We've been very nervous about this visit as Oliver's initial prognosis was a lifespan of 6 months and Hugo has now been with us for just over 5 months. At his visit last month, Hugo was really quite poorly and Oliver made it clear yesterday that he hadn't been expecting to see us for the appointment.
We have been aware that Hugo's ribs aren't as apparent as usual and we've had to loosen his collar a notch, but we worried that this was because he was retaining fluid rather than just keeping weight on. He's also been paler than normal on a permanent basis now. Plus he'd had one particularly bad day since his last check up. The only positive note was that his diarrhoea had stopped.
Last Friday we even made a trip that nobody should ever have to make with regards to such a young dog: we went to visit the new pet crematorium. Our experiences when we lost Bear and Kevinthecat were such that we knew that it was NOT what we wanted for Hugo. Fortunately, the crematorium based at Overhill Kennels opened a few months ago and gave us the option of making things much easier when the dreaded time comes. No sitting in a freezer for days on end before being shipped down the M4 and another week before Hugo's ashes are returned. This wonderful place gives us the option of ensuring that Hugo's body is never left alone with anybody who didn't care about him. They can collect him if we can't cope with delivering him. They have a wonderful room where we can spend time saying goodbye (with music of our choice playing) for as long as we want. He will be treated with dignity and respect at all times. And he will only be away from us for 24 hours before being returned. Sophie felt that she needed to visit and speak to the staff who would be dealing with him and they were amazing. The lady we spoke to spoke only to Sophie and not me. She explained everything calmly and so beautifully. Sophie had quiet tears streaming down her face but came away feeling comforted that her beloved puppy would continue to be cared for in a way she wanted. We couldn't visit the memorial room as another family were spending time saying goodbye to their beloved pet, but we were invited back at another time. And we're going to take feisty, barky, naughty Hugo with us so that they can meet him and know HIM and not only the body of a poorly, tiny puppy. It felt like a morbid trip to be making, but are grateful that we have options and can make a plan.
Anyway. Back to the Very Special News.
Oliver was thrilled to see Hugo at all but couldn't see what he was looking like as he was wearing a jumper and his harness. Naked, he still brought smiles from Oliver. He confirmed that it is weight gain and not fluid retention. Hugo was weighed and is now tipping the scales at a "whopping" 3.7kgs! He's put on half a kilo in the last month :o)
Hugo's heart murmur can now be felt - and seen - clearly, but Oliver feels that the right-sided heart failure is progressing more than the left-sided. The right-sided heart failure is what's producing the symptoms: the fluid, the poor circulation, the compromised organs, etc. The left-sided heart failure is what produces the "bad" days where Hugo is flat, tired, grumpy and refusing to eat. The bad days are very few and far between at the moment and are the days that will govern when a decision is made.
After receiving Hugo kisses and feeding him a well-earned Schmacko, Oliver gave us the most wonderful news. He feels Hugo is so well at the moment that he doesn't want to see him for another THREE MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!
In 3 months, Hugo will have been with us for nearly 9 months, will have had his first birthday and will have celebrated his first proper Christmas.
Oliver made it clear that Hugo is still with us only because of the care that he has received from Sophie. She spent the whole evening with a grin from ear to ear!
Told you it was Very Special News ;o)
I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that Fionna and Lizzies Barn are covering all of Hugo's medical bills whilst also caring for all of the dogs currently at the Barn, so if you can possibly manage to help with a donation towards the cost of the little man's bills it would be so very much appreciated.
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