible - even if there are people who would like to, the practicality is that if you have a nice sofa, lovely carpets and other nice belongings and soft furnishings in your home is would not be in the slightest bit practical - it would all be ruined in a very short time. In addition, sometimes the presence of another dog or dogs is a positive thing
The work involved in giving a pups like peppa and sophie a chance of a life is intensive. Probably more than many realise but, it is what the rescue does. Normally we dont publicise it because to be honest we dont want to make a big thing out of what we do out of our love for dogs. The work the rescue does and the work the volunteers do happens quietly in the background.
Sometimes we are asked about what we do out of interest - the idea of the peppa section was to give such an insight - normally it would have continued quietly with people reading an occasional update giving a quick summary of how she was getting on and a few pictures of a cute puppy.
Little Sophie was a pup with a leak but her leak was constant. Thanks to everyone who supported her she was sorted out fairly early in her life because her condition was better dealt with sooner rather than later and there was no chance of a natural improvement and the defect was physical. A few little updates were posted on the forum so people knew how she was getting on.
Before Sophie came to the rescue lengthy discussions took place over what to do with her -the chance of a foster home was very minimal and if we couldnt get one a kennel wasnt really an appropriate place. One option was that she would go to ky - the other option was she came here.
What is the difference here to a 'normal' home - well we adopt a lot of old dogs - which, as they come to the end of their life often loose control of their back end and have accidents. Because of the type and age of the dogs we help, we took the decision a few years ago to make the house practical for the type of dog we liked to help -
All carpets downstairs were removed and cushion floor was fitted, or floors were tiled. This meant we could clean up after accidents quickly. This meant we were ideal to care for Sophie and carpets wouldnt become soaked with urine etc.
What we didnt post in the updates about Sophie were the constant washing of dog beds that she wet, the constant washing of clothes because she loved to cuddle up and go to sleep on you and the constant mopping. We permanently had a mop bucket with bleached water in the downstairs room and the floors were mopped several times a day to make sure she didnt get any infections - which didnt work as she did. The other side of Sophie coming to us was a house full of golden retrievers - she would be with her own breed and learn from them and your hearts would have melted if you had seen Toby, the big boy take her under his wing and look after her - they are inseperable and whilst I think she would have been fine as a single dog or with other breeds, I am convinced the bond between her and toby is because he is a golden.
Following Sophies operation we had several weeks of severe leaking due to infection. Typing into a posting that she was leaking is one thing - talking about the hours of mopping, cleaning and occasionally wondering what on earth we had taken on wasnt included.
Ky has helped many dogs that have come to the rescue and as with Sophie, you have received updates on their progress - what you have never had before is detailed information about the time, effort and work she puts in behind the scenes to make those dogs into the lovely companions their new owners take home. She has worked tirelessly on a number of dogs that have needed a huge commitment of time and effort to change their lives around - again, postings of dogs so frightened they crawled on their belly's and how they are achieving new confidences doesn't deal with the many hours she sat on a cold floor with a biscuit in her hand waiting for the dog to build up the courage to take it from her.
Why have we never shared this information before - well I guess for several reasons really.
Firstly, we arent in this to make a big song and dance about what we do. we dont do it for people to tell us how wonderful we are - we do it for the dogs we love - unless you have done it you will never really understand the feeling you get when those weeks and months of work pay off and you have in front of you a beautiful dog with a future who now knows how it feels to be loved and cherished.
Secondly, it isn't always information people want to read. People like the good news and the success stories but dont always want to read about what went on to get there.
Foster homes are found for many dogs - we have a great team of fosterers who make a real difference to both the rescue and the dogs they take in but sometimes, fostering just isnt an option.
When ky took on Peppa she knew what she was letting herself in for, just as we did with Sophie. There will no doubt be times she is tired, frustrated and probably wonders what on earth she let herself in for - just as we did and there will be times she probably wonders if there will ever be an end to all the wee - just as we did - but the one thing about ky... when its all sorted, she has given her a kiss and shed a bucket load of tears as she dissappears out of the gate and the next one arrives at the rescue needing the same level of care, the same time and the same amount of commitment - she will be the first one on the phone to Glenys making arrangements to collect it because thats the special kind of person she is.
