Benny update

[albertajune]

I've only just caught up with Benny and think it marvellous, the progression he has made. I watched the video on you 'you tube' and thought how good he was. You must be feeling so relieved that your boy is on the up.

Hopefully he will go from strength to strength and the even the muscles in his other leg will be built up with the swimming, to help if any more problems occur in the future.

Can't give an opinion on his diet but I'm sure you will go with whatever you are really happy with. I read more and more that a raw diet is good but your vet advises against this for the reason given. Maybe a little bit of raw food could be introduced into his diet and gradually built up, if this is the way you want to go.

Good luck with him anyway.

[Gwenoakes]

Have to agree with Wendy on the diet.

When we had Lexi the first vet we have had all the probs with tried every time we went there to get us to buy the Royal Canin kibble, which has cereal in.........because they sell it! Clare has done an awful lot of research into the raw diet and we both agree it is THE best.

If comments on Teddy's condition/coat are anything to go by and some are vets comments, then the raw diet wins hands down with us. I would change Bella over, but she will only eat a very small amount of raw and she is 11.5yrs old now and the small amount of raw has not done her any harm and I am sure you know that I would do nothing to harm her.

At the end of the day you can make an informed decision, do a bit of research and see what you think. If you do decide to change then do it very, very gradually, as changing from any feed to another even if its kibble to kibble can and does cause tummy upsets sometimes. Good luck.

Just one other thing, I think it was Mercedes with Daisy who had constant tummy probs that has gone over to the raw and she is brilliant tummy wise now I believe. Perhaps you could PM her and she can tell you how it has gone.

[Benny&Co]

Hi everyone and thank you for your replies.

Benny's now a little over five months post his TPLO and he's going from strength to strength is our lovely boy

After his tenth hydrotherapy session a few weeks ago, our lady took some measurements and his TPLO leg has gained 5cm of muscle.

Cardio wise he's becoming extremely fit too, she takes regular heart rate observations, during and after his swims which he absolutely loves.

He weighs 33.5kg and our lady said this is pure muscle as he hasn't got any fat on him. She certainly would tell us if she thought he was a porker!!

He now swims unaided, so proud of him
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152334639432112&l=5919144413383644633

Saw our vet a few weeks ago and got clearance to start doing agility classes and also to apply to be a 'Pets as Therapy' team.

We've had two agility sessions and he's throughly enjoying it, as I am too - it's a great work out for us both.

So far, we've done 'over' a jump over a jump, 'long' a jump over several panels, 'through' a jump through a tyre, he's gone up and over an A-frame and we've done 'weave' too, sort of weaving through posts. Ooh and run through a plastic tunnel as well.







I've also set up a make do and mend jump and weave in our back garden so we can practice.

We had our PAT assessment the other day and the chap has no reservations at all, so hopefully we'll get through and be able to do some visits.

I thought long and hard about Benny's food. I don't get his food from the vet by the ways. Have decided to stay with Burns and I am incorporating other things into his diet, such as meat and vegetables.

[Benny&Co]

I forgot to say - he's not had any limping for a good long while now, even with the agility sessions too

[albertajune]

Wonderful new about Benny. You deserve a star for the love and perseverance that you have shown him Bev.

[manda]

Heck he's done so well hasn't her Bev...and he's looking smashing

[Gwenoakes]

Brilliant news and a HUGE well done to both of you.