We first brought Jack & Harry home in November 2006.   They were so full of life like any normal puppies.  Little did we know that 2007 was not going to be good year for either of them.

Out for a walk over the fields with Jack & Harry when Harry fell into a ditch and yelped.   He managed to get himself out and carried on with the walk.  After getting back home and both of them having a rest, Harry was limping.   He was not better the next day so we visited the vets.   They checked the bones in his leg but could not find any damage.  He came home with some painkillers, but seemed to get better over the next few days.

21st February 2007

Took Harry & Jack over the fields for their evening walk, but halfway down the field Harry fell down and yelped.  He tried to get back up but was in too much pain.  We whisked him to the vets where he was sedated and xrayed.  His front leg had totally shattered at the joint.   He would need an operation!

22nd February 2007

I transferred Harry from our vets to a specialist vet (Gerard) for his operation.  He would be operated on today and kept under observation overnight.   Call the vets later that day and everything had gone well with the operation.

23rd February 2007

Went to collect Harry, he was still a little bit groggy but happy to see us.   He had had to have his leg plated, pinned and wired.   We were informed that he had a bone condition where the inside of the bone had not formed correctly.   A scan had been made of his injured leg and also his other front leg which was found to okay.   We brought him home to strict cage rest for at least a week.

6th March 2007

Harry had his staples out and his pot re-dressed - a lovely bright blue one.   No walks for quite a few weeks yet. He has adapted well to having the pot on his leg as he walks on his other three legs and holds it out to the side.

10th April 2007

Back to the vets for his pot off and told to build his exercise back up gently.  No running, just walking.  He is still walking as if he has the pot on, not using his leg at all.    Jack has been very good and has not been rough at all with him.   It's great to see him trotting around the yard again with his brother.

31st May 2007

Back to see Gerard (the specialist) today.   He is very pleased with his progress and has given him the all clear.   Brilliant!

1st July 2007

We got the lovely news last week that the Insurance Company was not going to pay out on our Harry's operation.  Needless to say it cost us a small fortune but it was worth every penny as he is now able to run around with his brother Jack, again.  

13th July 2007

Has today been unlucky for anyone else?   Things started going wrong first thing this morning when I got to work!  Some of the software would not work correctly and it took a while to sort things out but things seemed to get a bit better by the end of the day and I was looking forward to a nice long relaxing walk with Jack & Harry - but even that went wrong when Jack dislocated his back leg and he had to carried back home and straight to the vets. He is having to stay overnight and will be on full rest for about a week!  Think I need an early night so nothing else can go wrong. 

28th July 2007

Just as we thought Jack was on the mend, his hip comes out again so now an operation is required.   He goes in on Monday for his operation, so will need a lot of TLC when he returns home so I am not expecting to get much done over the next couple of weeks.

1st August 2007

Well our Jack is back home on strict cage rest for the next 10 days.   He is then going to have to go to a therapy centre for massage, physio and hydrotherapy - sounds heaven doesn't it? - as well as building up his walks again.  Not sure how I will find time to fit in some jewellery making but I am sure I will. 

13th August 2007

Jack has now had two physio sessions and one hydrotherapy session.   I think he liked the hydrotherapy session best as he loves swimming.   He is still not using his leg but this is very early days. 

27th August 2007

Jack is coming along well and has started limping on his leg which is good as he is using it and the muscles can be built back up now.  Physio and hydrotherapy are still ongoing but we can see a difference after each visit. 

3rd September 2007

Jack is obviously feeling a lot more happy with his leg, he has started fighting again with his brother Harry.   I caught Harry dragging Jack off the settee by his leg the other day and then Jack pinned Harry down by the throat!   Sounds rough but they never seem to hurt each other and then they still have their soft side, when they get tired on a night time, they get up on the settee and cuddle in, wanting to be as near as possible to you by lying right on top of you. 

10th October 2007

Update on Jack:   He now only has to have hydrotherapy once a week!   They are very pleased with his progress and we can now take him on the longer walks with his brother Harry.  Fab news!!!

31st December 2007

Well there goes another year!  Here's hoping that 2008 will see no more injuries to Jack and Harry. 

A great big THANK YOU to:

 Gerard and the Staff at Wear Referrals, Bishop Auckland for both Harry & Jack's operations and aftercare.

All at the Gilmoor Veterinary Group, Spennymoor & Gilesgate

Ivan and Rebecca at The Animal Therapy Centre, Heighington for help with Jack's recovery.

24th June 2008

Well here we go again.   For the past couple of weeks we have not walked Jack as he was holding his back leg up when he walked so as we are off work this week, we decided to take them both for a short run down to the beach.  Jack was fine while he was there but after coming home and lying down he was limping once again.   So off to the vets again.   There we were given more painkillers and to book him in for an X-ray on his other hip with the choice of possibly a hip replacement or the same op he had on his other hip.   X-ray booked for tomorrow.

25th June 2008

Dropped Jack off at the vets for his X-ray.  Harry is really missing him and not his usual playful self.   The house is so quiet.   The X-ray has not shown much up and the vet is not hapy to say that it is his hip that is bothering him.   She thinks it could be his knee, so we are off back to see Gerard at Wear Referrals tomorrow to a second opinion.   No tea for Jack again.

26th June 2008

Jack was knocked out again - poor bairn - and more x-rays taken but this time on his knee.  This time it is his cruciate ligament in his knee which will need another operation!   He is booked on for 3rd July.  

3rd July 2008

Took Jack to the vets this morning.  Did not want to leave him, but at least he did not try to follow me out.   They called us at 12:30 to say the operation had gone well and that he was coming round.   I rang about 7:30 to see how he was, and was told he was awake, had had some tea and was looking around .   Can't wait for him to come home tomorrow - Harry and me are missing him so much.

4th July 2008

Could not wait to get home from work today to see Jack.  There he was standing in his cage - his new home for the next 8-12 weeks! :-(   - wagging his tail like mad.  He looked  like there was nothing wrong until he turned round and I could see his blue bandaged leg.  Poor little bairn.  

8th July 2008

Jack was back to the vets again.  He had been chewing his bandage which left his staples showing and his leg red raw.   They decided not to bandage him back up and gave him on of them lampshades to stop him chewing his leg.

9th July 2008

Little Houdini had managed to get the lampshade off his head overnight, but he had not bothered with his leg so we have left it off him.   It was causing him problems turning round and getting comfortable in the cage anyway.

11th July 2008

Staples out.  He was not a bit of bother and he has healed up very well.   Just another 7-11 weeks of cage rest to go!