I think you are all amazing. Really I do. Glenys and all of you run a very special rescue. I hope beyond all hope little Peppa can move on in her health and continence problems, and I'm sure you are all doing everything possible to enable that. Ky, having had the pleasure of meeting you last year at the Funday, when you were fussing Poppy your Grayse's daughter, you gave me a big hug goodbye and I thought you were one of those lovely people who radiated warmth and kindness, you clearly are and then some. I so glad there are people like you and Geoff, Glenys and Sam, Sam, Ian and Carolyn, Carol and Gina and all the behind the scenes volunteers in this world. You are all fab!
Can i just say that i have always likened the rescue to a swan, smooth & graceful on the surface but paddling away like mad to keep afloat, and i dont think any of us doubted that Glenys & Ky are doing everything that is available as far as treatment goes for such a young pup, nothing would ever be withheld, keep up the good work.
I encourage the blog - I think it lets us and others see just how big a committment having Peppa is -for the rescue. I have never doubted that any pup/dog would get any treatment that they requires through this rescue as it is the rescue who cares.
The pup has been to the vets and is under veterinary treatments already and I know that they must be guided by the veterinary profession - Ky has done marvellously at putting weight on this pup and she seems to be a happy puppy - the distraction of being away with Ky and Geoff at the shows is normal family life and just what a puppy needs. Lots of socialisation. Thank you Ky for all the washing and cleaning - All puppies and dogs urine smells - I work in a vets practice and I can tell you they all smell. Puppy pads are great but they smell too!!
Keep up the good work and please keep the blog - I love it
Susan
I will let you all into a secret in the first week of Peppa I offered to buy another washing machine for Ky just a cheap one to help as she had all her family washing on hold but she wouldnt hear of it but I now think I have to insist.
We have two washers and two dryers here one each for family and chippy stuff one exclusively for washing the mountain of vet bedding everyone who goes in food room know if dog washer empty put another in vet bed not dog
janhind wrote:Can i just say that i have always likened the rescue to a swan, smooth & graceful on the surface but paddling away like mad to keep afloat, and i dont think any of us doubted that Glenys & Ky are doing everything that is available as far as treatment goes for such a young pup, nothing would ever be withheld, keep up the good work.
Glenys wrote:I will let you all into a secret in the first week of Peppa I offered to buy another washing machine for Ky just a cheap one to help as she had all her family washing on hold but she wouldnt hear of it but I now think I have to insist.
get one Glenys - we can't have Ky and Geoff running about in dirty clothes
I agree - get a machine for Ky please and then she will be able to keep on doing the doggy vet beds in it all the time - leaving the other clean for their clothes.
You are all exceptional people there and without you all there would be very sad stories for these doggies.
Can I also suggest one of those bags that I just bought for putting pet stuff in in the washing machine? It's brilliant, and keeps all the hair in the bag, and out of the drum. You put the washing in the bag, put the bag in the machine and just shake the hairs out of the bag.
I was not going to post a reply on this but having read Ian's post I just want to say thank you very much, I was actually moved to tears by the very kind things you said.
For those of you who raised questions and concerns here are a few answers.
I do not need a lot of sleep , never have, I have always said I will have a long sleep eventually.
There is not a hint of infection, credit me with some nouse that has already been checked.
The smell is urine,all urine smells, the smell in the dustbin is ammonia, try putting what is in reality wet nappies in a bin in this heat for 2 weeks and see what it smells like.
I use Virkon S disinfectant around here, I buy it in 10 kilo containers, for those of you unfamiliar with it google it the price alone will make your eyes water.
All I was trying to do was not let people read Peppa's blog and wonder why she was in rescue as she is having lots of jollies. Peppa is being treated the same as any other pup cos she is a normal pup with a leaky bladder BUT ONLY WHEN VERY RELAXED OR ASLEEP unlike Sophie pup who was plumbed incorrectly. Peppa will get all the same socialisation, training, love, outings etc etc as any other pup.
Ky
I am joy in a woolly coat, come to dance in your life, to make you laugh.