Red Deer Week-end

Had a good week-end in Red Deer.

Miikka finished the Open the first day with a CM. She ran a very nice trial, but had a Gorilla (with a capital G) hunt on the last bird of the day. I was so pleased with her work.

Darbi went out in the first test. She faded with the wind and couldn't recover. She showed a bit of her old spark, but not all of it. Maybe she's just burnt out. She's been working pretty hard since going to Texas in January, so a nice break this fall with some duck hunting may be all that she needs.

I judged the second day and had a great time with my co-judge. As usual, I learn a lot every time I judge.

Next week-end is another trial in Red Deer. That will be my last Canadian trial for the year, and maybe my last trial this year period. I'm expecting Miikka to come in season soon, and Darbi probably needs a rest.

NOT a chip...argh...

So the ortho guy looked at Darbi's x-rays and gave his report. The little piece of bone we saw on the x-ray is NOT a chip, but a normal part of her anatomy.

The only thing the ortho guy saw on her wrist x-ray was some arthritic changes to one of her toes. This can be enough to cause the lameness. There also could be an underlying soft tissue injury, but who knows. The vet palpated and moved her joints in all directions today without a flinch, but Darbs is pretty stoic.

I ran her on 3 blinds today (she is on Metacam) and she was tender coming back from the 3rd blind, but sound immediately afterwards.

I'll keep an eye on it and go from there. She has a nice long rest coming up, and maybe that is all that she needs.

Darbi vet update

I took Darbi to the vet 2 days ago to try to figure out why she hasn't been herself this summer. She has been eating and drinking normally and acting normal around the house, but sometimes acts as if she doesn't want to train or trial. She has also been limping on and off since January. Every couple months or so.

Blood work was done 2 days ago and I took her back in today for the results and some x-rays.

Blood Work-"perfect"

Chest X-Ray-"perfect"

Abdominal X-Ray-"perfect"

Physical Exam-"perfect"

Left wrist x-ray-not so perfect

BUT, I consider this good news. On the x-ray of her left wrist there appears to be a "chip" or a tiny piece of floating bone. This would explain why she has intermittent lameness and sometimes an attitude of "I don't want to do this". It HURTS...sometimes. When it doesn't hurt, she is just being careful, almost expecting it to hurt. When the floating chip moves away from the joint, she would be pain free, but when it moves into the joint, it would be extremely painful.

So, the x-ray has been sent to a veterinary orthopedic specialist for a consult.

Darbs will be on an anti-inflammatory until we decide what to do, and the vet told me it can be business as usual training wise, unless she is "off", and then put her up for the day.

I've seen this a lot with the racehorses I used to work with, and it can be easily fixed if that is indeed what it is, so overall good news.

Other than the likely chip, her ankle looks fantastic...no arthritis and a very clean joint overall.

I'll keep you posted.

Camping fun

Dottie sent a note to her mother Miikka to say congrats on the win, and how much she has enjoyed camping this summer.

Hot weather fun

My friend Lois sent me some pics of our time in Colorado.

One day it was particularly HOT, and I decided to ditch training to cool off.

NEW FTCH AFTCH

My little Peanut WON one of the Opens at the Alberta Field Trial Club trial this week-end. It was unbelievable.

This gave Miikka her Field Trial Championship and Amateur Field Trial Championship titles.

If you've been reading my blog, you have read about the struggles I've had with her. She is starting to put it all together...obviously...two wins this year. Believe it or not, we still have a ways to go, but man oh man, we are thisclose.

Here is a pic of Miikka shaking between birds of the opening series.

Last bird goes down of the test.

Here is a pic of Darbi on the opening series. Unfortunately she went out on the first test both days. She is NOT herself these days. And she hurt her ankle and was limping badly on the second day, so I picked her up. She then came home to have awful diarrhea and vomiting.

I'm going to get her in to the vet tomorrow to see why she hasn't been herself these past weeks and try to figure it out.

Finally, a pic of Miikka with her BLUE. Kenny has been a godsend for her, and it was so special for him to be there to see her win.

They're home!

Girls are home and hanging out on the back deck with me this morning.

We are headed out the door to spend a couple days in beautiful Banff before the field trial this week-end.

Pics to come later this week!

Second thoughts

I'm thinking that Darbi is having second thoughts about coming home.

She is just as spoiled at Horsetooth Retrievers as she is here, but she also gets FLIERS down there.

Kenny took this pic on his cell phone and sent it to me.

Trial Today

Darbi got dropped after the water blind.

Kenny said she was on line, but too many whistles.

Can't wait to see her again in 10 days.

I'm all settled in the new house, and the dog beds (and human bed) are waiting for them when they get here.

Good luck Darbi

Darbi runs the Open this week-end at the Centennial Trial in Colorado. Kenny is obviously running her and I hope she does well. If she doesn't, oh well, I still have a spot on the bed reserved for her.

Poor Peanut has to stay home as she is not qualified to run a "Limited" Open. It's too bad, as Kenny says she has had a great couple of weeks in training.

"Girls" will be home in 10 days or so. Can't wait to see them. We then run 3 week-ends of trials in a row here in Alberta. Then I "might" run a trial in Montana, and the girls go back to Colorado to run some fall trials in the US.

Plans are moving ahead for the Fall 2009 Shaq x Miikka breeding. She should be in season before the end of September, and she is lined up for a surgical A.I. whether it be in Colorado or Alberta, depending on where she is when she comes in.