Poppy continues to make good progress

Poppy came into my life when she was just 11 weeks old. She was a present from my late husband, after he’d been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He hated the thought of me being alone, and so bought Poppy to be the friend and companion he knew I’d need when he was no longer there.

Sadly, he died just 11 months later, and there’s not a day that goes by that I’m not incredibly grateful to him for bringing Poppy home to me. She’s my constant companion. She makes me laugh, she brings me comfort, she’s the reason I get up everyday. It sounds clichéd, but I couldn’t imagine my life without her.

When Poppy had her fall and had to be operated on, it was PDSA’s Blackpool Pet Hospital that was there for her. Unfortunately the operations have left her in incurable pain with arthritis. As anyone with arthritis. will know, it’s extremely painful and often a debilitating condition which can really affect quality of life. She has to take anti-inflammatory drugs and joint supplements everyday, to keep her comfortable. She doesn’t really seem to mind her tablets though, as long as they’re hidden in her food!

To help make Poppy’s legs stronger, the vets recommended hydrotherapy. Any weight-bearing exercise caused so much pain and Poppy’s muscles benefit from the warming effects of the heated water - she’s taken once a week and it has really helped. She does try and make me feel guilty though, as she doesn’t enjoy it at all - which is quite funny considering Retrievers are supposed to love swimming!

Poppy is also prone to putting on a little bit of weight, which can put extra strain on her joints so I have to watch how many treats she gets. It’s easy to give in too easily to those puppy dog eyes.

Whenever she goes to PDSA, Poppy loves it in the waiting room - she’s such a sociable dog and enjoys greeting all her fellow canine pals. However, she’s not quite so keen on going through to the consulting room. I think, because she’s had a few operations in her life, she sometimes gets a bit anxious when she sees the vet, but all the staff manage to put her at ease. Its thanks to you that she can continue to get the support and pain relief that she needs to live a happy and pain-free life.

Until next time,

Pam and Poppy