GPV* - Not To Be Confused With GPP**

Realized I hadn't posted a Gratuitous Puppy Video* (not be be confused with a Gratuitous Puppy Picture**) in a while. So here we have our Reese being bathed last Sunday.

His skin condition has returned with a vengeance so for the past few days we've been walking over to the Vets - well I've been walking, he's been carried. Tuesday I met a charming older couple who were in with their dog. The lady - faded blonde but with a elegance that was unforced and a wonderful smile when she talked about her dog - had found her wandering on the street two years ago. The dog was going to be operated on that afternoon for a tumor that they hoped was benign. We talked about our pets and them being what she called "a loving responsibility," which I thought was a great phrase. I checked with Dr. Benvenuti yesterday and it was benign - I would have loved to see the smile on her face when he told her that.

13 decembre - Santa Lucia

The Reese Report

Most of his adult life Reese has lived with this strange skin condition that keeps returning - its never been properly diagnosed just treat so its under control. When it flares up - as it did last week - and there's a spot he can reach he'll chew or scratch it until it bleeds and of course spreads. He really did a number on his right flank in the past two days - so this morning off to Dr Benvenuti we went. I carried Mr Reese the 8 blocks to the vet's with a stop along the way to be petted by two older women - that's Reese they petted not me. A few shots, three pills - that now makes 5 pills he's taking each day, I tell you it is like looking after an old relative - and an Elizabethan collar things should get better.



The shots he tolerates and since the pills are served in a piece of poached chicken they are fine but the collar.... what the hell is that about? The look he gave poor Walter, the vet's assistant, as he put it on him was enough to damn the poor man for eternity. He is now walking around the house bumping into things and most upset that he can't burrow into his blankets the way he normally does. I, of course, feel like the absolute worst dog owner in the world and picking up on this he is doing everything he can to make me feel worse. No kisses for me tonight!


21 novembre - Presentazione di B. V.

The Reese Report

This was the sight that greeted me this morning as I came into the kitchen hall with my coffee cup in hand. I know what you're thinking and so did I for a second and almost dropped my coffee cup. Than I remembered the "hanging head" routine. From the time he was a puppy up until his back surgery Reese always did that. He could be sitting in your lap or laying in his kennel and his head would be hanging, eyes-rolled back in a William F Buckley manner, dead-to-the-world asleep. The first time it happened - he would have been about 3 months old - I panicked, he didn't respond to being called and I was sure he was dead. Of course, we didn't know at that point that he was deaf - something the breeder forgot to mention.

So having said that Mr. Reese, the Reeserman, Buddy is on as much of a recovery as we can expect at 93 - eating in a very picky manner, walking unsteadily and sleeping a great deal. As John says: It's like an elderly relative - or me on a bad day!

31 ottobre - Santa Lucilla

The Reese Report - Today's Update

We've often said that Reese is more like a cat than a dog - his behavoir is quite often more feline than canine - and be damned if like a cat he seems to have a few lives at his disposal. Dr Benevenuti referred to him tonight as his little "Miracle" as we watched him hobble slowly across the waiting room - and frankly on Tuesday he wasn't able to stand so.... We had thought it was only three days treatment but the good doctor - and I must blog about him sometime - continued it tonight and once more tomorrow. Then we will assess on Monday. As long as he is improving and there is no suffering I think for the moment we are not going to have to make a "decision."

So I'm off to Parma tomorrow at 0730 - I finally went to the station to get a reservation. The TrenItalia website is very slick, very "bella figura" but a total disaster for the user. It rejected 3 credit cards and actually froze my Mastercard after the third attempt. A call to a very pleasant lady at their call centre brought the admission that "we have trouble with foreign credit cards on the website." And even she was not able to help as much as she tried.

Hopefully I'll be blogging from Parma including a possible observation - a hesitate to call it a review - on the Oberto, which I'm sure you'll all be waiting for with great expection? Wish the trip could have been as planned but again there is always the next time.

It is now 11:05 and I still have to iron a few shirts, pack my five pairs of underwear (hey I'm going for a day and a bit okay! and I don't want to be hit by a mad motorino driver and taken to the hospital with dirty underwear, okay!) and four pairs of socks (all blue.) And then to bedfordshire.

