MONEY WELL SPENT

This is Henry, our Golden Retriever. He`s the fourth retriever we`ve had, following in the pawsteps of Holly, Botham and Rupert. He`s had his problems over the years and now that he`s getting on for nine years old, regular visits to the vet are important to keep him going. (I know the feeling.)

So, tomorrow, we will make the journey to Newnham Court Veterinary Centre for Henry to have his regular three-monthly check up. He has always been looked after very well indeed by Dave Cocker, who has Goldies of his own, so he knows all there is to know about them.

A few years ago, we were on holiday at Newton Ferrers in Devon, when Henry really wasn`t very well at all - he lost weight quickly, couldn`t eat, couldn`t sleep properly and so we cut short the holiday and got him home to see Dave, who immediately diagnosed a pericardial effusion. This is a fairly rare condition, which seems to be contracted mainly by retrievers and involves a severe build-up of fluid around the heart. Nasty and dangerous.

Thanks to Dave, Henry survived and we hope and believe, now that the condition has not returned in over two years , that it will not arise again. But Henry also has arthritis and dodgy hips (sounds more like me with every minute) and is on pills and injections to help him cope.

Tomorrow`s bill will be over £100 (again!) and being a mean old sod I suppose I should moan about that. But, of course, dogs give loyalty, a warm welcome, companionship and trust; Henry is the reason I get to have a good walk every day and we get to explore the Kent countryside, whatever the weather, so it does me good. Tomorrow`s investment in keeping a good friend going for a while longer will indeed be money well spent. No complaints. Honest.