Pereg's visit to the Vet this morning

The diet is working, slowly but surely, as Pereg has lost 1.5kg and is now down to 19.3kg. I would have liked her to have lost a bit more but both Ram and Tzahi were both extremely happy with her and say she is definitely not overweight. Hopefully she will have lost the extra kilo by the time we go for her 6 monthly check-up.

Two lots of blood drawn [poor Pereg now has shaven patches on both front legs], one lot was tested while we were there and everything is fine, including liver and kidney function results which were the ones to worry about. Her Hb level was a fraction high but they are not bothered about it

The second lot is being sent to an outside laboratory for the thyroid panel and Pb levels as they cannot be done at the surgery.

I discussed the L-Thyroid [EuThyroid] Sick Syndrome and what it meant, and it is just due to the Pb she has to take - the last blood tests showed that her TSH and T3 levels are slightly low but the Free T4 was absolutely perfect, so there is nothing to worry about there. It will be interesting to see what the results are from this mornings' blood test.

Pereg had her yearly boosters, two worm pills, her anal glands done - same as last time the right one was empty but the left one needed emptying - and she did not even flinch!

So, a clean bill of health for my girl, and hopefully we will not need to go again until the next blood tests in six months' time. A rather large bill but considering the fact that it included six packets of Phenobarbitone plus a pack of 3 Frontline Plus spot-ons - and the worm pills of course, I cannot grumble, especially as it included the charges for the outside laborator. But I will be on edge until we get those results through.

Phew - I could do with a drink after all that! Especially to get over the bill!

Hi Malka, Have you had that drink yet?
Vet's fees are huge but it sounds as though they did/provided a lot.
Hopefully the results will all be normal - good news so far, so hopefully more to follow.
Well done with Pereg's weight loss .... not easy with a dog's pleading look of 'help I'm starving, nobody ever feeds me'. My two love their food, if only they didn't inhale it, it would last them longer

Only the coffee I had just made before the taxi arrived but had not had time to drink! I did heat it up in the microwave though when I came home!

Nearly half of the total charge was for the outside laboratory, ~£60 was for the six packs of pills, the Frontline and the worm pills, I am not sure how much the booster shots cost, but the grand total was [gulp] ~£361 which is not really so bad considering the fact that we were there for 1½ hours and had two vets doing things.

Apparently there is an insurance company here who now offer pet insurance, although of course they would not accept her now, but even if there had been insurance when I first adopted Pereg, the amount I would have paid out each month, together with the excess amount I would have had to pay for each lot of treatment, would have worked out more, and it obviously would not cover the regular boosters, Frontline, worm pills etc.

And my vet will always take payments if necessary.

Thank you! It is very difficult to keep weight down when on the medication, so for Pereg to have actually lost even that small amount is very satisfying.

Ram's black Labrador was wandering about - I think he is about 18 months old now - plus there was another dog wandering about in the waiting room while the owner was waiting to be picked up - and the poor dog [who had just had her stitches out] still had her lampshade collar on which bumped Pereg's face when they "kissed"!

I am just so proud of how good my Pereg was!

I am so pleased to read that little Pereg is OK - I'm sure the results of the blood test will be OK Malka, time for a little celebatrion on the weight loss I think

Good results all round except for your pocket.

Oh that sounds really promising although a stiff drink would probably be better to get over the cost! Well done Pereg for being so good and brave

So glad you managed to sort out the transport and get her there. It will put your mind well at rest and, of course, it's great new that Pereg has done so well on the weight front.

Nice fresh cup of coffee for you now and feet up for a while

Fingers crossed Harvey! No celebrations just yet though.

I have no choice, do I, but for Pereg nothing is too much.

Nah, I think I will stick to coffee, although I am now on decaff!

I did not know about the transport until David phoned me at 9am today as I could not get hold of him yesterday to confirm it - the battery had run out on his mobile and he did not realise it until late evening. He still does not have a car so had to get another taxi to take us. He stayed at the surgery and then when the taxi came to pick us up he was dropped off at home in town before Pereg and I were brought back to the Moshav.

Tzahi showed me photos of his two dogs - apparently if Ram is not there at the same time Tzahi sometimes takes his own dogs to the surgery with him. He has a little Cav and a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog!

Lovely news Malka, so pleased to hear how well Pereg is doing.

I wouldn't have minded your bill, my recent bill was well over £1,000!!

Eeeeek - I hope you have insurance...

If, and only if, the thyroid panel comes back the same or similar to the last one, plus her Pb levels are still within therapeutic range, then next time we will probably only get Free T4 and one or two other of the thyroid panel done as she is definitely not hypothyroid, plus the Pb levels of course, so that should save a bit.

And of course I forgot to ask about her right front leg/shoulder as she sometimes limps on it a bit when she first gets up, but there was just so much to discuss, including her diet and all her supplements, and I guess I am so very lucky to have Vets who will discuss all these things and not rush. And her leg does not bother her the rest of the time or when she is rushing round. Just when she first gets up.