January 10-11, 2016

"White Dog DOWN!" was the howl that filled the house and brought every single member of the White Dog Army to surround WD in the bedroom forming a blockade for Steve to wade through as he, too, answered the sharp "YIPE!" of distress.

The Army instantly closed ranks around their leader who was lying on the ground next to the bed quaking. Steve pushed his way through, swooped her up and laid her on the bed.

It was after pre-bedtime walks and treats were being handed out. WD took hers, as she often does and headed over to jump up on the bed to enjoy it. Whether Sachi, being a particular brat this day, or Zsofia who sometimes makes a game of following and crowding the queen, caused a miscalculation or whether it was simply bad timing, we will never know. But White Dog was obviously in pain.

She was trembling and when Steve put her on her feet stood hunched like kokopelli and refused to put weight on her rear left leg. He ran his hands along her spine and hips and down her leg...there were no spots of tenderness nor did she jerk away in pain.

He carried WD over to me, streaming White Dogs behind them, nodding their approval of getting a momma second opinion. She was still shaking. As I manipulated the leg, and prodded she clung to me. There was no swelling. It was after midnight.

"Let's generally ice the leg for a bit then, give her a composure herbal calming tablet so she can sleep and see what she is like in the morning." There was no talking White Dog into sleeping with us; she insisted on her mattress in the office closet. "Maybe that is not so bad," Steve suggested, "It is an orthopedic bed."

Ferguson already had an appointment to see Dr. Julia first thing on Monday. I was on the phone the moment the office opened to ask if we could, depending on the schedule, bring White Dog along, or conversely, make a second appointment for the day and bring her first and later, Ferg. "You guys are the first appointment," Lisa said. "Come a little early and bring them both."

White Dog was diagnosed as a young adult with an impinged nerve at the lower end of her spine. She regularly takes a medication for that...has for years. We thought she had, in attempting to jump onto the bed, somehow twisted and stressed that nerve.

When Dr. Julia called up the Xrays on the computer we saw the impingement which WAS slightly inflamed. But then our vet called our attention up to above White Dog's should blades on the screen and enlarged the area. There were three discs that were fused, and that THIS was the probable cause of the pain that still had WD hunched over and extremely uncomfortable. The area was swollen internally.

"I have given her a shot of Dexamethasone which should help ease the pain. Starting tonight I want her on prednisone and I want you to call me in the morning to let me know if she is any better. Call me TODAY if she gets worse. And NO jumping for her!"

I pressed my lips to White Dog's ear. "Please Little White Dog of My Heart, please follow the doctor's orders."