Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 10:08 pm Post subject: Lab Of The Year Award 2007
Hi There Everyone,
In order to give you, our members, the chance to tell everyone about your lovely labs and what they mean to you and your families, we are going to hold a 'Lab Of The Year' award.
We would love to hear your thoughts/stories about what your lab/s mean to you, and why they are all so special. You can express this in whatever way you feel , either by a simple paragraph, a poem, a story or other.
Anyone can enter, for whatever reason. You can also include a little pic if you wish.
To enter, all you need to do is reply to this post. The winner will be chosen by Admin & LF Staff and will receive a £10 voucher (to spoil their Furbaby) a years subscription & other goodies for their lab.
We'll announce the winner at Christmas time...hopefully Christmas Day... that's if i don't burn the turkey! lol!
Good luck everyone.. let's give our labs the mention they so deserve.
I declare the Lab of the Year Award offically open.
I feel a bit cheeky nominating Pudsey as he has already won lab of the month, but hey, in for a penny, in for a pound. I will use nearly the same story as i used for lab of the month.
Here is his story
Last December we had a phone call from Irish Retriever Rescue asking for us to foster a yellow lab called Pudsey who had mild hip dysplasia. His owner was said not to able to cope with Pudsey as he wasn't insured and could no longer afford his treatment.
So with help from LF members we transported Puds from Lancashire down to us in Rugby. He had an eventful journey, where the little minx slipped his collar on the M6 services and darted north on the southbound carriage way. Anyway to cut a very frightening story short the wonderful west mids highway agency found Puds unhurt but very frightened.
After a few days in our care IRR asked us to take him to our local vet to be neutered and also to see how severe his HD was. When we went to pick Puds up later that evening and saw his x rays we was horrified, the vets said it was one of the worst case of HD he has seen in his career.
Hugh our vet said Puds best option would be a complete hip replacement, but the problem was that Pudsey was not insured so we ( the IRR) would need to raise the money to have his operation he so desperately needed.
So we set to work.
Pudsey was soon in every local newspaper and on the local radio stations. As per usual the LF members was brilliant and help raise money and also dipped into their own pocket.
In May this year Pudsey had his first Hip replacement, and in Pudsey's true style he was so brave. The vet was so impressed with his attitude to the whole experience. The next day after his op Puds was on his feet eager to greet Hugh, but this is just typical of Puds. I also got married to Phil on the 26th may and Lorraine ( irr co-ordinator ) gave Pudsey to us a wedding gift, i was so happy, i could never imagine giving him up for adoption, he is such a super dog and always happy!
About mid June, i was sitting in the dining room ( on lf) Puds was laying down by my feet and rose to go into the front room. My hubby Phil called out to me that Puds was limping. I wasn't to alarmed as he sometimes would get stiff, so i took him for a stroll to stretch his legs, but he semed in a great deal of pain. I rang the vets and he said to fetch him in in the morning but not to worry as the chances of failure at six weeks in is rare.
So the next morning Puds was at his second home, the vets. The vet still wasn't to concerned and thought it was a pulled muscle. A week later Puds was still showing pain and not bearing weight, so the vet x rayed him again. We got the news we so didn't want to hear, the cup had slipped as the cement had cracked, so he would need his operation again. He was in so much pain as the cup had slipped and was resting on his nerve. To say we was gutted for poor puds was an understatement.
On he 11th July Puds went in for his second operation on his hip. When we brought him home this time, it was apparent that this operation was more painful than the last, due to scar tissue. He was quite upset and crying in pain for a few days. But till this didnt get Pudsey down, he was still delighted to go for short walks, visit the vets ect... Nothing ever gets my boy down for long. His recovery was slow, but Puds still carried on, he even enjoyed his weekend at the LF GT. But at this point i was worried as puds still seemed in discomfort and still finding it hard to put weight on his leg. Hugh ( the vet) was also worried so decided to x ray him again.
Once again the news was terrible, poor pudsey operation had failed again! The cup had moved, we saw the Xray and the amount of cement holding it place was amazing, why it cracked we have no idea. This time the vet didn't think it was wise to do the operation again decided to speak to other vets whom had had experience in failed hip replacements. Between them they decided that Puds hip implant would need to come out and they would leave the cup in place and let the muscle build up and take place of the ball that was implanted in his femur.
Pudsey had this third operation. He came home and was in lots of pain. It always breaks my heart to see him like that, but Puds still managed to wag his tail.
Pudsey has mad a marvelous recovery, he is using his leg and hardly has a limp, he is swimming and loveing it. It brings tears to my eyes to see my boy enjoying life. He cant run as fast as you usual lab and tires more quickly, but his quality of life is so much better. He is pain free and for the first time in his life has come of pain killers.
Puds went through so much, he had to be on cage rest for nearly six months, three major ops in 5 months, so much pain, but it has not changed our Pud for the worse, it has made him stronger.
Phil and I have decided that this has to be the last operation for our Puds, there is only so much any dog can go through. We are praying so hard this last operation works. So far our prayers has been answered.
Every one who meets Pudsey always mentions what a happy chappie he is, and never lets his painful life get him down. He lives life to the full even when he was in pain.
I don't envy the judge! I think that all of the Labs on LF are hero's and heroines just for the pure joy they bring us! But then there are some that have been through the mill and have come out the other end as super-heros!
Is there any chance of having a LF member of the year award? There is someone who I would love to nominate for the amazing things he/she has done for his/her labs?
I would like to nominate Leo. Not because he has any amazing stories to tell, or any outstanding achievements, but because he represents all of the other thousands of labs out there who are so very special to their owners and provide so much enjoyment on a daily basis.
To me, every day Leo does something special, no matter how small. From the moment he wakes up, he wags his tail with such enthusiasm I can’t help but smile. Nothing gives me more pleasure than Leo gently placing his head on my knee and gazing at me with a look of such love and adoration in his eyes. The enthusiasm with which he greets me at the side gate when he hears my car pull up is heart-warming. The way he will place his head on my shoulder and just stare at me touches me so deeply.
This year Leo has had a few “downs” – injuring his cruciate ligament and then coming down with a nasty gastroenteritis bug, but even throughout that, his loving kind nature has shone through.
Leo has brought so much pleasure into my life; I would never be without him. All he wants to do in life is please me (ok, and eat!). He asks for so little from me yet gives me so much in return. He, like many labs out there, is so selfless and the love he gives is unaffected by anything. So, here's to my special boy!
Vicki
Here's a pic of me and Leo enjoying a Sunday afternoon cuddle!
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