Many thanks @logan1 , @SilverTabby and @Mups , still awaiting the callback as I write, but apparently only two vets on duty due to illness and both working on emergencies which I hadn’t realised, so it’s not their fault and I suppose that Alfie can wait a couple of days if necessary…
I’ll keep you all posted of course.
I hope that you hear soon.
The vet finally phoned back this morning and we are booked in for late afternoon, so fingers crossed 
it’s not that serious, although he does have other problems too so we’ll have to see what they say 
Good luck, Barry.
Hope all goes well.
Good luck Barry and Alfie - do let us know how things go!
I taught Jack, to roll over on his back as a pup, for his breakfast and tea, he’s been doing it ever since,
Hope everything goes well at the vets,Barry,
ST…there is nothing “ poor” about Jack, he is ruined, it’s a private matter between the vet and myself, …the vet has also told me I need to decrease his intake of food, as he’s developed “ love handles” as he called them…I appreciate your concern.thank you.
I love that top picture, you can see just how relaxed he is, …I used to foster a staffi, poor little man could never relax like that, 
Lovely dogs on here 
deleted off topic,
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Obviously that includes Max but here are a little gems. Florence & Gracie.
Thank you and that’s a shame about your foster staffi.
So we took Alfie to see the vet for a check over and to look at the new lump under his tummy. The tummy lump he thinks is a worry but may just be an infected mammary gland, so has put him on antibiotics for a week but will remove it next week if that doesn’t work. He also checked his eyes which have cataracts starting but aren’t too bad at the moment, but it seems he also needs two rear teeth removing which have become a problem! 
All in all then a full work over but nothing too serious that can’t be fixed, just multiple signs of getting old and like us, some just get old before others. Anyway, looks like we’ll get to keep him for a little while yet thank goodness. 
