After the Vet update

Well, the poochio has had his vet-visit. He's so tired out from the drive and the visit that he's sacked out in front of the fireplace without touching the two biscuits I gave him.

The vet expressed some restrained surprise & pleasure to see Goldy in such (relatively) good health. His kidney levels aren't perfect, but the vet said that dogs that are so far along in heart failure as Goldy generally don't last as long as he has. That by the time he sees them, they generally die within a year. It's really his lung disease (whatever it is) that's been causing him discomfort with gagging cough sessions, so he told me to increase the steriod again to a full pill, which is still a low dose. And if that doesn't affect the cough, call him. He'll probably suggest I increase the dosage if that's what happens. The vet's surprise at his decent condition gives me a clue as to why his original vet at this practice sounded so down about his living much longer (he said something like that to me over the phone, upsetting me like you wouldn't believe)--and that was about a year ago.

Goldy goes back in 3 months.