Statins and dogs

 With regard to the statins....out of interest, I looked up both of the ones the cardiologist mentioned in his letter to my GP - one he recommended trying first, then if that one wasn't tolerated, a different one.  Both of them have similar listed side effects.  Now I know not everyone gets side effects, or, if they do, not the same side effects.  But as the listed possible side effects include muscle weakness, joint pains, brain fog, headaches, sleep disturbance, gastrointestinal upset, amongst others - well I'm not willing to take the chance of exacerbating things I already suffer with.  As a matter of interest....several years ago when I had a discussion with my GP about statins and told him why I didn't want to take them, I asked him if he himself took them, or would take them if offered.  His answer to both questions was a firm No!  So that more or less made the decision definite for me.  He did, however, say that he was duty bound as a doctor to offer them to patients, which is only right and proper.  I think what annoyed me the most was that after me telling the consultant exactly why I wasn't going to take statins, he completely disregarded what I'd said and told the GP to start me on them....as if I'd not spoken and am not involved in my own care.

Betty loved the dog field, not so much for the charging around freely - she's a right scent hound, her nose is always to the ground or lifted up sniffing the air.  She spent ages trotting around the entire field sniffing all the lovely doggy smells, no doubt checking out who'd already been there.  She wasn't particularly interested in all the doggy toys and apparatus - she wouldn't go on the ramps or through the 2 tunnels, even when I stood peering through the other end of them calling her, she just ran around them! There's a mini mountain of different sized tyres filled in with sand, she briefly checked out the lower levels of that.  Not interested in playing on anything really, other than sniffing all the different things - there are the sorts of things you see at those collie agility games on TV or at country fairs.  Certainly plenty to keep all sorts of dogs happy.  Oh, the pond, quite large and completely fenced/gated, was very muddy around the perimeter (understandably, as it had been raining quite hard).  I wouldn't let her go in there even if she showed any interest in it (which she didn't) - as a brachycephalic (short and crinkly snouted) dog, she's not overly keen on going in water, and the pond is 1 metre deep, according to the sign, so not safe for her.  I wouldn't even know if she can swim, she's never been in water deep enough to try, nor shown any inclination to.

There was a big boxful of balls of different sizes - we'd taken her favourite ball with us as well.  She's not that interested in playing with balls though - she only half-heartedly runs after them and only when she feels like it, and almost never brings them back.  She just likes chewing them - she only likes her favourite one because it squeaks.  There's a big waste bin for doggy poos and signs asking owners to pick up - which we would anyway.  One or two people had complained on FB about poo not being picked up.....I have to say we only found one pile - or rather, husband did when he trod in it!  He ALWAYS does that (as he never looks where he's putting his feet when walking) - it's a standing joke that if there's any poo around, husband will find (and tread in) it!! 😂😒.  All in all, for quite a big field I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of poo.  We'll definitely be taking Betty again, they're a very good idea as a safe and secure place to let dogs run around without the distraction of other dogs, if yours is reactive - the field is hired by the hour or half hour and you have exclusive use of it for that time.  We noticed the other day there's another new one opened up in another direction, a bit nearer to us, so we'll check that one out too, we're going that way in a few days.

Thank you for comments about the statins, I know we're all different and have to make our own choices about our own health care.  Husband takes a statin, he has done for years.  He had problems tolerating the first one he was on, the GP changed it and he's had no trouble with the second one.  However, I recall my mother having a lot of problems with side effects, her GP tried her with several different statins and she had trouble with all of them.

Rambler, you asked about my mini processor - I'm sorry, I can't tell you what make it is, I've had it a few years now and the name has worn off!  I'm fairly sure it was only quite a cheap one though, I seem to remember getting it from Amazon.  Perhaps other readers can help?  My one takes up next to no room (the motor unit thing fits on top of the bowl) and, despite not being a big brand name, still works perfectly.  I use it a lot.