Guessing Game

Christmas weekend, New Year's weekend, this weekend... all were cold and wet. All were dates where Kansas experienced an onset of stiffness/soreness. It is most certainly weather-related. Though this weekend isn't exactly cold, you could almost see her demeanor change as the pleasant temperatures became increasingly damp. She's had quite the pronounced hobble for the past 24 hours. Because it abates once she gets up from lying down and has moved about for a while, I hesitate to give her any of the Rimadyl the vet prescribed. As we said before, we don't want to give her the anti-inflammatory/pain medication and have her feeling so good she hurts herself further because she doesn't feel anything. The vet has asked a few times if we've given her any, mostly because they want to know of any adverse reactions, and always seems surprised when we say we haven't. We remind her that we don't want Kansas to "overdo it" as a result of the medication, and she agrees. Plus, Kansas has had no cause to need the medication until just recently. I did give her one pill over New Year's, when she seemed to be constantly in pain, but the effect it can have on her kidneys and DH's concern about the stomach issues the meds can also cause makes me hold off.

I think as long as she's willing to get up and move about on her own (even when I insist she stay lying down) and as long as she happily trots about the yard, regardless of whatever ails her, why risk it? If she were refusing to move, as she did during the initial incident that prompted us to seek a diagnosis, well, that would be different. I'd definitely give it to her.

I also think running is a cause. These bouts have also coincided with days that she did a lot of running about the yard, allowing both Leo and Airlie to chase her. After the second instance, I resolved to stop her from running, and I have been mostly successful. Yesterday, she just would not be stopped. I also try not to allow both dogs to run after her at once. They all love a good game of chase, but keeping ahead of Leo is a definite strain on Kansas, meanwhile Airlie's constant directional changes and hairpin turns are another stressor. So, she ran a bit yesterday, refused to comply when I tried to get her to stop, and seemed happy. I didn't think it would bother her, but as soon as she lie down for any length of time and then tried to get back up, the discomfort had set in again.

Still, it truly doesn't stop her from doing whatever she WANTS to do. She will still ignore it all to pursue a cat or squirrel. She will still insist on sitting out in the yard, though I struggle with allowing her to do even that. She loves to lie at the back door and watch her yard, but refuses to lie on any towel or bed I place atop the tile in an attempt to make her more comfortable. She revels in being left out in the backyard alone to sit for hours, but I don't like her being out there in the cold or the damp (or both) in her condition. It's getting harder and harder to convince her to come inside.

She wrestles with Airlie when she feels like it, ignores her when she doesn't.

She still plays with Leo.

But when I was cutting her nails today, as I do every week, I lifted her back right leg so easily I could tell she wasn't standing with any weight on it at all. Today was the first day she wasn't even inclined to lean against me and let some of her weight be supported on that leg while I trimmed the nails on the opposite one.

She will let it dangle when she runs, and run on three legs. She will trot on all fours, and she will walk mostly on all four legs, though getting up from lying down produces a pronounced limp for the first few steps.

But maybe the most heartbreaking thing is seeing the appearance of numerous white hairs in the patch of black that covers the right side of her face from her eye to her ear and down to her cheek. All her life, there have ever only been just three fine, tiny white hairs in that area. It's always been an odd thing, noticeable only to me, and something I've kept a close eye on. Now that solid black patch is dusted with white. 

Her muzzle is getting whiter, too. I can see it. As is the fur around her eyes.

I'm not ready for this. Somehow, I failed to make myself ready.