Charlie, Lilly & Pixie's news

Well, only Buddy, Penny and Louis have escaped having something to blog about this time!

We'll begin with Charlie who had his assessment for Pets As Therapy this morning. Mum is SOOOOOO proud of him. He was just BRILLIANT, no, PERFECT in fact. Not one negative thing on his report! But it was almost a disaster thanks to mum's bad planning. His assessment was over in Shirley near Solihull where Mum used to live 20 odd years ago. Its been a very long time since Mum had been over that way and so she forgot that the 17 or so miles to the place takes over an hour to travel to. She allowed and hour and 15 minutes just in case, and time for a quick run and pee in the park.....except the traffic was AWFUL and there were roadworks everywhere and it was pouring with rain so the run in the park turned into a lead dash on a grass verge...where Charlie decide to forage in the long grass and came out GREEN! Covered form head to toe in a million billion grass seeds! DISASTER!!!!!! So back in the car and a quick brush at every traffic light and traffic queue for the remaining few miles!!! But we arrived with seconds to spare and time for a thorough brushing to turn his coat a beautiful flowing Ruby again! There will be grass growing in Mum's car for ever though!! Soooo many seeds! So, the assessment went VERY well indeed. We will be sending in all the forms today and have a wait of up to 12 weeks for them to be processed and the final judgement to be received.

Lilly has yet another problem, poor love! Now she had a huge abscess on her bum which has burst and left a monster of a hole. She's on 2 types pain killers and 2 different antibiotics. She is being a very good patient for Mum when she has to clean out the wound.

And Pixie is being a monster! She's decided to have a phantom pregnancy! She has been nesting for the past week and has taken to 'mothering' a green rubber crocodile!!!

More news of Lilly

Hello dog blog followers.....

We hope you are all healthy and happy this fine July day.

Our beautiful Lilly is having yet more problems. We noticed that her recall has become almost non-existent, unless she is looking at you, and she doesn't wake up even if you yell and drop things by her. The only way to wake her is to touch her and then she jolts awake. So off she went to see the vet today and he confirmed she is deaf. Also he checked her eyes and her 'good' eye has a cataract on it and he's surprised she has any vision in that eye as he can't see back to the retina with the opthalmascope. Lilly seems happy enough and is plodding along as usual. That's our brave big sister for you.



Our other news is that Charlie has his PAT assessment on July 21st so wish us all the best of luck for then. Mum has mentioned his 'thing' for having his lead in his mouth but the assessor doesn't think that will be a great problem.

We have to say a big thank you to Charlie's hydro therapist, Jacqui from Bear Hugs, who planted the seed in Mum's head and for the lovely comment in her recent e-mail saying
'Who wouldn't want our web footed wonder to visit them and make them smile'
She's exactly right! Charlie has whispered a poem to mum too about his swimming expertise......

My name is Captain Charlie Beau
I'm Captain of THE boat
I can swim for miles and miles,
While other dogs just float.

I practise all my swimming strokes
In water deep and blue
You can join me if you like
But I'm way faster than you!

I still refuse to chase the duck
That Jacqui likes to squeak
I prefer to swim and swim
I can't wait for next week....

I don't like the pesky jets
That make the water swirl
I prefer the languid strokes..
Just watch my silky fur curl
As I swim away the miles
With Jacqui close behind
I could stay in here all day...
I wonder if she'd mind?

An update on Lilly and Penny surpasses herself in the naughtiness stakes.

