Thanks to our early morning ventures outside we know that there is more than one hedgehog in the garden. The 1.30 hedgehog was medium sized and made a most unhappy snort when picked up. The 3.30 hedgehog was larger, but not as large as the 'rehoused' hedgehog of earlier in the week. Both are now safely snuffling around behind the compost heap fence.
The amazing thing is that the distance from Miss Sophie to the respective hedgehogs was at least 150 yards. Her ability to hone in on them in the dark is remarkable. Either they are remarkably smelly or her olifactory organs are exceptional.
From now on Sophie's evening widdles will be conducted on a collar and lead. Her free ranging nights are over until the hedgehogs are hibernating . This new routine will hopefully make life quieter for us and the villagers.
9 comments:
Dear wee Sophie is this a 'girl thing' with the widdles? I mean I can wait up to 12 hours overnight if pushed, and Gail often says "0h Bertie, if only I had your bladder capacity".
Toodle pip!
Bertie.
Maybe Sophie just wants the extra attention....and to chase hedgehogs.
XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy
The hedgehogs are probably looking for Grandpa.
I hope Sophie is OK. Maybe it is little infection?
x
Sophie and her widdles is probably due to a minor infection like Teena suggested.
I have no idea if hedgehogs are particularly smelly, so I'm sticking to the fact that Sophie's olfactory organs are exceptional.
Love the photo of them both on the kitchen floor with just a hint of Sophie's tongue putting in an appearance.
I learned after our girl Sheba's spay that dogs can become incontinent as a result of the spay surgery. It happens when the muscles or nerves that control the bladder inadvertently become damaged. The good thing is that there are medications to help stop the incontinence. After a while, the muscles can become strong again and the incontinence will stop. And I do agree that Sophie's need to go out so often may indicate an infection --Either that, or she just knows that being outside means she gets to search for her latest nemesis, the hedgehog--Probably both!!
Enjoy your Friday!
I wonder if she's deciding she needs to go out to patrol for Hedgehogs...
Poor Sophie... I had a Queensland heeler mix who developed nighttime incontinence after she was spayed. Our vet put her on a daily dose of PPA (phenylpropanolamine) and that did the trick. She had to be on it for the rest of her life. It completely cured the incontinence and didn't have any side effects. Hope you can get it in France! (Other options include estrogen and ephedrine.)
FYI, from Medi-Vet.com, "Phenylpropanolamine is a sympathomimetic, non-hormonal agent which increases sphincter tone and alleviates urinary incontinence by stimulation of the alpha adrenergic receptors in the urethral muscle."
Wishing you all "drier" -- and quieter -- nights.
Purple Magpie, Mitzi the Chiweenie, and Emmy the Bouncing Pogo Puppy
Proin (I think that is the name) is what the vet suggested for one of our dogs.
Widdles...the pup knows the words piddle, go potty and hurry up. We will add widdles to her commands.
The two and one half hour need to go outside sounds like an infection superimposed upon her already residual post surgical nerve insensitivity. I think two things are at play here not one or the other. Your readers ( above) have provided excellent input.
Hope Sophie finds some relief after her vet visit.
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