What a lot happened - Salukiwise - in this ghastly winter. Restless nutcase Golly showed the worst of his always nightmare crazy character (real name Shmaal, but only answers to this silly soubriquet and not at all from his black colour but reference an old friend of Salukis, Gilbert, but known as 'Uncle Golly') - how could 2 hounds born 30 minutes apart be so different, Sharav so feisty but loving and responsive, my gorgeous red 'boy', and an equally physically attractive male sibling, so nervous and weird?
So, even after the 'girls' had gone up to 'the bunker' as M's home is known, Golly worked himself up into a sexual lather and late one night I found him wandering about the garden trying and failing to pass urine. This condition happened once before with a urinary tract infection diagnosed and treated but suspect prostate problems leaving a query for future concern. In spite of the late hour, limited diesel and Michael's sleep, once again he had to come down and take a dog to the vet's surgery. Thankfully Dr John was nearby finishing an evening with relatives and attended to Golly straight away but of course both that night and the following morning all kinds of tests and treatment were required. I had noticed that in Golly's developing paranoia he had stopped drinking water in his room when his brother was present so I had stood by him and made sure he drank in an empty room but after a while I found him lapping at dirty water from a broken pipe outside and hadn't seen him take fresh water for a while. Now he had become severely dehydrated and had to be put on a drip with fluids and a cocktail of anitbiotics and nutrients. Another UTI of course but that worry about prostate problems again and days passed of drugs and vet visits and tests until finally Golly improved but the vet felt the dog should be castrated. We had considered this so often but people always think there is no risk with this course of action. One of the main reasons we had rejected this in the past had been the feeling that he would become even more nervous of his stronger brother and lay himself open to attacks that he had countered as he very slowly matured, leaving Sharav wary of picking on him as in puppyhood. Having had to separate the other 2 males already from the brothers I had nowhere really left to house and cope with them - they had to get on and live together and despite frequent growling etc. they had largely managed to do so (as with previous difficulties like this in their ancestors, we found that outside the property they enjoyed walks together without problems). At this time, finances had to be considered too but Dr John kindly agreed to do the op gratis and after many delays we accepted that option. Golly appeared not to notice and was appalling on his return, annoying the'girls' no end who had only been back with me for 4 days. The following day I noticed Carmel had started a 'season' (why now?) so up she went again with mum Paschale back to Michael's. As the days passed Golly began to show further signs of irrational fear - suddenly afraid of the rain or wet surfaces, even fearing Sharav when the latter was tucked up sound asleep and uninterested in anything, still not drinking except from a syringe etc. etc. I started giving him sloppy food, watery gravy and putting a bowl of milky water outside covering the old pipe he would drink from and gradually he regained his confidence to manage fluid himself. Since then he has made me ill with all kinds of mad behavior alternating with better and pleasant days but overall he remains a huge problem. as M is away less now we hope that improvements to his garden to secure it he may then take him up there from time to time but my fear is that Sharav will never allow him back again and then what do we do when M cannot have him. He is absolutely hopeless with anyone else so I have accepted he is a problem for life but of course, for all his trouble and my exhausted rage at him by night, he is a Saluki and by day that ineffable charm they have means that I still love him. Continuing the winter woes tomorrow with another late evening rush to the vet with Paschale who Michael thought was dying - well she came close.....
So, even after the 'girls' had gone up to 'the bunker' as M's home is known, Golly worked himself up into a sexual lather and late one night I found him wandering about the garden trying and failing to pass urine. This condition happened once before with a urinary tract infection diagnosed and treated but suspect prostate problems leaving a query for future concern. In spite of the late hour, limited diesel and Michael's sleep, once again he had to come down and take a dog to the vet's surgery. Thankfully Dr John was nearby finishing an evening with relatives and attended to Golly straight away but of course both that night and the following morning all kinds of tests and treatment were required. I had noticed that in Golly's developing paranoia he had stopped drinking water in his room when his brother was present so I had stood by him and made sure he drank in an empty room but after a while I found him lapping at dirty water from a broken pipe outside and hadn't seen him take fresh water for a while. Now he had become severely dehydrated and had to be put on a drip with fluids and a cocktail of anitbiotics and nutrients. Another UTI of course but that worry about prostate problems again and days passed of drugs and vet visits and tests until finally Golly improved but the vet felt the dog should be castrated. We had considered this so often but people always think there is no risk with this course of action. One of the main reasons we had rejected this in the past had been the feeling that he would become even more nervous of his stronger brother and lay himself open to attacks that he had countered as he very slowly matured, leaving Sharav wary of picking on him as in puppyhood. Having had to separate the other 2 males already from the brothers I had nowhere really left to house and cope with them - they had to get on and live together and despite frequent growling etc. they had largely managed to do so (as with previous difficulties like this in their ancestors, we found that outside the property they enjoyed walks together without problems). At this time, finances had to be considered too but Dr John kindly agreed to do the op gratis and after many delays we accepted that option. Golly appeared not to notice and was appalling on his return, annoying the'girls' no end who had only been back with me for 4 days. The following day I noticed Carmel had started a 'season' (why now?) so up she went again with mum Paschale back to Michael's. As the days passed Golly began to show further signs of irrational fear - suddenly afraid of the rain or wet surfaces, even fearing Sharav when the latter was tucked up sound asleep and uninterested in anything, still not drinking except from a syringe etc. etc. I started giving him sloppy food, watery gravy and putting a bowl of milky water outside covering the old pipe he would drink from and gradually he regained his confidence to manage fluid himself. Since then he has made me ill with all kinds of mad behavior alternating with better and pleasant days but overall he remains a huge problem. as M is away less now we hope that improvements to his garden to secure it he may then take him up there from time to time but my fear is that Sharav will never allow him back again and then what do we do when M cannot have him. He is absolutely hopeless with anyone else so I have accepted he is a problem for life but of course, for all his trouble and my exhausted rage at him by night, he is a Saluki and by day that ineffable charm they have means that I still love him. Continuing the winter woes tomorrow with another late evening rush to the vet with Paschale who Michael thought was dying - well she came close.....
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