The Tail of Hoover

This is something of a confession, because it's hard to say straight out that I hit poor Hoover when backing the car out of the garage. It's the undeniable truth, and Hoover has the shaved leg and inability to walk, at least until the damaged tissue around his luxated hip heals in a week or so, to show for it. The vet was able to pop his femur back into his hip socket pretty easily, but she needed to take a few x-rays to find the exact cause and point of obvious pain.

It makes me feel guilty and incompetent, and every time I have to pick Hoover up to move him to another room to be with us or to take him outside to exercise his functions, he wails pitifully in pain. It's as if the sound were part of my punishment for carelessness. Fortunately, Hoover will be fine, but it's a misery he shouldn't have had to endure.

To make matters worse; actually there are two matters making matters worse, but I'll address them one at a time. The x-rays showed that Hoover's knees are fairly rotted with arthritis, which I can't take the blame for. However, about 99% of the world's dog lovers are convinced that Glycosamine is the answer and yet there are no studies to prove this. I suspect that I will be paying for large quantities of this product. That's the bad part. The good part is that they're beef flavored and Hoover loves them.

The second matter is that Rufus—cuddly, cute, adorable, irresistible puppy that he is, gives Hoover an inferiority complex, though he seems to have noticed that Hoover doesn't feel like playing. But there's nothing like a peppy puppy to make an aging beast feel old.

I also worry, because even five-days after the accident, Hoover is still pretty much immobilized and obviously uncomfortable. He's more alert and hasn't lost his appetite, but there's no real evidence of healing. He's getting lots of pats, though.

Day 6

We've decided Hoover needs to visit the vet and have made an appointment. No sooner is this done, then we take Hoover outside and all of the lack of function we've just explained to the vet suddenly disappears. He hobbles around, does what he needs to do, and though still rather obviously in pain, looks pleased with himself. (Am I guilty of anthropomorphizing?) No vet today, and we're feeling better, too.