Here’s Why I’m Starting Pet Photography… again!!! (Rigby’s Story)

In honour of Rigby (my Springing Spaniel)

**warning, this post contains a sad but hopeful story**

What is a Rigby? A Rigby is much like a Tigger, bouncy trouncy, fun, fun, fun and although there are many wonderful spaniels out there, there’s only one just like Rigby.

Rigby came into my life in the January of 2016. Just before I turned 29 and coming through a dark period of depression, I still wasn’t quite myself and was dealing with a lot of anxiety and social anxiety but after Christmas 2015 and on a whim I decided to look on Gumtree for a Springer Spaniel. I had grown up with Whippets and Greyhounds, so why a Springer Spaniel?

Enter Hugo - I had never met a spaniel until I met and almost instantly fell in love with Hugo. Hugo had been the family dog of my ex-partner, his personality was infectious and in a single moment I became a ‘Spaniel Person’, which was why when I decided I wanted my first dog outside of my family dogs, it had to be a spaniel. Sometimes I think about that relationship and although I’m sure that it had many purposes I do feel like its main purpose was to lead me to the first true love of my life; Rigby!

Rigby was advertised on Gumtree along with his litter - he was incidentally the image of choice by his breeder. When I went to see the litter there were only two pups left - a crazy zoomy spaniel pup running circles and a quieter one still very spaniel like in behaviour but a little quieter than his extremely crazy littermate, I was instantly drawn to him but with them both being so cute it did take me a wee while to contemplate and decide. In the end Rigby, the quieter of the two, who at the time was ‘Mr Yellow’ picked me, he crawled up beside me, lay on my lap for a nap and in that moment I knew I had found my new best friend!

That was over 7 years ago now and what an adventurous life we’ve had together - not only has he saved me from the deepest darkest parts of myself, we have travelled far and wide together and he’s barely ever left my side. Yes, I am that person who takes my dog everywhere! At around 8 months old he, at first reluctantly, accepted a new companion into our lives, Richy, my partner, who at this point I don’t think he ever remembers a time where Richy wasn’t part of his life - they’re bromance quickly bloomed and In later years he’s overtaken me in the role of master/alpha but that’s okay, it’s been beautiful to watch and like most boys he still needs his mammy. We lived in my hometown in Lanarkshire until he was 2, then we had a stint living in Tenerife for a summer - we weren’t fans of living and working in the heat though, so we came back to Scotland and then moved to The Isle of Lewis, our true spiritual home. This was until he was soon to be promoted to big fur brother in 2021, so we moved back to our hometown to be close to extended family and he welcomed a human baby sister and became the proudest, most devoted and bestest fur brother a gal could ask for.

It was shortly after this Rigby’s health problems began he was diagnosed with a Cruciate Ligament Rupture at the very end of that year and with generous help from family and friends in early 2022 he had surgery to repair this rupture, it was a fairly steep road to recovery but we managed and he was getting back to his good self - until he had what we thought was a bit of a relapse in his recovery in November in 2022, even though I was sure the pain was coming from his middle not his leg - but with a thorough check from our mainland vet, pain relief and another fitness plan we were on the road to recovery once more. It was also around this time we had all decided life in the big town wasn’t for us so we moved back to The Hebrides in March 2023, Lewis didn’t really leave any of our souls and we had to get back to our quiet, rural, beach loving lifestyles. That was 6 months ago now, this time has been filled with decorating our new home, enjoying all the space our garden has to offer, walkies, visitors from the mainland and visiting beaches when we can. During the past month or so I started having a gut feeling my best pal just wasn’t himself, I mean he was still barking at the postman, protecting his territory, included airspace;  aeroplanes and helicopters beware, he was enjoying walkies and the occasional beach visit however after a recent beach visit at the beginning of August he was unwell the next day - I put it down to his leg pain although deep down it didn’t sit with me right, I gave him some painkillers and there he was rolling around, running up and down the garden and generally being a mad man again, in my gut though I just felt something wasn’t right but he was eating and drinking and for the most part being himself.

I had been the month or so before to the vet to get a cyst checked out which I was told was a begnin haematoma and it was drained, it didn’t come back after draining although you could still feel it underneath the skin ever so slightly, after the beach incident I kept looking at him even when he was acting perfectly normal thinking somethings wrong with you but I don’t know what, I can’t put my finger on it. I am an extremely hypersensitive, empathetic person at the best of times but especially when an animal is involved.

