When Lucy was a puppy, she was a nerd. Every other puppy she played with beat her up. Had there been puppy gym classes she would have been chosen last. At about 6 months, the vet diagnosed her with displasia of the the left hind leg, No more playing with rough puppies for Lucy. She began to take cosequin, and her leg improved.
A couple of years went well and then it became very apparent that Lucy's girth was expanding rapidly. She was ravenous as all labs are but. . .Tests revealed that her thyroid didn't work. Lucy went on thyroid meds, and though she didn't lose weight, she had a lot more energy running to her bowl.
A year or two passed and Lucy began walking around with her head down like Eeyore. Dr. Chapman told us she had an inflamed disc in her neck, common to labs. Anti-inflammatories cleared it. . .both times it struck.
Then about a year ago came the piece de resistance--Lucy was diabetic. Twice a day we inject her with insulin. She kisses us while we do it.
Then this week, she started to throw up after she took a drink. $250 in x-rays and tests, (she kissed the vet techs as they worked to draw blood from her roly poly veins), showed she had severe gastritis. Heavy duty antibiotics are prescribed.
Ah, well. . .Lucy is the least healthy but the sweetest dog we have had. She dog smiles through her medicated world, her butt wiggling happily. She remains a nerd, too. Today on a walk, she fell on her side in submission when a little poodle growled.
