Dog Notes

Sammy the Limping Beagle

For those of you who know Sammy, he is an amazingly quiet and friendly beagle, now 11 years old, and he is taking his vacation Chez Myriam and Scott, my cousins, together with Scooter, the smaller beagle, and Stanley, who probably thinks he's a beagle since everyone else is. They are The Gang when they get together and crowd the sofa by the front door, so that should anyone anyone ever try to get to the front door without being noticed, they all bark in unison and then run to the door in case someone tries to come in. You can't sneak into the house no matter how you try. In between the intense guard duty, they nap in different places on the sofa. Scooter likes the cushion along the top, Stanley sits below behind him - he knows his place - and Sammy sits on the cushion on the other side. The Boys are At Work.
    However, Sammy while playing in the back yard pulled something in his back leg and started limping. Myriam took him to the vet and the verdict was that he either had to have an operation OR he could get a brace and see if it healed up by itself. Hop-along Sammy was not the least deterred by only having three legs to run around on .... However, I had to make a decision. I did some research and there is a place called Orthopets which makes braces for dogs. Myriam, who deserves a dog-shaped halo, took him to the vet there, who said he was an excellent candidate for it. I talked to her on the phone, I read the voluminous material about braces and what it meant and what it didn't and yesterday, Myriam took Sammy who was fitted with his brace on his back left leg. She sent me a photo and it looks terrifying - but apparently he is getting used to it, and needs therapy sessions to help him realize he can now walk on the leg that was hurting.  He goes back in two weeks to make sure everything is OK and he now wears it for an hour or so at a time getting use to it, has exercises to do, and seems to be eating, sleeping, farting and pooping like he usually does. He has also lost weight and the vet recommended giving him canned pumpkin to make him feel he's getting enough food because he's been on a strict diet.
      I shall try and post the photo on Facebook - technology willing.