Lola has still not eaten a meal. We’ve tried everything. She’s been offered chicken and rice, tuna fish, beef stock (warm liquid with a little nutritional value must be better than no nutritional value) and we’ve even tried to make her eat by reverting to her puppy snack of a Weetabix soaked in warm milk, served in her puppy bowl. I’ve tried hand-feeding, feeding in a bowl, spreading food on the floor but nothing tempts her. The one thing I’ve been able to get inside her is cheese, cut into little cubes – just as well because twice a day they have her antibiotics inside them!

JD, on the other hand – well, he looks pretty content don’t you think? He has been the beneficiary of her lack of interest and has hoovered up all of the above if I’ve not managed to grab it out of his way before he can get to it. He has a fantastic nose and instinct for when she might be getting something and he’s in there like a shot. “Delicious” he proclaims, licking his lips so we know the food we’re giving her isn’t dodgy and unpalatable to dogs. In fact, I know from all of our other dogs that when they’re sick, these things are the ideal things for them.

I’m at my wits’ end even though she seems perky enough and still wants to play tennis ball. If we can’t get anything inside her, she’ll end up back at the vet on Monday because by then it’ll be more than a week since she last ate anything. I just don’t know what to try next.