07/06/10

Riley is doing really well, he is still a bit wobbly on his back legs, and still has a bit of trouble getting up, so we help him as much as we can. He is back to the vets on Friday for a check up.

Thank you all so much for your kind donations. x

19/05/10

Riley's op has gone well he is still in the vets, hoping to pick him up tomorrow, had to have the right hip done as x-rays showed it was worse than the left! So pleased he is ok can't wait to see him tomorrow. x x x x x

18/05/10

Riley has today gone to the vets for his first Hip replacement, so far as you can see we have raised 1,700 i have cheques in the bank wating to clear which will take this amount to over 2,000. I have just received a call from the Treasurer at RSPCA, and the committee had donated a sizable amount to the fund, which now means that Riley's first operation is almost paid for, i would like to take this opportunity to thank every one who has donated towards this life saving and changing operation for Riley, myself and my family are eternally grateful to everyone, who has supported us, and allowed our boy to live a long, pain free life. Thank you all so much

I drove all the way to Devon to buy you, the lady told me she had 2 dogs and 2 bitches left in the litter, and mum and dad can be seen she said to me! Your dad was a big boy, huge in fact, both looked very healthy.

There you were in a cage with your brother and sisters, the cage was no bigger than 3ft by 2ft by 3ft, I fell in love with all four of you, and if I had, had the money I would have taken you all on, I hated the fact you were all squashed in this cage! But I had set my mind on getting a rotti, and I wanted a boy! She let the both of you out and you were both so pleased to see me, you were the bigger of the 2 and you promptly sat on my lap, that was it, sold! Great big brown eyes looking at me begging me to take you away from where you were, I handed the money over, and away we went, I had a friend with me and you slept most of the 3 hour journey home, we were about 8 miles from home, and you decided to be sick, it went everywhere, then the other end started and you had a bad belly as well.  We got you home cleaned you up and gave you food which you bolted so fast, that you made yourself sick again!!!!

We needed a name for you, I didn’t want the usual rotti names, like Tyson, Samson, or Satan I wanted something softer and gentler for you, so  I went for Riley, although the nick names started as soon as you were home, and for some reason most of the time you are fondly known as PANTS! Really not sure how you got this name, but it has stuck.

Life for me had changed, I had a baby to look after, the first night I went to bed, you howled the house down......

So down stairs I came to comfort you, you soon cottoned on to that!!!!!!

So I then had to be hard on you so with pillow over my head I let you howl, I was shattered when I got up in the morning, but I was never angry with you, one look at you and I melted, I couldn’t help it.

We soon got into a routine, you wanted something I got it for you, you wanted a walk we went out, your wish was my command, and I was your master. And your slave, you had “the life of Riley” quite literally!

We started Puppy classes, you did well, but we had to stop them when I injured my knee and couldn’t drive, to take you anymore, but we continued with the obedience at home, so you did have a few manners.

I had taken you to the vets, got your first injections done, sorted out the insurance, and the micro chip and away we went.

We settled down just the 2 of us, then one day you had a limp this was May 2008 the vet Bob said you had probably pulled a muscle or it may just be growing pains, and said not to worry.

Then I met Terry and in time we moved in with him, you had so much more room to run around, bigger house and a huge garden, nearly an acre. You also gained to more fans Terry’s Daughters Jess and Jem.

Then in May 2009 we decided that it was time you lost your man hood, we suspected that you may have bad hips, and due to all the bad breeding that was about, we didn’t want you producing off spring that may suffer. So off to the vets you went..............

While you were there we asked the vets to check your hips, as you were asleep, when we went to pick you up they gave us the devastating news that you had hip dysplasia. Your left hip was worse. So the vet made a referral to an orthopaedic vet in Devizes, and so we started our journey with you to see what the outcome was going to be.

We got to his practice and in we went, you were true to form, with no manners at all decided to wee everywhere! The vet took you off for x-rays and we were told to come back at 6pm to pick you up and find out what the diagnoses was.

When we got back we were taken into his office and he had more bad news for us, he had suspected that you may have elbow dysplasia as well, so while you were under aesthetic, he checked this out, and to our utter shock, we were told that your front legs were bad and that you did have elbow dysplasia as well. You needed to have an operation on them, as without it they would get worse and the hip operation would not be worth doing.

So you were booked in for the following week to have this done, what a sorry sight you were when we went to pick you up both your front legs had been shaved from hock to shoulder, and you had bandages on and you could hardly walk, we had to pick you up to put you in the car, (45KG is a lot to lift!) we got you home, I cooked you up a treat of chicken and rice which didn’t touch the

sides as it went down. A week later we were back having a check up, everything had gone well and the vet was pleased with the results, you haven’t limped once on your front legs since you had the operation.

The bill was submitted to the insurance company, and within the week we had a letter saying that they were going to pay for the operation on your front legs, but were NOT paying for the hip x-rays or anything to do with them! I rang them, they told me that because I had taken you to the vets in May 2008 with a limp this was the onset of hip dysplasia so they won’t pay. (although we have since found out Hip dysplasia cannot be diagnosed until a full set of x-rays have been taken) I told them that without this operation you would within the year have to be put to sleep, you were 18 months old! They didn’t seem to care, quite happy to take my monthly payment, but they were not going to budge. So I was left with 2 vet bills one for just over £200 for my local vet, and £700 from Devizes for x-rays etc, we are slowly paying these off every month.

We have written to the insurance company following their complaints procedure, and are still waiting for an answer from them, your back legs are getting worse, you have trouble getting up now and sometimes we have to lift you to help you get up, you are such a good boy, and if you’re in pain, which I am sure you are, it never bothers you, you show no sign of pain, and are still so soppy, it breaks my heart.  You now have Previcox painkillers every other day, but I am sure it won’t be long before you are on these daily. You now drag you feet and walk very stiff legged, and to watch you sometimes is hard, I question myself daily, as to whether I am doing the right thing for you, I come up with the same answer, YES because you are worth it, everyone who meets you falls in love with you, you are everything I wanted in a dog and more, you are loyal, loving, intelligent and most of all my best friend. I will try my best for you that is all I can promise, I am not prepared to lose you just yet, as you have not been able to enjoy life like a lot of other puppies, we can’t throw a ball for you to chase, as your legs just go from under you.

I hate seeing you like this, and am at the moment helpless, the hip operation is £3,500 each hip, ideally you need to have them both done, but the vet has said that you definitely need your left one done and they can do an operation where they take the ball joint of your hip out of the socket and cut it off, they then sit this on the outside of the hip, and the muscles and tendons hold it in place. Ideally having both done would be better for you. The vets seem confident that having this done will be the making of you.

Because the insurance company will not at the moment pay for this, we are facing the agonising decision that within the next 6-8 months of having you put to sleep, as you will get to the point where you will not be able to stand, Or have any quality of life.

I don’t want to lose you yet, and am doing all I can to raise the money for this life saving operation for you; the vets have said that if you have the full hip replacement you will live all being well, for a good number of years without any pain.

Although you have trouble getting up some times, you still manage to chase the cats around the house and steal their food when we are not looking and  when you are in the garden running around you like a puppy again.

Please if any one would like to give Riley the much needed operation, please give generously i will be forever in you debt.

UPDATE 22/01/10 Letter from insurers saying they will still not pay out.

UPDATE 08/05/10 Riley is going in for his operation on 18th May 2010, we will still carry on fund raising as he still has to have the right hip done. We have also heard back from the Financial Ombudsman and they are backing PetPlan.