26 ottobre - San Evanisto

The Reese Report

Well tonight is Dr. Benvenuti's assessment of the situation with Reese: from our point of view he is certainly better than when we took him to the Clinic or brought him home for that matter. He is walking a bit - though if he stands in one spot for more than a minute his back end slowly sinks to the ground. When he sits the one back leg is often in an unnatural position. He is eating - though only chicken, hamburger or slightly cooked vegetables. He is still drinking copious amounts of water which are then recycle - occasionally on the kitchen hallway floor or carpet. He spends a good deal of his time sleeping. He has definitely lost that puppy look and just looks like an old boy now. And he resolutely refuses to give me a kiss!

Went for a caffeine fix yesterday morning with my friend John, another dip-spouse, and I'm not sure if it was the two cappuccini, the chocolate corneti or both but we chattered away for almost 2 hours. When the subject turned to Reese, John compared the situation to looking after an elderly relative - and he's right. He's old, he's in failing health and he's part of our family - so we look after him as long and as well as we can.

Having said that I am going to be a bad person tomorrow - please tater forgive me. If I can get the TrenItalia website to accept my credit card - its rejected three perfectly valid ones already - I'm heading up to Parma early tomorrow morning and returning late Sunday morning. Laurent - being the sort of person he is - insists that I should go and that he can get some quality time in with Reese that way. Though it could be he just wants to get rid of me for a day or so.

Of course this is all subject to change depending on tonight's assessment.

26 ottobre - San Evanisto

The Reese Report - A Further Update

Well tonight was trip two to the vets for a continuation of the homeopathic treatment. Dr Benvenuti had a full house tonight: a temperamental Irish Setter - we all had to make sure it couldn't see our various pets, we couldn't quite figure out what that was all about. A very effeminate man or a very masculine woman - couldn't tell which - with a four week old kitten and his/her mother/wife/friend with a large but very gentle dog of unknown pedigree. Two young men with a big old orange cat saddled with an Elizabethan collar and a very laid back reaction to it all. And several other people coming and going with much to do - I undertand now how opera was born in Italy. Through the mayhem our Reese just sat there and only reacted when he saw a Golden Retriever parade by the window - much barking at that point - guess he was far enough away not to accept the challenge.

He was given another series of shots tonight - and for the first time let out a yelp when he was injected. When we got home he ate some of my minestrone mixed with tuna and is now sleeping. I would like to say I've seen an improvement but that may just be wishful thinking. We shall see what happens in the next 48 hours.

Again thanks everyone for your thoughts, prayers and love. It has been incredible.

24 ottobre - San Antonio M. Claret

The Reese Report - An Update

We returned about an hour ago from seeing Dr. Benvenuti. He read the reports and examined Reese and then we talked. He told us that he looks at these things two ways - medically and as a person who loves animals. Medically Reese has many problems but at the moment there is no "dolore" or suffering. He is not in pain and he is well-looked after.

He asked if we would allow him to try a homeopathic treatment for the next three days and if at the end of that time things have not improved then we would make a decision. We agreed and I can only hope we didn't do so for selfish reasons or because we didn't want to face a more difficult decision. The next three days will tell.

23 ottobre - San Giovanni di Compastelo

The Reese Report - Rome

I came into the kitchen hallway just now and found Reese stretched out in the sun on one of the carpets. He has never been big on the warmth of a sunny spot - that was always Bundnie's thing (my girl, she was our first daschie and the bane of poor Reese's existence for 12 years.) He has always preferred burrowing into two or three blankets in the comfort of his kennel but given the chill in the air maybe the warmth of the sun is comforting.

I wish things were getting better but after an initial "looking good" things have taken a downturn. He's lost a good deal of weight and he's not eating regularly - sometimes that chicken and green beans looks good other times he just sniffs it and turns away. One back leg in particular is not supporting his weight and he sleeps most of the time. He is still having accidents and the accompanying embarrassment.

We still really not sure what happened just over a week ago - they assured us at the Clinic that is was not from licking the medication we were apply to his skin which is a relief. The way things are going its almost like his immune system can't handle things anymore. But we'll go to the Vet's tonight with all the test reports, get a professional opinion and talk things over with him. We don't want to do anything rash but we also don't want Reese to suffer. The quality of his life is going to have to be our main consideration in any decision we make this evening.

