My little Sams

Sammy has arthritis.  It's in his front, right leg, so it makes walking hard for him...since dogs put the majority of their weight on their front legs.  If you don't have a dog, then you won't understand.  If you do, then you know that they are a part of your family.  Sammy has been my boy for 8 years now.  He's been with me since I started nursing school.  He moved with me to El Paso.  He was with me when I was lonely, and he was with me when Jason came into the picture.  I LOVE him.

Anyway, he keeps exacerbating his condition, which he's had a for a while now.  He'd have troubles, we'd do some treatment, he'd feel better and then try to act like a puppy again.  Or he'd jump on our bed (or jump off) and hurt his leg all over again.  A few weeks ago, he hurt it pretty bad.  I took him to the vet.  She gave him an anti-inflammatory to take for 5 days, and it seemed to help immensely.  We stopped the medicine, he tried to jump on the bed, and now we're right back to where we started.

Last night, at 1:30am, I tried to get him to go outside to potty, and he took a few steps, and then just stopped.  He wouldn't move, and I heard him wince from the pain.  He was shaking from it.  I sat down and called him, but he wouldn't come to me.  Jason had to carry him to the yard to potty (and he weighs 75 pounds, so this isn't easy), and then carry him back in.  Then, for the next 2 hours (and I'm going to partly blame crazy pregnancy hormones for this), I cried.  I bawled for my puppy.  I envisioned us having to put him down and not knowing how on earth I could ever make that decision.  I pictured our house without him in it, and I couldn't stop crying.  I finally wore myself out and fell asleep around 3:45...only to dream about him.

We just had to go to the vet this morning.  He was started on a pain medication to help, and we discussed using the anti-inflammatory along with heat/cold therapy and light exercise.  Sammy is petrified of the vet, so he was willing to walk (to try and get away)- but now, this afternoon, he won't move.  He wouldn't even beg for some of my lunch or come and eat a baked cheeto I dropped on the floor. That is not like my dog.  He's a world-class "beggar"!

Here are his medicines now- hopefully they bring him some comfort sooner than later.

Here are the new rugs we bought to help him get around.  His front legs slide on the hardwood floors, so hopefully these will help give some traction in the spots where he most likes to nap.

Here he is, getting some cold therapy this afternoon.

He here he was this morning...after Jason carried him to the grass to potty, he just didn't want to move anymore, so he laid down in the wet grass.  He's still so gorgeous, isn't he?

I love this pup.  He's worth extra effort and money to take care of.  He means so much to me, and I hate seeing him hurt.  Oh, I just love him!