The Drama King

Yesterday morning was an adventure.  Every morning, the kids and I have a routine.  We wake up at about 6:30.  I feed Layla, then feed Jade, stand back and watch the tumble and tug matches begin as I eat breakfast.  I might get in a little bit of training and playing while it is still cool before I have to go get ready for work.  At the beginning of each week, I trim nails and clean ears.  Yesterday morning seemed like any other Monday morning.  I went to the garage for the nail clippers in my grooming bag.  Both Layla and Jade followed me into the garage.  Layla sat obediently in front of me as I prepared to clip her nails.  Jade was being his normal goofball self and decided to carry on his game in the backyard.  In the moment that I sat down in the garage, held Layla's paw up, and was about to clip her first nail, Jade hobbles into the garage rather quickly just SCREAMING!  I thought he was dying the way that he sounded.  I immediately dropped the clippers and was trying to calm my puppy so I could see what was wrong.  Jade looked pathetic.  He was hunched over and refused to get out of my lap.  At this point, I was thinking the worst and started to panic.  I scooped him up (not easy anymore at 27 pounds!) and ran inside to call my dad downstairs.  Jade was whimpering in my arms the entire time.  My dad and I put Jade on the kitchen floor and checked his entire body.  My dad said we should try to watch him walk.  Jade refused to put any weight on his right rear leg.  He was even holding it up in a sit position.  I just could not see my puppy in pain.  I was blinking back tears and my dad was trying to calm us both down.  I threw on my scrubs for work and called my veterinary clinic.  I asked for the first appointment and they said to bring Jade right in.  My sister met us there so that I could get on the highway to go to work in Stillwater after the appointment was over.

Jade had the most pitiful look on his face in the waiting room.  All he wanted to do was to be held, and I was worried sick about him.  The Dr. called us back, and she performed an orthopedic exam on Jade. Jade was not refusing to have his leg manipulated in any way and he did not once cry out in pain.  I had him walk for her.  Jade was now putting weight on the leg, but he was definitely favoring it.  We ruled out stings, bites, and torn pads as well.  The vet sent us home with Deramax and told us to take it easy.  I was to call her if Jade did not improve in 72 hours.  I was utterly confused as I handed Jade to Allison so that I could get on the road to Stillwater. When I called home during lunch, my mom said that Jade seemed much better, but still looked uncomfortable walking up steps or getting up from a down.  I drove home with no intentions of going to puppy class.  I took Jade out of his crate as soon as I got home and watched him walk.  He showed no signs that anything ever happened.  I took him to the backyard to get a better look, and the little hellion chose to chase after me, leaping up and down to grab onto my shirt, which he knows is not an acceptable form of play anyways.  I decided that the little sissy boy indeed got his way- he got extra attention from all of us at home and at the vet clinic in the morning.  He caused everyone in the house to drop what they were doing.  Also, he got to go to puppy class in the evening, where he was his normal bouncy self.  I never could figure out what happened in the two seconds that I turned my back to Jade, but he is definitely 100% better as of yesterday evening.  I am sure he just made a typical bold move and jumped from our raised flower beds and landed funny.   Jade was acting very dramatic yesterday morning, and I learned that he has me so wrapped around his paw.  I would drop everything that I am doing for him.  Seeing him cry yesterday morning made me cry.  Our dogs truly become our children.  I would give up anything in the world to make my Goldens happy and to give them the best quality that I can.

The little hellion;)

The best kids anyone could ask for<3