Hello everyone, it’s me again!  For those new to the blog, I’m Makena, who occasionally takes over this blog.  Today I have a lot to write about, and it’s not good news for me…

But before I get to the bad news, I will do a brief summer recap.  I again enjoyed my time out in Wyoming, with 100 acres to roam around, off leash!  What dog wouldn’t love this?

 

My parents were excited about the Eclipse, and I was prepared with my glasses.  But I ended up staying in the 5th wheel….no dogs allowed by the cabins…sigh.

I spent the summer doing a lot of playing with my football….maybe too much playing, which I will get to later.  The weather was good all summer, until the end.  My parents promised me when we ventured out on this crazy journey that we would always have warm weather.  But once again, we ended up with quite a bit of snow.  But I didn’t let it stop me.  I made my mom put on her boots and winter coat (had to dust it off!) and get out and play with me.  October in Wyoming!

 

We made a quick stop in Minnesota on the way home, so I could see how my cousin Simon was doing.  He is now 6 months old, and has grown a lot since I last saw him.  Compare the photos from May (bottom) and October:

He still can’t throw a football, and he’s not eating solid food, so I’m still not that interested in him yet.  I did try to teach him how to rub my belly.  But apparently, Grandpa Gary has been teaching Simon the “pull my finger,” trick,  as he was only interested in “pulling my paw!”

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

When we got back to Wisconsin, my parents dropped me off at my grandparents house, so I would be well taken care of while they helped out remodel their friends business.  However, after two weeks, they picked me up and took me in to see the doctor.  And that’s where we get to the bad news.  For the last few weeks, I have been unable to jump up on the couch or the bed at night.  I still wanted to play and play, and my parents didn’t think too much of this at first.  But I wasn’t getting any better, and was having trouble going up steps.  So they decided to have me checked out.

My doctor in Wisconsin retired, so they tried out a new clinic, Kuenzi Family Pet Hospital, and were happy with the visit.  I was not.  They were concerned I may have torn a ligament in my knee, but they could never figure out which leg I was favoring.  Dr. Alex did a thorough examination, and put me through a lot of range of motion tests, and said my legs and neck were fine, (that’s the good news) but he was concerned about my back, and took me in another room for x-rays.

The bad news:  I ruptured a disc in my spine, and the two vertebrae are now just “bone on bone.”  Dr. Alex said in humans, this would be an extremely painful injury.  But I’m one tough dog, and haven’t displayed much pain.  Here are two of my x-rays:

Yes, I’m a lean, mean, machine!

Now for those reading this that are not Radiologic Technologists (Happy Rad Tech week, by the way!), here is the above  image blown up, and I have added some markings.  The arrow on the top left points to the microchip that was inserted in me when I was a puppy.  The other 3 arrows point to the disc spaces in between my vertebrae.  This is how they should look.  The circle shows the two vertebrae that are rubbing together.  The disc is gone.  And there is narrowing at the disc space below that level.

So this is where “the ugly” comes into play.  Since the vertebrae appear to be starting to fuse together, Dr. Alex said wants to hold off on considering surgery.  However, for the next 6 weeks, I have to be completely non-weight bearing!  In other words, I have to stay in my crate….ugh!  No playing, no jumping, no walking.  My parents carry me out to go potty, and then carry me back in.

I’m not happy, and I don’t understand why I’ve been put “in jail.”

My parents friends, Dave and Angie, let them borrow a bigger crate that I can stay in during the day (at night I’m back in the little crate in the bedroom).  They call it “The Taj Mahal.”

I call it “a bigger jail.”  But I am happy they put my dog bed in it, and set it in front of the electric fireplace.  I’m on pain meds and anti-inflammatory pills, which are making me feel better.  I have learned that they will let me out, “on good behavior,” for an hour or two at night, as long as I don’t run around.  I heard the word “NO” for several days, before I complied with their rules, and just laid down on a blanket outside the crate.

The worst part of all of this, even worse than being stuck in a crate for 6 weeks, is that I am not allowed to play football, until February, at the earliest.  It’s going to be a long winter for me….

Quote for the Day:  “Petting, scratching, and cuddling a dog could be as soothing to the mind and heart as deep meditation, and almost as good for the soul as prayer.” – Dean Koontz