(www.meowbarkblog.com) — Well, Ty didn’t make it to his 4:45 vet appointment today. Around 1, he started crying while just lying on the floor in my office. When 20 minutes of petting did nothing to calm him, I knew something was wrong. While I was calling the vet, he started drooling. This dog was in serious pain.
I was nearly in tears when I got on the phone with the vet tech, and I think she could tell. Even though the doctor wasn’t due in for another hour and a half, they told me to come straight in, and the doctor met me at the doorway as the vet tech helped me get Ty out of the car and into the building — and straight back to an exam room.
After feeling him all over, she agreed that it was his ankle, or hock (hence my ham and loogi references), that was the problem, not his other knee — thank goodness.
“Can I keep him for a few hours? Do some x-rays? Sedate him a little and give him something for the pain?” she asked.
Who would say no to THAT? So I left Ty for a few hours and sat around nervously waiting for the office to call and tell me I could come back and look at the films and see what was what.
Official diagnosis: Sprain. Treatment: NSAIDs, rest, and constant icing.
I’m so sad my baby is in more pain, and virtually crippled for the next month, but more than a little part of me is relieved that it’s not my fault. The vet said he twisted it trying to protect the other leg just while walking or turning or something. I’m not a bad mom. Right?
Contents © Copyright 2008 by Kristen King
(image: Jyn Meyer)