Good times

My physical state improved sufficiently for me to be able to run with my friends without being in a lot of pain.

We met up most days and while our owners talked, we had fun. In the picture, that is me lying in the middle keeping an eye on some of them after a mad dash around.

It was a wonderful feeling to be able to run and play, or just amble through the woods with my buddies.

One of my best friends was called Harvey. We met when he was six months old and I loved him, even though I was four! He was a collie, the only one I ever liked. He was great fun and we spent a lot of time together.

His owner took mum and myself with them to a lovely valley once. There was a river and dogs were running in and out, chasing balls, swimming, playing with children. Harvey ran straight in, splashing around and generally enjoying himself.

I so wanted to follow him, but this was the stuff that had nearly killed me once, how could I follow him? What if he got in to trouble? I tried to stop him, every time he came out I tried to steer him away. It was no good though, he kept going back in.

Mum took off her shoes and led me to the edge trying to coax me in. She walked in a little way, there was no bank here so you could walk straight in. Eventually I stood beside her with the water reaching up to my knuckles. The water felt funny pushing gently against my legs, but it wasn't hurting me!

Harvey came and stood beside me, nudging me a little and stepping forward. He did that a few times, as though he wanted me to go with him. Then he walked out further and stood with the water up to his stomach, barking at me.

I was still too scared to go out, but mum went! She stood with Harvey and called me to her. I didn't like her being out there without me so I took a few steps forward then stopped. Still nothing nasty happened. Slowly I walked out to mum and she made a big fuss of me, Harvey licked my face. The water felt cool on my feet and the sensation of it running under my tummy was quite nice too! Maybe this stuff wasn't so bad after all.

But then a boy ran past, kicking up water as he went by. It splashed on my face. Memories came flooding back and I ran straight out and on to the grass. Mum came after me and knelt down, holding and soothing me. After a while I stopped shaking, but I never went back in a river again, and mum didn't try to make me.

The treatment I'd had worked wonders, my hips were stronger and more stable, meaning I could run around longer with my buddies. Meeting up with them was so exciting, especially when we went somewhere new.

I always felt more comfortable in my local field though, so that is where I spent most time. One or more of my friends was always there so I had plenty of doggie company.

My friend Toby and I were enjoying a game one day when mum and Tobys' owner suddenly started shouting at us to come. We were having too much fun though, so we kept playing. We wheeled around in a circle, and suddenly spotted the dog everyone avoided! We both froze, then Toby turned and ran to his owner.

Mum was still screaming at me and started running toward me. I didn't know what to do, if I ran the dog would come after me, if I didn't he'd get me anyway. So I ran! I wasn't all that far away from mum when a tremendous weight crashed down on my back, pinning me to the ground. I could feel something gripping my neck and cried in fear.

I could see mum still running to me, shouting and waving her arms. I started clawing with my front legs to try and get free, but the dog was too heavy.

He must have seen mum getting closer because suddenly the weight was gone and I could hear him running away I tried to get up but I was shaking so much it was impossible. Mum reached me, knelt down beside me and held me close. I was so relieved she was there I pushed in to her as close as I could.

She helped me stand up after a little while and we were able to slowly make our way home. Once there I lay on my bed, but when I tried to stand up again the pain in my hips was so unbearable I howled. Mum bathed my paws because I had ripped out four claws trying to get away from my attacker. My blood was everywhere.

Mum took me to the vet immediately. He gave me an injection, then used a strange thing to stop the bleeding before bandaging my paws. He examined my neck, back and hips, but my hips were so sore he stopped the minute I cried. I was given two more injections and he gave mum tablets for me. Then she took me home.

When we got there, I was so sore and tired I lay flat on my side on my bed. I had to keep changing sides because of the pain, but slowly it eased. Later mum gave me tablets which made me feel even sleepier and
soon everything faded away.

When I woke up through the night, mum was lying on the sofa. As soon as I woke she got up and came to me, helping me to move. She gave me more tablets and again I drifted off.

In the morning I didn't get any breakfast, instead I was lifted in to a car and taken to the vet.

This time I was given an injection in the waiting room and soon I began to feel strange. I had felt like this once before, when I was taken in to that strange, dark room. The next thing I remember is seeing mum sitting beside me in another big cage. She was stroking me and talking very quietly.

Soon the vet came and mum went to talk to him. I was watching them and saw mum suddenly start to cry. One of the nurses put her arms around her while the vet kept on talking.

After a while, I was taken out of the cage and given more injections before going home.

Mum stayed downstairs with me every night, and every few hours I was given more tablets. There were no walks anymore and I had to go out the front door to get round to the back garden, because there were steps at the back.

Every day we went back to the vet for more injections and my paws were bathed before being re-bandaged. Slowly the pain got a little easier, but I still couldn't walk much.

One morning mum got up very early and I watched as she packed a suitcase. That meant only one thing, she was going away. I kept crying and mum did her best to calm me. I made out the words 'coming with me' so I knew she was taking me too, but she kept crying!

Soon after, I was lifted in to the back of a car. My comfy bed was in there and so was my water bowl. Mum got in beside me and we drove off. I had no idea where we were going or how long we would be gone, nor did I know what was going to happen next.