Basil is a lot better now......

As mentioned in earlier posts, Basil was quite poorly over the last week or so with stomach problems. I have now managed to get him back on his much needed painkiller without it upsetting his stomach... thankfully!!

Our vet was becoming quite concerned that due to the long term digestive problems Basil has now developed he may well be rejecting his painkiller. After a recent upset stomach we had to take Basil off his painkiller for a week to allow Basil's stomach to settle down again. Poor Basil was in so much pain at the end of that week, and could hardly stand after lying down for any length of time. Its so hard to witness a much loved pet in pain. I was really worried when resuming the painkillers that he would become ill again. I am not really sure what the outcome would have been if he had totally rejected those painkillers.

Anyway Basil is back on the painkillers and a much happier dog. I started his new multi vitamins on Saturday and so far so good. Basil now has to have multivitamins due to his now permanent diet of chicken and rice. The chicken and rice is a meal that suits his digestive system and Basil also enjoys it a great deal (again thankfully!!) but it does lack vital nutrients and thus the need for multivitamins. Basil will have regular blood tests to check to see if the multivitamins are meeting his nutrient requirements and I guess our fantastic vet will tweak the vitamins accordingly.

So we now hope Basil will be able to remain free of stomach upsets, thus staying happily on his painkillers until he finally has his hip replacements....

We love you with all of our hearts dearest Basil......

Basil is poorly.....

Today Basil is poorly....... I have been up with Basil during the night. Poor Basil had an upset stomach (diarrhea) he is so tired out now bless him.....

Basil actually does have a lot of health problems and a complicated medical history and he is only 2 years 10 months old. Basil needs two hip replacements and the first in line will be the left side which gives him the most trouble, both ball and sockets on each hip are deformed and separated the only thing that is holding the ball and socket together are sinews and ligaments. Its a lot like hip dysplasia but in Basil's case its more of a deformity. At the present time we do not have to over exercise Basil, difficult to keep exercise to a minimum as he is a Border Collie and full of energy! Basil also has to have a daily joint supplement and painkiller. When things become really difficult with his hips he will be referred to an Animal Specialist who specialise in this kind of surgery. This surgery is going to be very costly between four and five thousand pounds per hip. We do have a pet insurance which we started when he was a puppy, and that will help someway with the cost but we will have to find extra funds as the insurance will not cover the whole cost. This type of condition is not picked up when the dog is a young pup it begins to show signs later on. I believe Basil was about a year old when he began to limp and become stiff when getting up. So we are busy saving the pennies....... And Basil is of course worth EVERY penny!!

To add to his health problems last September Basil stomach troubles began. He picked up a parasite that made him ill and he developed sickness and diarrhea. The vet said the parasite was to be found in puppy stools. Basil must have picked it whilst on a walk and the owner of the puppy had failed to pick up after their puppy had been to the loo.. a pet hate of mine!! I cannot understand why people do not pick up after their dogs, its such an easy thing to do!!

Once the parasite was treated and Basil began to get better he went down with yet another stomach upset. After a faeces test it was found that Basil had developed Campylobacter bacteria in his gut. Now to cut a very long story short. Basil has been treated for Campylobacter many times, with animal antibiotics, human antibiotics and had to have numerous faeces tests. Basil then developed Salmonella which he developed via the Campylobacter, this resulted in many more tests and of course had to be reported to Defra (think that's how you say it) Finally the Salmonella cleared up and the Campylobacter returned, more faeces tests and medications and finally after nearly twelve months of all of this it appears that finally the Campylobacter has gone (or waiting in the wings?) Due to all of this gut abuse Basil may have IBS but has yet this has not been confirmed. Basil is now intolerant to his pain killer which he has to have at all costs for his hips else he would be in agony! So at the moment Basil each day has to eat only chicken and rice with a scoop of Pro-Fibre in each meal. Before Basil eats his meals he has to have a medicine syringe of Antepsin which is the only thing that allows Basil to keep on taking his daily painkiller.Antepsin is a suspension to treat inflammation of the stomach. I have been advised by the vet to slowly wean Basil off the chicken and rice and replace it with an holistic sensitive stomach dry food which I have been doing and up until today I had Basil eating half the recommended dry food and half the chicken and rice and it was going really well. Then in the night the upset stomach began and I am now back to square one. Its not looking particularly good as it looks as if he is now rejecting the new dried food and I think another visit to our vet is required. Not sure what course of action will be taken now or what the outlook is for Basil but I suspect that IBS is now possible but we shall have to wait and see. No matter what the prognosis is I know we love Basil dearly and we will do whatever it takes ......

Basil's daily medications........

Basil on a good day..........