Take a breath, relax...repeat.
What a year...what a week.
So, our youngest German Shepherd is epileptic. Poor guy has had poor health his whole life, but we love him to death and try to give him the best life we can. Our older shepherd is 10 1/2 and has hardly been sick a day in her life.
Last Sunday, January 3rd, after we went to bed, I heard Ruger yelp and cry out. He was laying in the bathroom of our camper (his sleeping spot when we are in the camper). I did a quick check for injuries and it seemed his right leg was hurting him, but I couldn't see anything. He tried to move a few times, but couldn't put weight on it. In the morning, we put his harness on him as it easy to maneuver him with it on, and we helped him outside to do his business. It was difficult getting the 115 pound gentle giant down the stairs, but we managed. He did his thing, holding his right leg up all the time. We got him in and out the camper all day like this, but by mid afternoon, we were having to physically carry him...definitely not an easy feat. We had already scheduled an appointment for the next day as when we come to Florida for the winter, we need a vet for him because of all his medications.
Tuesday morning came, and we left our other shepherd home to take Ruger to the vet. Normally we take them both but since we had to carry him, we didn't want to have to wrangle her as well. Needless to say, xrays showed that his arthritis had gotten worse, and he cried when they tried to get his hips xrayed. With all the problems he had, he never complained. He took all his pills easily. He broke a foot once and never fussed. But..he could barely support his own weight, and the leg (left front) that we thought was his good one, was actually his worse one. We let him go...let him cross over the rainbow bridge, and it was truly one of the most painful things I have ever done. He would have been 8 on January 10th.
With everything going on in the world right now...I've been dealing with this. I miss the big guy. He could be demanding; hated to cuddle; and would play ball all day if you let him. Our hearts are broken, but we know we gave him a great life.
RIP Ruger. See ya on the other side.
So, our youngest German Shepherd is epileptic. Poor guy has had poor health his whole life, but we love him to death and try to give him the best life we can. Our older shepherd is 10 1/2 and has hardly been sick a day in her life.
Last Sunday, January 3rd, after we went to bed, I heard Ruger yelp and cry out. He was laying in the bathroom of our camper (his sleeping spot when we are in the camper). I did a quick check for injuries and it seemed his right leg was hurting him, but I couldn't see anything. He tried to move a few times, but couldn't put weight on it. In the morning, we put his harness on him as it easy to maneuver him with it on, and we helped him outside to do his business. It was difficult getting the 115 pound gentle giant down the stairs, but we managed. He did his thing, holding his right leg up all the time. We got him in and out the camper all day like this, but by mid afternoon, we were having to physically carry him...definitely not an easy feat. We had already scheduled an appointment for the next day as when we come to Florida for the winter, we need a vet for him because of all his medications.
Tuesday morning came, and we left our other shepherd home to take Ruger to the vet. Normally we take them both but since we had to carry him, we didn't want to have to wrangle her as well. Needless to say, xrays showed that his arthritis had gotten worse, and he cried when they tried to get his hips xrayed. With all the problems he had, he never complained. He took all his pills easily. He broke a foot once and never fussed. But..he could barely support his own weight, and the leg (left front) that we thought was his good one, was actually his worse one. We let him go...let him cross over the rainbow bridge, and it was truly one of the most painful things I have ever done. He would have been 8 on January 10th.
With everything going on in the world right now...I've been dealing with this. I miss the big guy. He could be demanding; hated to cuddle; and would play ball all day if you let him. Our hearts are broken, but we know we gave him a great life.
RIP Ruger. See ya on the other side.