Ben's Story

From Ben the Dog:

Oh good, I thought, we're going to Bay McNeill, one of my favourite walks, so I bounded off up the hill because I could smell something really interesting - but 'She who must be obeyed' called me back.  As I ran down to her, something painful and sharp jabbed my paw.  I held it up for inspection and She examined it but said it was nothing to worry about.  It hurt, but I limped all the way to the shore.  It was very hot, there was no shade, and I didn't feel too good.  Thank goodness She decided we'd better go home.  My sister was no help, she just kept close to She as usual.

I got back to the car and felt really bad.  My leg had swollen right up.  We drove home and then She started phoning.  When she'd finished we were called to the car, but I had to be lifted in.  We drove for some distance and met this other lady who stuck a needle into my leg.  Then we went home.

That night I felt really bad but She kept patting my head and saying I would soon feel better.  It seemed a very long time before I really did feel better but now my paw is fine and I can go for walks again.  I wonder what it was that caused that horrible pain.

From 'She' - Catherine Cook, Achosnich:

The dog who wrote this, Ben, was an 11-year old crossbreed, and very fit.  He probably never saw it, but he was bitten by an adder that hot Friday.  He had a very bad time of it, and didn't perk up until the following Wednesday.

I was very lucky because the Vet from Fort William was on the peninsula and we met up at 'Nadurra'.  I spoke to the surgery again on the Saturday, and arranged for medication to be sent down on the Shiel bus with Gordon MacKenzie.  When one lives far from help, it's good to find that, conversely, people are so much more helpful.

Ben seemed to make a good, if slow recovery, but he died the following Monday from kidney failure caused by the adder bite.

Many thanks to Catherine Cook for the story,

and to Polly Cook for the picture of Ben.