Friday, August 30, 2013

Doing her job

We've had our dog Snax for just over 6 years now and we love her. She is also very good at her job. Oh, does your dog not have a job? Snax's job is to greet us when we get home and make us feel welcome. And she is awesome at this.

As a cockapoo, she is prone to ear infections, so we've dealt with that a few times over the years. But this month has been the toughest yet.

A few weeks ago she had some bowel problems and had to be put on a low dosage of steroids and wear underwear so she didn't draw her bum around and irritate things. Poor AJ had to measure her and go out and buy children's underwear in her size. He then sent me this picture, which caused me to burst out laughing in the middle of work.

Not so happy with this look

The drugs have helped immensely and she was underwear free.

This week, we found her shaking in the front hall and she cried when we tried to touch her. Back into the vet we went and he believes she has a displaced disc in her spine, totally unrelated to the injury from the week before. Poor dog can't even walk without pain.

Now she's on a high dose of steroids, which has totally taken away the pain, but leaves her bottom half without feeling, so she has no use of her back legs and can't control her bowels. So now we're moving backwards to underwear.

2 diapered kids in the house right now

She's actually a lot more comfortable now than when she was going to the bathroom accidentally all over the house. And so are we. She "walks" very little because she can only drag her back end around, but she's in good spirits and she still wants to be with us so we carry her from room to room.

Poor little legs

Hopefully after another week on these meds, the inflammation will have gone down and she'll go off the drugs so she can regain feeling and walk again without too much pain.

Last night I was out late at a concert so AJ put her in her bed upstairs. When I came home she was waiting for me by the front door. How she got down the stairs with no back legs I have no idea, but she was determined to do her job and I felt more welcomed than ever.

Like I said, Snax is very good at her job. I hope I can be as good at my role in the family as she is at hers.