Alfie is doing really really well, now reduced his Frusemide to just twice daily and he is fine! Am so pleased and Alfie sends his love and hugs to all still reading. He’s growing like a weed!

Things are ok 

Alfie’s scan showed that the hole the vets made in his heart is still open and allowing blood to flow through. His double chambered right ventricle is still only mild. He has a very small amount of fluid in his abdomen, and his veins in his liver are no longer distended.

He is now in borderline right sided heart failure - better than his diagnosis before his surgery when his heart failure was definite. For now he does need to stay on all three of his meds, but we can try to reduce his diuretics and use them to effect. We will be taking him back in 6 months.

Yay!

Em & Alfie <3

We will soon be leaving for the vet school for Alfie’s re-scan appointment. Keep everything crossed!

Big apologies for the lack of update for a week, and of course lack of new photo updates on Alf - they will come soon I promise! 

Alfie is still growing like a weed, now nearly up to 12kg - still small for his age, but a great improvement on the 9.3kg he was when he arrived. His coat is in MUCH better condition, nice and soft like it should be and he is looking more like a handsome young retriever by the day. He is very smart and quick to learn and is now good at 5 commands - sit, paw/shake, speak, down and stand, and he has almost perfected please/beg and spin. Next to learn is circle and weave, he loves training and picks everything up really fast.

Last Wednesday we attended a puppy socialisation class, but it proved too much for Little Man. He really enjoyed the class and was a good boy, but afterwards was quite ill. His tummy started to fill back up with fluid and I got really worried, but upped his meds (on vet advice of course) and he was ok again 24 hours later. It was a bit of a scare, and upsetting to see him have a bad day after so many good ones.

With him the happy chappie he is, it’s easy to forget that he IS a sick puppy with a serious heart condition. Even with the surgery, he still has a grade 6 heart murmur and of course the defects themselves are still there, they are just less severely affecting him. Seeing him poorly again last week was a reality check, and I hope all goes well at the vet school on Wednesday.

For now, Alfie is happy & active, and sends his love.

(Oh, and he is eating JAMES WELLBELOVED!)

Em & Alfie <3

Alfie had a weekend without his mum & Elliot - we were off to a Flyball tournament in Dundee which we decided to leave Alfie at home for, since it was such a long drive and I’d be so busy! But Alfie was very very good at home with his Dad and the Girls for company, and he went to stay with Lisa & Lucy for a few hours on Saturday which is much appreciated! He was soooo happy to see me when I got back late last night, and he was very well behaved and lovely all weekend. I swear he’s grown in just 2 days away from him!

We now have our re-scan appointment at Liverpool Small Animal Hospital for 11.30am on Wednesday 20th August - please everybody think of him then! He is doing amazing health-wise, you’d never think to look and be with him now that he has such a serious condition and is still potentially on borrowed time. His ascites is now pretty much gone, and we are hopeful that we will be able to wean him off some of his drugs once we see the vet again. He is definitely more active, energetic and growing like a weed, catching up with some of the growth he missed when he was sick. He is one Brave Little Warrior and seems to have beaten all the odds, which is the best outcome I could wish for.

Thank you once again to the hundreds of people who love & care about Alfie.

Em <3

Alfie attended a “Puppy Party” last night, and was a little star. There were lots of other puppies in the room to sniff, paw & meet - including 2 Labs, a Shepherd, 2 Mountain Dogs, a three-legged Irish pup, and a little black Cocker girlie who he seems to favour over the others. He’ll be starting classes with these new friends next week, then going on to Clicker classes after that … thanks to Sue - www.muttamorphosis.co.uk

Em & Alfie <3

Sorry for the lack of weekend update, we’ve been so busy haha!

On Saturday Alfie came to his first Flyball Tournament, as the “official” mascot of the Tyne Tailwaggers. Of course he had Bean for company when we were racing, and had a great day. He met loads of new friends, both human & canine, and discovered the delights of a burger van bin - not long after I commented on his recall being great! He won over hearts all day and particularly wants to mention the lovely Leeds Owlers girlies

On Sunday we went to the PDSA Scrufts Show and met more fans and adoring public (oh the complicated life of a celebrity!) but didn’t win any of his classes - what a travesty! He was entered in Cutest Dog, Best Puppy and Dog The Vet Would Like To Take Home, and didn’t even get shortlisted … let’s just say the judges at the NESSR show last weekend obviously are better judges LOL!

And I do need to apologise, as we did all of this fun stuff and forgot to take our camera, so no pics of the weekend events! Sorry!

Em & Alfie <3

Alfie got Pressies today! A “posh” new collar & lead from Just Dog Shop, some yummy organic treats, and a new toy to play with!

There’s also his new tag on the way, and Alfie is looking forward to coming to York with us tomorrow for his first Flyball tournament (just as a spectator of course!) and his first outing as the Mascot of the Tyne Tailwaggers Flyball Team.

Lots of love to all our supporters - you’re messages mean a lot!

Em & Alfie <3

There have been deliberations & decisions aplenty today, and the outcome of it is that Alfie is going to stay here with us. I have attempted to follow my head and not my heart to no avail, and am ready to announce that Alfie is now an Official Ruffdog. Of course this means a complete end to fostering any more rescues for the foreseeable future, 4 dogs is the limit in our family at the moment. Although I have a small home, a full time job (though Alfie comes with me & with continue to), and a pretty busy life, I simply feel that Alfie belongs here with the Ruffdogs Crew and I’ve been through too much with him to let him go.

He is currently barking his head off at me for being on the computer and not devoting my attention to him - maybe there’ll be days I ‘ll regret this decision haha! - and I can remember once posting on Ruffdogs that I could never see myself with a Gundog, seeing as I’m very much a terrier/hound person! 

Thank you so much to all the home offers for Alfie - I am sure you are all lovely and would have made great “parents” for Alfie, but I think you’ll agree that he is already HOME.

Please keep checking the blog, we’ll continue to update and let the Alfie fan club know how things are going. His re-scan at Liverpool is booked for Wednesday 20th August, when we’ll know more about his long term prospects.

Em & Alfie <3

Have you ever seen a Golden Retreiver flying? You have now!

Alfie had great fun running around off lead with Asha, Elliot & his BEST friend Bean.

And here’s the news video that was on last night… ITV News Link