Dontcha love that title? I could've just titled it something else, but that would've been...the right thing to do.
I'm just so used typing Five for Friday. It's like a bad habit.
Today I bring you an update on my beloved Captain Morgan. Oh Captain, my Captain.
I love that movie...
Anyhooters, Moe is...just getting old. He has severe arthritis in his FRONT legs. This apparently is pretty uncommon, but obviously it happens. We found out he has arthritis and cartilage loss in his back legs about 5 or 6 years ago. We put him on glucosamine chondroitin, worked him to help strengthen his joints, gave him buffered aspirin when he experienced pain and he came out the other side of it. This time seems to be a little more serious than that.
He is 10 years old now. That is almost double his age when he was diagnosed with arthritis in his back legs. Apparently dogs carry 60% or more of their weight on their front legs...making this a bit more complicated. He has a very difficult time rising from lying down and even has trouble getting onto the lowest chair we have. Sometimes he even trips over the sliding glass doorway to go outside...and that's just a couple of inches off the floor.
He has some clicking in one of his back knees, but it isn't serious. The vet did say that even she realizes that he's aged tremendously since she last saw him...which was in January of this year. His vision is okay, but he has some difficulty transitioning from bright to dim and vice versa. You know, like most aging living things.
He still has spunk and love to give. He still eats and drinks and plays to the best of his ability. He loves us and wants us around. And he loves Jayna more than life itself.
So...where do we go from here?? Our vet is pretty "real life." Her first and foremost option was that we get him some pain meds for when he is in pain, change his dog food to a prescription dog food that contains all the vital nutrition for healthy joints and continue to work him to the best of his ability. She also gave us some other options (that some people who are "real life" about their pets would certainly LOVE to spend the money on...) like xrays, cold light treatment, etc. She is always very forthcoming about what the best option is in terms of money, extending a dog's life for your own personal gain, and just letting nature take it's course.
If we had xrays done, it would be alot of money. And from those xrays, she'd pretty much just be able to say, "Yep, he has arthritis." The cold light treatment requires anesthesia (last year when Moe was put out for his cancer removal, it took him FOREVER to bounce back from the anesthesia) and isn't even guaranteed to work. Oh...and it's expensive. REALLY expensive.
Soooo...we are going with the "real life" treatment...which still isn't cheap. He requires Tramadol when he's in alot of pain. And he now eats Prescription Diet j/d. If you're familiar with Prescription Diet then you know it isn't cheap. We'll drop $65.00 on a 30 pound bag. And that will last 7 or 8 weeks.
I'll pay it. I love that dog more than life itself. But I will NOT interfere with nature and try to prolong his life for my gain or my inability to let go.
Here's to alot more great years, Morgan!! We love you!
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