Thanks to all of you for your concern and thoughts - I know he doesn't hear when I read them to him (and fool that I am I do)but....

23 Ottobre - San Giovanni di Capistrano

When Reesie Comes Marching Home Again...

Well our poor Reese didn't exactly march home like Johnny in the song, much like the real Johnny he hobbled unsteadily home with various areas of his body shaved and bandaged. The results of a battery of tests reveal that he had, when admitted, a very high white blood cell count and extreme levels of toxin in his system. They were able to clean up the infection and did other tests that confirmed most of the health problems we knew he had - nodules on his liver, hyper-active thyroid, an irregular heart-beat and arthritis (all but the last he's had since he was a puppy.)

I'm afraid the change of Vet and style of treatment may have precipitated several of the past week's problems. Our current vet is very big on homeopathic treatment and previous Vets have been more likely to push the chemical solution. I may be wrong on this but perhaps it was too late in his life to make changes. If Reese were younger the natural route would be the way to go but at this stage of his life we should not be experimenting.

The treatment he received at the Clinic was exceptional and the staff incredibly good but he wasn't eating much there. When he got home last night I gave him some chopped up chicken breast and cooked carrots - they were wolfed down in true Daschie style. The same thing this morning after a short walk.

He is sleeping a great deal but then if I had been poked, prodded and punctured in a strange place filled with smells of sickness maybe I would want to sleep it off to. We'll see how the next few days go and take it from there. We want to make sure than any decisions are made for him not for us.

19 ottobre - Santa Laura

The Reese Report - Rome - A Further Update

Well Reese has been at the Clinic for the past three days and seems to be improving - they just can't seem to pinpoint where this infection is coming from. When we went to see him last night he was walking, ate a little bit, gave us each a kiss - if only very prefuntorary - and protested with that "What the fuck! Are you leaving me in this hell hole?" sharp bark as we left - and didn't we feel the guilty ones

I almost dread going to the Clinic because of what we see there -sick animals in various states of recovery or sadly not. In the kennel below Reese there is a poor dog that was semi-conscious the first night we were there and conscious but obviously in pain last night. As well as the dogs and cats in kennels there are several dogs just wandering around or laying on their blankets - I'm not sure if they have been adopted by the staff or what exactly is going on with them.

I mentioned the poor pup without a nose end in a previous posting. Patate or Patty is a sweetheart, she loves having her ears scratched so I obliged for a few minutes last night. Again I'm not sure what the complete story is but from a notice posted in the lobby I gather her family can't afford to look after her and her medical needs anymore. I am sorely tempted to see about adopting her but I'm honestly not sure how Reese would handle it. I'm going to try and get more information from the Clinic staff

We'll head over there tonight again and see the results of today's tests and hopefully by the end of the week our boy will be back home. The apartment seems empty and the days a little strange without the routine of walks, feeding and tummy rubs.

16 Ottobre - Santa Edwige

The Reesie Report - Rome - An Update

Laurent and I just got back from seeing Reesie; he is much better than this morning but still not out of the woods. It appears he had a massive infection that was poisoning his whole system - it may have started with the teeth problem and because it was not fully under control spread through his body.

The Clinica Veterinaria Etiopa is for emergency services only , expensive and busy. This morning when we brought our little buddy in, they were tending to three animals and two guys (clan members??) came in just after us with a beautiful but very ill white Persian cat with incredible blue eyes. They're open 24 hours a day and so far from what we've seen give exceptional service and care.

Evening visiting hours are from 7 to 8:30 and tonight it was crowded - three or four families, two gay couples and a few singles - all coming to collect their dogs or see and walk pets in for the long term. Dog lovers are a strange breed! There was much exchange of information about breeds, age, aliments and prognosis and our limited command of Italian didn't exclude us from the chatter. Reese was cooed and petted over and we were assured that he was "carino" and that everything would be okay. The few pets without visitors weren't excluded from the concern and general confusion - including one poor pup, of an indefinite breed, who had lost most of his nose. He was fussed over when the Assistant - who himself was worth fussing over - brought him out for his walk.

