Pet Sounds

Once again, this week, we had to take Stella to the vet.

Like many small dogs, she has been afflicted with a luxating patella, which basically means that her kneecap slips out every once in awhile. Sometimes it slips back in on its own, and sometimes we have to move it back for her. She's been limping around, picking up her right hind leg, for the last several weeks* and though we put her on crate rest for the majority of that time, it didn't seem to help.

The doctor prescribed an anti-inflammatory, and we've started giving her supplements that should help strengthen her joints, so we're hoping we'll be able to avoid surgery. Stel is not overweight, so that should work in her favor as, obviously, excess weight creates stress on the joints.

Nonetheless, the last several weeks have been stressful on all of us. Poor Stella hasn't been allowed to run and play, and my husband and I have been wondering about the what ifs. Throughout her life with us, we have spent more time worrying about Stella than I care to say. When we first got her, she had a long, rough bout of kennel cough. Then when we tried to switch her from puppy food to adult food, it took a good six months before we found one that agreed with her sensitive Boston Terrier tummy, and about a week after we did, she caught a parasite. As soon as that cleared up, this happened.

I love her to pieces, but lately, I've been feeling sad that I can't simply enjoy having her around instead of spending every day wondering what's next.

Then this morning, one of my coworkers came in late, telling the story of how his daughter threw up in his car. I couldn't help but think of the time Stella threw up in my car. It was an unpleasant ride for sure, but, being a dog, she was in her Terrier Carrier. Thus, all vomit was easily contained and washed away in the laundry room sink. I'm pretty sure my coworker can't say the same for his daughter's incident today.

Lesson learned: Be grateful for the dog. It may be stressful to take care of her sometimes, but a kid has to be way worse.

*She's still too fast for me to catch her. But in my defense, she's still running on three legs to my two, and she's only 16 pounds, where I am considerably heavier.