followup

i'll end the suspense. it's not bone cancer.

at least, bone cancer wasn't mentioned. it's not entirely clear what sagan's problem is, but the x-rays were clear. i saw the films. we have them to show our regular vet, in case sagan doesn't improve. not that i know how to read a radiograph, but they look kind of cool. doggie hip bones. so: evidently, no fractures, no bone spurs.

it could be hip dysplasia. it could be arthritis, though she's a bit young for that yet. most likely it's a muscle strain in her lumbosacral area. it could be a pinched nerve, and we'll be watching for signs and symptoms of that.

she was given medication at the clinic that doped her up. we have pills that are antiinflammatories and analgesics. sagan takes pills well. she was much better when i got home from work yesterday afternoon than when i'd left in the morning. and this morning, when i let her out of her crate (we were going to leave her out all night, so she could stretch out and not be cramped, but she wanted to go in) she didn't squeal in pain. so she's already improving.

the weird news is that the vet said she thought sagan had some pit bull in her, based on the shape of her head. that would explain her aggression (recently in check) toward max. pit bulls are dogs kara has long avoided, so it's a touch disconcerting that there's one (a fraction of one) in our house. but there it is. it's sagan.

kara's off today, because she worked the weekend. she's taking max to the vet to get followup bloodwork, rechecking his liver enzymes. his liver could be going. the first set of enzymes didn't look so hot, apparently. today, otherwise, kara will watch over sagan and get some much-needed rest. she was coughing again through the night.

me? i'm going to work. in just a short while.