Surgery!

Poor Jasper (he's the handsome guy in the main photo, at the front of the picture)!!  A week ago tonight he was acting a little weird, but I kept explaining it away using various reasons.  But when we were outside on last time out, and Lille ran into him a couple times and he cried out, I knew there may be many explanations, but only one thing to do:  time to head to an emergency vet!  I went up and reported this need to Al, and then looked up the location of the closest emergency vet, and off we went.

We thought we were taking Jasper because of a stomach issue -- I honestly thought he'd gulped down some rawhide or something that was stuck in his intestines.  But the vet was examining him, and said, 'why don't you put him down and the ground and see what happens."  So I did -- and Jasper can't walk!!  Both Al and I look at her and said, "It's his BACK!"

If we were worried before, now we overwhelmed.  His back!  He's dragging his legs behind him!!  What will this mean.

But the vet was good.  She outlined a plan of action.  Of course, it was a crazy expensive plan -- I'm sad to say that the cost was the one thing that broke through the 'overwhelmed', and I burst into tears.  But we forged bravely ahead, handed Jasper over and waited for the surgeon's call the next day.

Indeed, then next day there were tests and an MRI, and then surgery.  A call full of big words and incomprehensible actions-- other than 'prognosis is good' -- and no Jasper for another day.  The dogs were depressed, the entire home out of sorts without our fuzzy guy.

And the next day, the great call -- he can come home!  He'd peed, he was responding well, we could come get him!!

And so we did, and now he's home and doing SO WELL.  Still dragging the back left leg a big, but walking with all four legs and getting stronger every day!!  So amazing!  And while the walking is wonderful, I have to admit that, for me, the best part is seeing that tail wag again whenever he sees me!