"Phew. It's only diarrhoea..."

It's very odd.

In common with most dogs, I occasionally get a tummy upset. Infrequently in my case, but it does happen. 

I'm guessing that many of my fellow pups will, like me, have noticed how when one demands urgently to be let outside in the middle of the night, one's human sometimes struggles to be sympathetic.

They can be quite cross even. 

Last week, when there was a night time 'occurrence' in our household, I was trailed round the garden by Gail in her pyjamas. She was holding a torch and anxiously leaning over and peering underneath my belly to check my 'waterworks' function.

I could have told her she was barking up the wrong orifice...

But you know what Gail said when she finally stepped back and noticed a somewhat liquified stream of brown emanating from the below the tail area?

It was a most surprising reaction.

"Oh Bertie, thank goodness, I'm so pleased, it's only diarrhoea..."

PS from Gail: given Bertie's bladder cancer diagnosis, I am hyper-vigilant about his pattern of peeing, watching closely and dreading any change. So when his uncharacteristic need to go outside in the night turned out to be a case of 'the runs' (which thankfully turned out to be short lived), I think readers will understand my relief.