Bubba

The baby's been sick. This is not a new or even unexpected thing, as the life of that sweet wrinkled boy has been riddled with health problems. Some of the things he's dealt with since about 6 months old: multiple eye surgeries (including an eye lift: "entropian surgery" because his wrinkles were too heavy and his eyes were getting scratched by his own eyelashes); chronic allergies; stomach problems beginning with him eating a shoe..yes, an entire shoe, as a pup, and more recently IBD; ear infections; skin infections, etc etc. I've had well-meaning friends ask me why I would keep spending so much time and money getting him well over the past almost 6 years. The simple answer is that he is my baby and such a good boy, I couldn't imagine there even being another option. He has gone through all types of treatment, allopathic and holistic, including acupuncture. I know, go ahead and laugh, but it totally helped.

This last vet trip yesterday was related to his digestive issues. He's just not keeping food down, and has lost a dramatic amount of weight in the past 2 weeks. He has seen many doctors over the years, but he was finally diagnosed last year by a wonderful specialist. Bubba loves his doctor. Most dogs cower and whine about the vet. Bubba jumps out of the car and strains in the waiting room to try to catch a glimpse of his blonde, cheery doctor. We had to readjust his meds, and hopefully in the next couple of days, he will be better and start putting on some weight. If he doesn't, we're back to the vet for ultrasounds and other fun tests.

I've known since Bubba was a year old that in all likelihood, he wouldn't have a very long life. He was never expected to be the 14 year old dog who gets all white in the face and sleeps at my feet. But coming to terms with that reality is not fun, and though I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for what decisions may have to be made for him in the not-so-distant future, I'm not having an easy time of it.