It IS a sad day

That goes without saying - the tragedy of the Boston Marathon.  This kind of thing is something that cannot be explained.  I just happened to turn on the tv shortly after coverage began.  It broke my heart.

I know there will be lots and lots written about this, so that is as much as I will say.  Others will cover it much more eloquently.

On the home front - today was Simone's Spa Day.  She is going for a bath and nail trim.  G and I decided to have one of the docs check her.  She completely wet her bed on Sunday.  She has never done that before.  Last year she began with bladder leakage.  I am sure she was used by a backyard breeder to have litter after litter (and God knows what else was done to her - based on the scars she has and broken canine teeth).  I think she was bred so much that she developed a constant urinary track infection that didn't allow her to conceive anymore.  We were constantly treating that for the first year she was with us.

Two months ago, I had given her a fourth of the weak tranquilizer before leaving the SSB.  She is very sensitive to medications - especially the tranquilizer, so she got very little to help take the edge off the trip.  She reacted to it as though I had given her 20 mg instead of about 2.  She was completely out of it.  She couldn't stand up.

So since then, we have noticed that her rear quarters are "wonky."  The vet also saw that (I asked for her to be evaluated).  It seems that there is something.  Cause - unknown.  The x-ray showed nothing abnormal in the spine.

Now comes the possible bad news.  She may have, because Boxers are prone to this, the dog equivalent of ALS.  It begins in the rear quarter - and moves up.

So she possible has Cushings which is caused by tumors.  She has had mast tumors removed - and we don't know if they were malignant.  We wouldn't put her into chemo at her age.  And now possible ALS.

We have  no idea what her real age is.  We adopted her December 2006.  At the time she was projected to be 5 years old.  That was impossible.  No way.  I am sure she was at least 1, probably more like 2.  That makes her 9.  Boxers life span is usually seven years.  Of course, they can live to 10 or 11.  She is nearing the end anyway you cut it.

So, we go along.  Loving her as much as we can.  Making her happy and comfortable all the while knowing that we have made her life so much better.    Do I feel silly taking such care of this dog - absolutely not.  I would go as far as needed to make her life comfortable, and I really wish I could have her live forever.  She has been such a companion and friend - giving unconditional love.