HEALTHY HOUNDS

Peaches had her annual senior health exam on Friday, and she passed with flying colors.  All blood work was normal, with the waterworks and poop chute, as well, which the doc checked for any tumors.  A year ago, her calcium level was elevated, so I was concerned about that, and so was Dr. Fisk.  It can indicate the possibility of a cancerous tumor or kidney issues.  But her calcium was perfectly normal this time.  I'm greatly relieved about that because she's at the age now when things can start to go wrong.  

Bassets aren't normally a long-lived breed--10 to 12 years is average, not the 14 years that Kipling wrote about in one of his most poignant poems about a dog's comparatively short life span. Bubba did live to be 14, but we were very lucky.  I hope we'll be as lucky with Peaches and Beau.  The down side of adopting older dogs is that you don't get to spend as much time with them.  Peaches was 3 1/2 when I found her at the SSPCA, and Beau was 5, my oldest adoptee yet.  So I really hope they are both record setters for canine longevity because I can't imagine life without them.  They fill every single day with joy and that special kind of love only a dog can give.

Yearly visits to the vet can catch problems early.  I'm so glad that there weren't any for my sweet Peaches.