David Condon Finds

Every morning lately, I’ve been going through the same routine while getting dressed for work. I pull on a pair of socks, only to notice the big hole or holes in the heel, mutter something unprintable, and then take them off again. The culprit? My puppy, Bud, who has developed a particular fondness for turning my socks into Swiss cheese when ever my back is turned or he gets unaccompanied access to my bedroom.

When my puppy, Bud, first came home, he was the picture of excitement at mealtimes, tail wagging, eyes wide, and food inhaled at record speed. It was cute… until it wasn’t. During his “hoovering” phase, it was as if his stomach and intestines were squeezing inward, trapping his meal higher up in his chest & oesophagus and showing his ribs in minute detail. He’d look uncomfortable and bloated, and strange gurgling noises would come from him for a few minutes after eating. I put up with it at first, thinking it was just “puppy enthusiasm,” until one day he vomited straight after his dinner. That’s when I realised it was more than a quirk — it was a problem.