Jairkingsly Labradors

I never imagined 2016 would end like this! We kicked things off with a delightful trip to Cornwall, settled into our new home, and work was buzzing. Everything seemed to be on the up and up.

As autumn rolled in with its crisp, cool mornings, it was time for Poppy’s country adventures! She and her mate Fred would set off to hunt pheasants, ducks, and pigeons, while Lottie and I enjoyed some quality time together, with her as my trusty sous chef. For a few weeks, it was all routine: Jason and Poppy would leave with sandwiches and a flask of hot coffee. I still can’t fathom why anyone would stand in a freezing field getting soaked, but hey, they think I’m odd for enjoying my gym sessions! Every Saturday afternoon, they’d return, and Poppy would dash to her bed, soon filling the house with her delightful Labrador snores. That is, until one week when she skipped the bed and made herself comfy on the sofa before nodding off. Over the next week, she kept this up, and we were puzzled since she showed no other signs of trouble. A vet visit was in order, and what a shocker it was! Poppy needed an X-ray, and the vet noticed she flinched when he pressed her back. The X-ray revealed three ruptured discs—one in the middle and two near her tail. We had no clue how or when it happened, as she showed no signs of pain. We felt so guilty, and the vet mentioned the middle slipped disc might have been from carrying puppies, but who knows? An operation was scheduled for December 21st—what a Christmas present! The surgery went well, and she stayed overnight. Lottie was thrilled to have two beds to herself! We picked up Poppy on December 22nd, armed with painkillers, antibiotics, and instructions for cage rest. The healing process was expected to take about six weeks, and the most crucial task was ensuring neither dog touched the stitches. It was a challenge keeping Poppy away from her stitches, but as someone who’s had them, I can vouch they’re not pleasant. We were relieved to be together for Christmas.

Christmas Day kicked off as usual—presents for everyone, a cheeky mimosa (it was Christmas, after all!). We were lounging in the late afternoon, stuffed from Christmas lunch, when we noticed something odd. Poppy was sitting there, looking as pleased as punch. At first, we thought she was just basking in the Christmas cheer, having just been let out of her cage. But somehow, she had managed to chew through her stitches! Since they were a continuous stitch, it didn’t take much to undo them all. There was only one thing to do—call the emergency vet, with Jason muttering about the cost! Off we went with Poppy in one of my T-shirts to protect the wound. The vet took her, and soon we heard a lot of noise—Poppy was getting staples to close the wound, probably feeling like having her ears pierced repeatedly! Needless to say, she got no sympathy from us, though we did say, “It’s your own fault, you should have left the stitches alone.” Back home we went with a subdued Poppy and a cone!

I spent the rest of Christmas on the couch, ensuring Poppy behaved. Little did I know, this would become my routine whenever they were unwell. New Year arrived, and a check-up showed everything seemed to be healing as it should—or so we thought! A few weeks later, we noticed Poppy screamed whenever we touched her scar, so back to the vet we went. Another X-ray revealed she had snapped several screws attached to the plate. They were stainless steel, so they shouldn’t have broken, but this is Poppy! Another operation was needed to fix the original one, and off she went again. The repair was successful, and we got a call from the vets. Naturally, we feared the worst, but no, Poppy had been in her cage at the vets, moaning as the nurses passed by. They eventually let her out, and she sat trying to mother them through the bars!

After collecting her, we treated ourselves to lunch and, let’s face it, a stiff drink!Our only hope was that 2017 would be a bit calmer!