Merry Cristmas Everyone!

To all my doggy friends I hope you get lots of bones, treats and cuddles from your owners and that you enjoy the christmas dinner.

My favourite part of christmas dinner is the sprouts, I like them best raw and cold because they are really good for me and healthy.

I haven't been speaking to mummy recently, on Tuesday she took me to the VET! Can you believe it really, she took me to the VET and there was nothing wrong with me, and worst still the VET emptied my glands, it was horrible and 3 people had to hold me still.

So understandably mummy was not my favourite person, she claimed that I was due my 6 monthly MOT but I still think taking me to the VET was uncalled for.

I was just starting to forgive her on Wednesday  but then she did something terrible, she went out for hours without me!

I was with nanny and granddad but I still got upset and cried!

So I wouldn't speak to her last night, she came and gave me a goodnight kiss and a cuddle which was lovely, I love mummy cuddles.

Then this morning I completely forgave her, because I got lots of presents and treats and lovely things for christmas.

you see I do have christmas spirit I forgave mummy even thought she was nasty!

This is my first christmas with mummy and it was great, everyone got loads of presents which I tried to steal and yes its been great, I have decided that I really love christmas.

EAR!

Oh dear my poor boy now has an ear infection!

I'm also informed that there is a nasty highly infectious strain of kennel cough spreading around the south of England one of the tutors at uni has had a poorly doggie with it.

So we shall be staying well away from her as it spreads in the air and can attach itself to peoples clothes and everything!

Settling in

First off apologies for the lack of posting as I am sure our readers will understand Gus and I have been rather busy with settling in to the routine of university life.

I think we have now settled into a nice little routine although it was a very bumpy start for Gus.

After cutting his paw and having a bit of time off he continued to limp so ended up back at the vet. Adding more to my concern on the way there Gus fell going up a flight of stairs, which made me worry more!

The vet was lovely but did little to put my mind at ease reeling off a whole selection of things it could be. It took about 45 minutes of examination to work out that it was his elbow causing the problem (he was not giving much away!).

Elbow problems are renowned for being tricky to locate the source of the issue so it could have been a host of things.

A common problem in Labrador retriever dogs is elbow displaycia, if it was that it would be very serious and may lead to Gus taking early retirement.

In the end he was given a weeks worth of anti-inflammatory painkillers and had to have complete rest. He was allowed one short walk a day for a week and that was it. Then in the second week he was to gradually build up to working again. The hope was that it was a sprain and that rest and painkillers would sort it out, if not he would have to see a specialist and have X-rays.

Unfortunately for me having just started at university that meant that Gus had to go and stay with my parents for a week.

Gus had a ball with them and mums dog Ian and enjoyed his little walks to different places, he loves my parents to bits so for him it was a lovely little holiday!

For me it was a nightmare, I missed him so much and really struggled to get around university and do the basics like food shopping. I was also a complete blubbering wreck for most of the week, on one occasion I saw a black Labrador puppy and cried in the middle of the high street!

Fortunately when we where reunited and Gus started to get back to work all my worries subsided as he is now absolutely fine. We will never really no what it was but it was probably just a sprain.

Panic over!

Gus and I seem to be bonding more and more as time goes on and we are attempting to get into a bit of a routine.

Recently Gus has decided he likes cuddles but only on his terms!

Thursday morning my alarm clock went off I sat up and Gus had already got off his bed and was wagging his tail with that good morning look on his face. He then put one poor on me then the other and then his belly-landed!

He is not allowed on my bed, but as long as he keeps his back paws on the floor cuddles are fine and we certainly had a lovely one on Thursday!

I’m also discovering that Gus is not a morning person the majority of the time bless him, he does not like getting up in the morning and off his bed, but sometimes surprises me.

Due to the painkillers he was on he now has 2 feeds a day, morning around 8 am and evening around 6 (but unfortunately lecture dependant) he likes having more feeds, even though he has the same amount.

Overall I think Gus is very happy here, he still loves to go home and see my mum, dad and Ian but he likes lots of things about Southampton to.

Unfortunately one of the things that Gus loves about Southampton is the rats, there are a huge amount of rats in the city and the come out everywhere at night. A few weeks ago on my way to the station that is about 15 minutes away from my halls Gus saw 5 rats!

I cant see the rats but Gus most defiantly can, in fact I think he wants to chase them all, my mates have been joking about buying a radio controlled rat for him for Christmas.

Also another thing he loves to do now is look out of the window on the buses trains or whatever he is on which is cute.

Gus is also absolutely obsessed with my friend Tom, he wants to follow Tom everywhere, we think it might be because Tom wears a lot of black so Gus identifies with him but its rather sweet, he can find tom in a crowd of people and likes standing on Tom!

Paw GUS!!!

My paw (you will get the pun in a minute) little guide dog Gus has been in the wars today.

We had a visit from guide dogs yesterday and I mentioned a little problem he has with his elbow, he has a big callous on it thats bald and very red. So yesterday I spoke to our trainer who said to keep a good eye on it because it had been bleeding.

Well today when I was grooming Gus I noticed that there was green gunk coming out of it. So I booked into see a vet at 2:45.

So Off I went to my lectures and what happens on the way Gus cuts his paw. It's the tiniest cut ever but it bled FOREVER! I got a sightling to look at it for me and check there was nothing they could see in it, which there was not. Gus seemed to be in a lot of pain and limping quite badly.

Still thinking that my boy was being a massive wuss I asked the vet too look at it for me. The vet was concerned about the amount of pain he was in so we agreed to sedate him so she could clean out the wound and check it had nothing in it, without hurting him. 2 hours of me sitting in the waiting room later she came out to tell me that she had removed a shard of glass from inside his foot.

While he was sleepy she also cleaned up his elbow and put cream on it and gave him a strong painkiller and a big boost of antibiotic to get him started.

MY POOR BABY WAS WALKING ROUND WITH GLASS IN HIS FOOT ALL DAY!

He needed antibiotics for the elbow anyway but he had to have a stronger dose because he spent a day walking around with glass in his foot.

I think everyone in my Halls has heard about it now and one of the guys went out and brought Gus a toy People are being really helpful and offering to take me shopping/go and buy food and stuff for me while Gus is out of action and one Guy has even said anytime Gus needs the vet to give him a ring and he will give us a lift.

I dont think the reversal of the sedative went very well Gus is still out of it 5 hours later, I had to carry him from the vet into a taxi and then from the taxi to my room where I put him down thinking he could make it to his bed. He tripped over his bed and fell flat on his face and couldn't get up poor thing and he is all cold and shivery so I have wrapped him up.

Sorry to write such a long post but it has been a VERY emotional day, my baby being in pain is a horrible thought, it's not like i can explain to him why he is all wobbly and it makes him sad that he does not understand that makes me sad for him!

(someone is getting some serious spoiling today)