Welcome one and all to our Blog. Its very very hot here already today at 8am we have 30 degrees C recorded on our thermometer! TOOOOOOOO HHHOOOTTTTTT! Already we are lying flat out under the ceiling fans and trying not to melt. Lilly is doing ok. She is no better really and still has a lopsided smile, but her appetite is back with a vengeance now she has learnt to cope with just one side of her mouth working. We have ruled out any ear disease as when she shakes her head she doesn't fall over, often dogs with vestibular disease will shake their head and loose their balance. So we are still none the wiser as to the cause of her facial paralysis but Lilly is coping really well and we are less worried about her now. Buddy has developed a lump near his 'armpit' area, the vet thinks this is possibly a swollen lymph node. We are keeping an eye on it. Buddy sees the vet every 4 weeks in any case when he has his allergy injection, so the lump will be monitored. Penny surpassed herself with naughtiness the other day. We were all in the living room having our morning treats (pork luncheon meat and Markies) and Penny had rather unusually disappeared into the hallway and was very quiet. Dad rolled her Markie out into the hallway for her and was concerned when Pixie went trotting out and came back in with Penny's Markie. This is what he found....... Penny in her cheekiness has raided Dad's work bag and stolen the swiss roll cake he was saving for his lunch break at work!!! We know Penny has a sweet tooth and you have seen evidence of her bin raids...but this really does take the biscuit...or should that be cake??....... Other news is that Mum is applying for PAT (Pets as Therapy) dog status for Charlie and hopes, if he passes his assessment, to be able to visit local hospitals, the local hospice and care homes with him to help bring a little joy to those people there. Charlie is such a loving boy so full of the joy of life, just being around him you can't help but smile. His lust for life in quite infectious. Also on June 19th Mum held her Summer Fun Dog Show. Pictures can be found at www.puppy-dog-training.co.uk. The event was very well attended with 87 dogs entered in the 25 classes. The weather was overcast and windy..but dry ...and so the show was held outside on the playing fields right outside the Community centre. The event raised £554 in all which went to DogA.I.D and some towards treatment for Royston the Cavalier with hydrocephalus (Lizzies Barn) And so we leave you with Lilly, Louis and Charlie in a perfect pose.... and the Jezebel Cats teasing Pixie who like to play chase with them...please excuse the muddy doors..with 24 muddy paws in and out we gave up trying to keep it clean!!

Lilly cav and Poppy cat

Helloooo blog followers. We begin today with the sad news that we said goodbye yesterday to our cat friend Poppy. She was a noisy little creature and we will miss hearing her telling mum and dad off for not being quick enough getting her food to her. Night night little Poppy cat. We all miss you XXXXXXX



Our big sister Lilly is also not very well, if you have time, please send some healing thoughts her way to help try to make her better. It all began a few weeks ago when she seemed very stiff getting up so mum and dad took her to the vets and rather than her legs being stiff (she has had surgery on both knees for luxating patellae) the vet said it was her back that was hurting her, so we began some pain killers and cartrophen injections. Then she had a REALLY poorly tummy, so the pain killers were stopped. Then about 10 days ago the right side of Lilly's face became paralysed and her head tilted to the side. So off to the vet she went again. The vets opinion echoed mums'. It could be something as simple as a middle ear infection, or as serious as a tumour or Syringomyelia (SM). Hmmmmm. Lilly was booked for an MRI scan. Lilly has had her scan and a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)was taken. She has a huge bald patch on her neck where they shaved the fur to take the sample. The interim report from the scan has revealed glue ear both sides, an inflammed facial nerve and meninges (brain coverings) on the right, evidence of an old brain injury possibly a clot of some kind on the right side (although none of have have any idea what this could be)and perhaps most worryingly that she has mild Chiari Malformation (CM). And this is the INTERIM!!!! Mum is dreading the full report! For those of you who don't have Cavaliers, SM is becoming worryingly common and is the most awful disease. I won't go into detail here but you can find lots of very informative articles about Cavalier health in general on the website www.cavalierhealth.org. In a tiny nutshell SM results from the Cavalier's brain being too large for its skull. So for Lilly, there is the possibility that her problem are related to meningitis. But we won't know for sure until we have the CSF results back and the full MRI report. In the meantime Lilly is not eating and sleeping a lot. We will keep you updated.

There have been some brighter moments since we last blogged... Here is a rather gulity looking Penny after raiding the bin for her Dad's apple pie....



Our beautiful Lilly before she became unwell...



Charlie perfecting his 'cute' look.


Lilly and Penny adopt their usual sleeping position...


And more sleeping positions....


And finally, a Patient Pixie Peruses a Pork Pie!!

The end of the Beauclarke Puppy Diary

Oh dear! Sadly the Beauclarke Puppy Diary has come to an abrupt end. Despite quite liking her rather gorgeous boyfriend, Pixie decided that there was not enough wining and dining, flowers or chocolates for the relationship to fully develop this time around. However she was very happy to snuggle up with him when she thought no-one was looking. So this time there will be no pups. She will be going back to see him again possibly later this year, but more likely in a years time. Obviously it all depends on timings of her season and when pups will be born, I have to be sure that I am around for her and the pups as much as possible. I will only be working 10 hours a week over 3 days the next academic year, but in the past I have missed a litter of kittens being born despite coming home every hour when she was due, I WILL NOT repeat that mistake again! I nearly lost one of the babies who was breech and ended up down the back of the sofa cushions, I found him bruised, stone cold and gasping his last breaths, luckily I did manage to revive him, thanks to the expert telephone help of a very good friend (that's you Heather!) but he was slightly brain damaged as a result. And so, Beauclarke Pups 2011 are now not going to happen.....watch this space for developments this time next year though!!

