John and I both came to our marriage with dogs. Well, not just dogs per say, but more like dog children. And a funny thing, we both turned out to be lab lovers. The thing about labs is they actually do remain children all their lives, even when they become elderly… We kid each other that it’s like living with 3 year olds… every day…

When we were planning our move here to Italy, one of the big issues was moving our dogs safely to our new home. You can read about that part of our plan in my posting Hiring a Pet Mover. It went so smoothly, we were amazed. Yes, Romeo did get a UTI, but a few weeks on antibiotics cleared that right up.

Apart from getting them here, was the thought of leaving our wonderful vet behind in Lovingston, VA. I am sure Dr. Ligon would love to come here to examine our pups as well as see Italy. A fanciful thought but just not a practical one. 😉 I did have some concerns trying to locate a highly recommended veterinarian in our region, with me not knowing anyone to ask. Would he/she live up to standards we had come to know and love back in the States? Would there be sticker shock? Would we be able to express our concerns so that we were understood?

All of that was laid to rest. We found two excellent practices, all through Facebook and Google reviews. The first one is a small practice led by an endearing and competent veterinarian. Both our dogs love her and her techs, and she has a very gentle manner. Romeo was the first to visit her upon exiting his flight with an UTI. (That was more from his habit of holding it longer than necessary than anything done erroneously with pet mover management. )We got that straight and then Orso, Mr. Timid at the vet, had to be checked out for a paw infection. Again, gentle doctor fixed him right up.

Then things ‘heated’ up for Orso. Orso is our 12 year old lab, one of my retired SAR dogs. Back in June 2017, he had a soft tissue sarcoma removed from his side by Dr. Ligon, DVM in Nelson County, VA. Tests followed and it appeared he was cancer-free, apart from the sarcoma, and would still ‘be with us’ to make the trip. Whew.. But we knew, at some point, cancer would return. A lump developed on the back on his front left leg, and we needed a clinic that could address the possible implications. Once again FB & Google reviews found us an excellent clinic only 30 minutes from the house. This particular practice had been founded a number of years ago and had just recently moved into a new facility. Last count, I figured they have at least 7 or 8 vets on staff, open 7 days a week from 9 am – 7 pm! And my concerns of being understood….out the window. At least two, if not three, of the vets speak English. The staff is knowledgeable, trained in the latest medical advances, and most of all, compassionate. And what great care and concern they showed Orso and us. We are totally impressed and know we are blessed to find this clinic.

I’ll try to condense Orso’s treatment as best I can. They removed the lump on his leg, sent off for analysis (non malignant), did ultrasound, found spots on his spleen, returned after a given time for second ultrasound, concerns that spots appear to be growing, removed spleen and 4 lumps on his side, all sent off for analysis. And through all this, Orso was a trooper. John and I… not so much and the staff couldn’t have been more caring to our feelings as well.

What about the costs on all of this, you may wonder… About half of what we would pay in the US. The vets actually apologized to us about “charging us so much!” In the meantime, as we await analysis, Orso has recovered nicely and feeling himself again. Whatever the outcome of the analysis, any treatment will only be for pain management, when and if needed, and anything that would improve his quality of life here.

I know that is a lot about our dogs, but again, they are our furry children and give us unconditional love. We try to match that with our love in return and the best possible care. And they get to learn and live Italian. 😉 So rest assured, if you are moving to Italy with your canines, there are wonderful veterinarians to be found.

In the meantime, Spring is trying to make a bit of headway, but cold, chilly, wet weather has set in for a bit. I don’t want to think about what the mud will be like at the end of this spell. The farmers around us, Ugo and Francesco, are getting their vineyards and olive groves ready for the new season. Also, the fruit and nut trees are blooming all around. I’m getting itchy for nice hiking weather, then bring on the hot, dry summer! But until then, some early spring shots. Enjoy and ciao for now…..

Olive Trees Pruned

Vines Ready

Early blossoms….whoops.. possible snow next week?