This is my second writing about my dear dog, Princess. She is a 12 year old cockapoo...Our family has been so blessed to have this dog, she has brought so much love to our family. Her story is as follows, in 2003 she was diagnosed with a slip disc and severe hip dyslplasia, she was hospitalized for one week and then needed to be crated for 6 weeks and carried to give her back time to heal. Heal it did...In the years that passed she developed arthritis in both back legs. Next up in 2009 she was diagnosed with a tumor in her spleen or liver. We opted not to do surgery and the outlook wasen't good. The average dog lives approximately 6 months with this diagnosis well I am happy to reprt Princess has surpassed that and is now on 21 months. However this summer she did have a set back and it didn't look good and the vet thought this was it, but surprise he we are. She is in no pain I have been promised and lives a normal life for a 12 year old, that is until last Thursday. SHe slipped and fell and her leg went under neath while trotting on my wood floor. She couldn't move. We had to carry her. We took her to the vet the next day and it turns out she blew her knee out, the cruciate ligament. I have been promised yet again she is in no pain. However she is not a candidate for surgery due to her tumor/mass. I have also been told that she could get scar tissue build up on that knee and that she could learn to limp with 3 legs and put minimal weight on 4th leg. SHe can now only be on carpet no more tile and wood floors to easy to slip. She also needs to be carried outside because no more stairs. SHe has miraculously been getting around my family room and office fine, sure she limps but then she stops and goes again. My only question I asked the vet over and over again is there pain and she said no. She is 20mg of prednisone daily along with Tramadol twice a day. Mentally she seems fine and happy and plays tug with me with her baby, sits on my lap...The problem is she weighs about 35 pounds and I will admit it is hard carrying her outside 3 times a day. But how on earth do I do the other when mentally she seems fine. ANd I am not going to put her down, but it is just hard on me. ANd hard on her I am sure as well. I really just needed to talk about this, because it just makes me sad to think of my life without her. SHe has been by my side when DH and DS are at school and at work, after when I lost my dad and my sister. I know to some that might sound strange but she made me get up out of bed after DS went to school, to take for a walk, she saved me when I needed to be saved. 
The vet did tell me that it is very likely the other knee will go out because she will be putting added weight on it and then we would have to put her down. But until then, has anyone ever had a pet that this happened to and you opted not to do surgery, well in our case the vet won't and yes I understand that. My Princess has taught me so much and when I adopted her it was to take care of her and I so hope I am doing the right thing by her..Thanks for listening....
The vet did tell me that it is very likely the other knee will go out because she will be putting added weight on it and then we would have to put her down. But until then, has anyone ever had a pet that this happened to and you opted not to do surgery, well in our case the vet won't and yes I understand that. My Princess has taught me so much and when I adopted her it was to take care of her and I so hope I am doing the right thing by her..Thanks for listening....