The picture isn't Reese, of course, but "Bubba." Back in 1986 Laurent was posted to Mexico City and he was constantly bugging me to get him a dog for Christmas. In a very un-NÖEL-like spirit I decided he couldn't handle a live one and he woke up Christmas morning to find a stuffed Dachshund under the tree. Bubba has been with us ever since and over the past few years people have commented how much he looks like Reesie. That same puppy like expression. Sadly tonight - for the first time that either of us can remember - Reese didn't look like a puppy - he looked very tired and like an old dog. Dinner was very quiet.

14 Ottobre - San Callisto I Papa

The Reesie Report - Rome

I wish this could be a more upbeat report but we've just returned from taking Reese to the Emergency Veterinary Clinic near the house. We've left him there for some tests and observation and the best we can do is be optimistic.

He had some problems settling in, as did we all, but seemed to be coming along. He had claimed one of the gardens as his own and was vocal in challenging anyone who came into it - though the challenge was always only vocal. He was happy with his bed in our bedroom and his kennel in the kitchen hallway and loved sitting on the balcony. Within the first month he had to have some major dental things done and an ear infection seen to but he was getting more exercise than in Aylmer and seemed the better for it.

A few weeks ago he started having some incontinence problems and the accidents were quite frequent - much to his embarrassment as that is something he has very rarely done in the past 14 years. Then last week his old skin infection came back and he developed a series of infected cysts on the back of his head . When the Vet removed them on Thursday Laurent and I both were almost sick to our stomachs, both from what we saw and the pain it caused our poor Reese. The Vet gave us a silver solution to spray on the infection and on the lesions from the cysts and things seemed to be better.

When we got home yesterday from an excursion to the Etruscan Necropolis at Cerveteri della Banditaccia I noticed that he had licked one of the areas clean of the solution. I was a little concerned as it was clearly marked "For External Use Only" and even more so when he started behaving strangely. He was refusing to eat, pawing at his nose continually, drinking excessive amounts of water and stumbling when he walked or just refused to get up. I was concerned that I had poisoned him but we decided to wait overnight and see.

He was restless throughout the night - wandered from his bed to his kennel and back several times. This morning he was having trouble balancing on his hind legs and at that point we decided a trip to the clinic was needed. So now we sit and wait!

We've been asking ourselves a few questions in the last hour or so - some that we have asked before:
Should we have subjected him to the trauma of the move at his age, after all he is 14. If we hadn't what would we have done with him? Give him away, have him put down (I don't bloody think so!)

The problems he's having he may well have had in Ottawa; he's had one major back operation and difficultly with walking ever since. Though he looks like a puppy he's an old dog - 90-odd in human years - is all this just a result of age and perhaps an immune system compromised by the stress of the move.

If he does lose control of his back legs what are we going to do? Back surgery at his age is not really an option, they do have little wheels for daschie's, or do we judge the degree and quality of life and make a decision from there?

Honestly I think the only choice is the later and to do all we can to make sure he doesn't suffer and make the best choice for our boy.

14 Ottobre - San Callisto I Papa

The Reesie Report

Things didn't go too bad at the vet; much of what is happening with Reesie is because he's an old dog and because he was paralyzed and had major back surgery. He never did regain total use of the one back leg and there is always the danger of atrophy or further spinal cord rupture. When he starts stumbling and refusing to walk the way he did the past few days I must admit I panic. I saw his sister go that way and it meant more surgery which at his age he just couldn't handle.

Our vet - thank god old-style country vets still exist - hit on the problem within minutes. The poor old Reeserman had very badly impacted anal glands - something his sister had all the time but this is new with him. It was causing him pain - therefore the constant low whimpering - which combined with the limited mobility that he has had since the back operation created the problems with his back legs.

Within minutes of Dr Varney doing what he had to do - I won't go into it here - he seemed to be better if highly offended by the procedure. I've been told to watch him carefully for the next day or two - like I don't do that anyway - just in case. And we'll hold off on the Rabies and micro-chip - not sure about Reesie but the 14 gauge needle scared the hell out of me.

Thanks to all you sweet wonderful dog-people out here - lynette and tater especially - I'm glad I'm not the only one that panics when my best bud turns poorly.