Our Geri

One evening a few weeks ago now (as I'm so behind ... sorry) the dogs were going bananas!  There had been a stunning cream mastin wandering around at the bottom of our track.  We were unsure if it was the one belonging to one of our neighbours, Rafa. We could see one on the hills with him earlier during the day, or was it another, that had just turned up?

After last years summer guests left, Alan and I decided to move upstairs for some comfort during the winter. The last couple of years we have used the same apartment throughought the year but it's not great in winter. There is a fire place for an open fire, but depending on which way the wind blows, most nights we had to have a window open as we were getting smoked out.  Defeating the object really!

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We were sleeping upstairs, Arthur and Blue, the mastins were in the big kitchen.  This is the best place for our Big Arf as he knows he's off duty, and sleeps all night unless something wakes him.  The little ones, Geri, Carlos and Miliko were sleeping in our bottom apartment, where we normally sleep.  Carlos and Miliko sleep on one sofa, and Geri on another.  We removed the cushions from hers so it's not so high.  She likes to jump on and off the sofa, all night long.  Mainly to have the odd drink during the night, and to have a potter around, and at nearly 16 years old she could just manage this leap without too many problems.  

After a noisy night with the dogs, the following morning I  found Geri lying on the floor with her back legs totally in the splits, the following morning.  Her breathing was fast and shallow and her heart going really fast.  I thought she'd lost all the power in her legs. Our poor Geri is totally deaf, and practically blind with cataracts. I carefully picked her up, bringing her little legs gently together and lay her on her sofa, whilst I lay next to her.  I knew Alan would come looking for me if I wasn't back in the kitchen thinking about breakfast, pretty soon... and this he did.  When Alan found us laying on the hairy Geri sofa, I was really thinking the worst but Alan, ever calm said "We'll let her rest, see if she wants a little food or water, and we'll give her an anti inflammatory." She suprised us by eating a little, so the pill was no problem then we rested her for a hour. We stayed with her and got her up after an hour, but still she had no strength in her legs.  She had a little more food and drink, which was a good sign, then we rested her again and she slept quite soundly.  The next time when she woke up we carried her outside, and stood her up. Previously we had been standing her on the tiles inside the apartment.  I kept one hand under her tummy as a bit of support, whilst Alan spent most of the time trying to distract 'The nightmare that is Miliko' from getting excited seeing her, and bowling her over with affection. After about 10 minutes of me practically crawling around on all fours supporting her, I took my hand away, and she walked a bit.  We took her back indoors again, so not to over do it, where she slept for another couple of hours... well she is an old lady! When it was time to take her out again, we still carried her, and after just a few minutes of me supporting her, she took off and almost ran round the corner, squatted and weed.  We were delighted!

Obviously we moved back downstairs that same day, there was no way we could risk that happening again, we were feeling so guilty as were were not sure how long she had been in that position for.  The barking from the other dogs was of course them trying to let us know something was wrong.  They are always right too!   Bless her, she did take a few days to recover but she is doing well.  I thought we were going to lose her that morning.