Last week, my sweet little cocker spaniel, named Winston, began acting strangely.  Now, I got Winston two years ago from the local Cocker Spaniel rescue group.  He was one year old at the time and quite neurotic.  He shook all the time.  After a month or so in our house, he had stopped the shaking bit, but remained somewhat neurotic, and we discovered he was actually quite stupid.  Nope, he isn't the brightest bulb in the fixture, but he sure is cute, he loves me, and that is all I need from him.

Anyway, last week, Winston was back to shaking all the time, and sleeping by the door, not in his bed on the end of the couch.  Saturday I asked DH to take him to the vet, but DH said he was fine and didn't need to see the vet.  Well, Sunday morning, my sweet little Winston couldn't walk.  He was stumbling and dragging his hind legs.  We got in to see the vet on Monday afternoon.  They determined that Winston had hurt his back quite badly-probably from jumping.  Yes, he loves to jump over things instead of going around them.  They prescribed pain killers, muscle relaxers and steroids.  Then the vet said he needed to go to a chiropractor.  I was thinking "I didn't know they had canine chiropractors" as the vet proceeded to tell me to see Dr. Wright, who I happen to know is a people chiropractor.  I looked at him rather puzzled, and he said "yes, she sees animals, too". 

Tuesday morning off we go to the Chiropractor.  She was very sweet and Winston didn't mind what she did to him.  Wednesday, he seemed to be getting around a little better-at least he wasn't shaking and he actually barked at something.  (Not only is he a jumper, he is a barker.)  Thursday he was much worse-his hind feet were folding under and he was just dragging his hind legs.  Yesterday the chiro said it wasn't looking good.  Perhaps he has a spinal cord compression and we could be looking at a permanent condition.  She said as long as he can manage to get around, his bowel movements aren't affected and he's not in pain, he could stay like this.

I lay in bed last night and cried and cried for hours.  I'm so very sad.  My sweet little bouncy dog is now such a sad and pitiful little guy.  He can't even bend his head over to eat or he will fall over.

These little guys sure do get in our hearts!

Blessings to you,

Karmann