In the meantime Pixie is back home and snuggled up on her favourite chair again, chasing the cats to her hearts content and having a good old bark with Louis....when she came back home, bless him, Louis brought her a half chewed cow's hoof as a present!! Usually he's stealing stuff off her not bringing her gifts!! but he came over and gently placed it down in front of her nose! Soooo sweet!

Charlie has to go and see Uncle Steve the vet on Monday as his hydrotherapist's report mentioned his 'good' knee 'popping' and so the vet wants to check it over to make sure its not in need of surgery....here we go again!!! In the meantime Charlie's stint as 'Captain of the Boat' has seen him loose 1kg in weight as well as putting on 4.5cm (cm NOT mm) around his thigh muscle! (No wonder the weight loss has been slower than I expected if he's gained that much muscle mass!! I don't know about Captain of the Boat...more like Popeye!!) We are continuing his hydro for another 10 weeks just because he loves it so much! Charlie Beau the water-baby!

We'll keep you updated of Charlie's progress.

Woofs and licks The Beauclarke Bunch

Replies to posted comments

I am glad that people are enjoying the blog, I am enjoying writing it...I just wish we had more time to put paws to keyboard!!

In terms of Pixie's health checks....the plan was to have her MRI'd but the decision to mate her on this season kind of crept up on me! That said it is not a decision I have taken lightly or without thought, and this mating has been several years in the planning process (way before Pixie was even a twinkle in her mum's eye!!) IF I decide to breed from her again (chances are if all is well with her conception, pregnancy and birth this time, and that she enjoys being a mum, then I will) she will be MRI'd before her next litter. I feel it is paramount that only the healthiest dogs are used for breeding to eradicate and reduce as far as possible the inherent problems in this wonderful breed. As far as possible I have checked the health histories of parents, grandparents and other litters to ensure that as far as I can tell, Pixie is free from any hereditary conditions and the risk to her babies will be minimal. Of course there are no guarantees as genes can be fickle things and it is very much luck of the draw as to which genes are expressed in a particular puppy. (I am one of these sad individuals who will sit pondering punnet squares to determine possible outcome of coat colours!) In fact in my 'day job' as a part time lecturer in health & social care I get my students to look at Cavalier coat colours when teaching them about genetics!! (Far more fun than the usual things like babies eye colour!!) I am responsible for bringing these new doggie lives into the world and I take that responsibility VERY seriously and will do all I can to ensure that Pixies pup's will be as healthy as possible. They will be much loved, well socialised and well trained before they leave me and their mum to begin their own stories....

Louis birthday, Beauclarke Puppy Diary part 3 and Cavs doing what they do best

Louis reached the grand old age of 2 on Friday May 6th. As usual the event was celebrated with chocolate treats, chicken and a specially baked liver cake. The birthday boy is as handsome as ever and still running around like a puppy - well at least he was until his sister went on 'holiday'....Pixie went to stay with her boyfriend on Saturday morning. Stanley's photos really do not do him justice, he is far more handsome in the flesh than his photos show. He is the same size as Pixie and they took a liking to each other right away. Pixie is not quite ready to declare her undying love at the moment though and so will stay a few days to get to know him better!! (The reality is that she is likely a late developer in terms of her heat cycle, and ovulation has not yet occurred, until it does she will keep Stanley at arms length) She is ruling the roost at her 'holiday' home and has made herself comfortable on the laps of Stanley's family finding it much harder than I thought having her away from us. I knew I would miss her, she is such a larger than life character and a real love bug, but its like I've lost a limb! There was a huge space vacant on the bed next to me last night and I didn't like it one bit! Louis is REALLY missing her and so is Charlie. Taking the dogs out for a walk this morning was a really subdued affair without Pixie tormenting them all, and Louis was actively searching for her when we were out going to all the usual places....I can't wait to get her home, but must be patient. One thing is certain, if we are blessed with a successful mating, the resulting puppies will be STUNNERS..I don't say this just because Pixie is my baby girl, but because its a fact! As I hope you will all be able to see as the blog progresses! But in the meantime, here is a short video clip of Penny and Lilly taken today, doing what Cavaliers do best!
And here are Charlie and Louis looking glum missing their baby sister. Mark was soooo impressed with this footage of an electrical storm he took on Friday evening that he insisted I publish it on the blog, so in the interests of a harmonious marriage here it is....(be patient, the exciting bit is towards the end!!)