The dog

I KNOW! I should be writing about my hearing and stuff but, she's important to me. Katie started acting weird the other day after a game of ball. She stopped doing all of her favorite things like playing ball, jumping up on the couch to perch on the top and nap, following me around the house so that if I made one false move she'd get stepped on and yelp. She just hung around on the floor. She was obviously in pain. This got me thinking about Freddie.
Freddie was my first dog (without parental supervision). I was living with some roommates and they had dogs. I always wanted a Cocker Spaniel, and when walking around in the Danbury fair mall in Danbury, CT I stopped in the pet store to say "Hi" to all the babies. Who doesn't love a cute puppy?
I saw a cute little fur ball with a sale sign overhead. Who can resist a sale? On a cute puppy no less! Anyhow, the little guy just thrilled me to the core. At the time I didn't have much, in the way of money so I financed the purchase of the dog. (huge mistake to finance at 25%)
So, Freddie came home with me. I got food, a collar, leash and a bunch of other stuff, (financed as well). Freddie was my baby, I loved that dog so much but, after 4 years he developed a problem with his spine, which I now know is a Cocker Spaniel trait. So, If I didn't do a $3,k surgery to save him, he would surely die. I didn't have $3,K. Never mind his chances of survival after the surgery were like 50/50. Then~ another chance he could be paralyzed and have to have a doggie wheel chair. So the outlook was grim. I couldn't let my puppy continue to be in pain!
I put him to sleep. It was one of the hardests things I've ever had to do, But I knew that it was best.

When Katie started showing signs similar to Freddy's, panic set in.
We went to the vet yesterday and it looks like she just twisted a muscle or something. It does not look like the spine thing. The Dr. sent me home with Rimadyl for the pooch. She's already back up on the couch, jumping baby gates and bringing her ball to me for a game.
I am so relieved. But only time will tell. Freddie got better before he got worse. the vet even said to bring her back if she's not better in about 10 days and we'll do x-rays.

The Vet also sent us home with BreathaLyser +, a drinking water additive for plaque. She's got some nasty doggie breath and this is supposed to help that.

Many people with disabilities train their pets to assist them. Like a bark when the phone rings, or a signal that someone rang the doorbell. I thought for about 3 seconds on training Katie to do some of these things but, I just want her to be Katie. For a really long time.