He had a few days where he was struggling to go to the toilet, so I made another appointment - his glands were emptied, they checked his cyst again and weren’t worried. I was though but I get told by family and friends I worry too much, so I let it go. I then started noticing his abdomen looking swollen - had he put on too much weight? am I not exercising him enough? Is being a busy mum to a toddler making me miss something? I couldn’t put my finger on it but I hear the voices of others ‘you worry too much’ ‘you’re overthinking’ - sadly I wasn’t, I should’ve followed my gut, my boy, my best pal, the spaniel who saved me, was dying and I had missed it.

My sisters were visiting from the mainland and after a small day trip where he had been home for a few hours alone, the next morning he was peeing pure blood, we got an emergency appointment and they found a massive mass in his abdomen, this had baffled them though because his bloods didn’t indicate a mass but they couldn’t know what kind of mass it was or whether it was operable or malignant/had metastasized unless they tried surgery. Whilst he was put on antibiotics, pain relief and a drip - we were given the option to euthanise or to proceed with surgery, the surgery came with so many risks and the chance that they might not be able to do anything at all when they opened him up, so we took him home to monitor him whilst we made a decision - besides being very tired he was still eating, drinking, peeing urine again, wagging his tail and trying to enjoy being home. He wasn’t ready to die, and I wasn’t ready to let it happen, we were only back on the island 6 months, he still had life to give I could see it in his eyes, this boy, after everything he’s been through deserved a second chance at life, so the next morning he had the operation we quickly took him to the beach beforehand, as it might’ve been the last time he dipped a paw in the ocean or sniffed the seaweed, we were all distraught as a family but he enjoyed that little trip before we said our final farewell, I can’t remember how long ago it’s been since I have felt so utterly heartbroken, my heart is still breaking as I type this but after 4 hours we get a call from our heroic vet Hector, the surgery although complicated was successful the tumour which was on his kidney was out, along with the spleen but not because it had spread just because it wasn’t looking great likely because the enormous tumour had been crushing it, there were no signs it had spread to other organs but from here on out it would be baby steps.

The next 48 hours was critical and the tumour sent for testing but he was alive, my super spaniel still had life to give, he still had purpose on this planet and although heartbroken for him, I am happy with the decision I made to fight for his life.  He’s been home now for 8 days at the time of writing and although sore and weak, he is getting stronger and stronger each day. Its very likely that all of this has been linked to his Cruciate rupture too, with all the muscle wastage but it’s been missed by everyone (mainland vets, veteriary hospital/specialist, island vets, his parents!!!) as the ruptured cruciate and arthritis masked the problem.

It’s going to be a huge path to recovery and although there are still many unanswered questions about his health at present but all going well, and not that he’s not already had a crazy adventure filled life for the past 7+ years but from here on out I promise to give him the best of his life for the rest of his life, however short or long that may be and when his time does come, as it does for us all, I will be prepared to let him leave his body and this physical world in peace and with the dignity he deserves. (PDSA have a great resource for us to know when it’s time - here)

‘No life is too small, whether human or non-human, no matter how short it could be. Love, care and company are the only things that truly counts, for everyone.’  - Alexis Fleming

Anyone who has met or knows Rigby will know just what a wonderful dog he is, he touches so many hearts and people from all over have fallen in love with him, he is certainly a heart-stealer. If all goes well, and we get through this, I plan on making a bucket list for him - so , If you want to follow his story from here on out, please follow this blog I will also be offering pet portrait photography in his honour, so look out for that coming up too, being this close to death makes you realise how important it is to capture memories with our fur family - not here for a long time but certainly here for a good time - so let’s capture that magic because we love them unconditionally and they love us too! (And you know… we’ve got crappy insurance/vet bills to pay.)

I want to add a very special thank you to Old Mill Veterinary Practice. To Jackie for quickly diagnosing him and dealing with my relentlessness, often silly questions and the endless crying. To the super-vet and hero that is Hector for performing surgery and doing all he could to save our boy, as well as being extremely reassuring. To Chelsea for all her aftercare and genuine love that I could see she had for him (and all animals) and for her frequent updates and photographs. And to the reception staff for being so patient and kind with us. We will never forget everything you have done to help save our boy with dignity and regard every single one of you as real life hero’s - our gratitude is endless.

I also want to add a special thank you to our families for being there for in our time of need and my kind friend Victoria who looked after Daisy for us when we needed it. We appreciate you all so much!

Rigby’s first few days home.

More updates coming soon… LA x