For the past couple of weeks, she's had a problem getting up and down. Her back legs couldn't seem to get a grip on the laminate floors....so, we started putting down towels for her. We even discussed putting in carpet, just to make it easier for her (what? She's a family member in good standing, just like my children!)......but now, I don't think that'll be necessary.
Monday evening, I heard her fall. I got out of bed and checked her - she seemed a little doozy, but OK. She shambled into my bedroom, and crashed on the rug. Yesterday morning, she had moved to the kitchen.......only she was still there when I got home. I was a little concerned - she *always* meets me at the door, to frisk me and make sure no evil left-overs were trying to infiltrate. Last night? She didn't budge.
We tempted her with all her favorite foods - peanut butter, scrambled eggs, Fruit Loops (again, what? She's been our vaccuum-cleaner/disposal forever.).....she refused them all. I wasn't worried until we tried the peanut butter - this is a dog that would take the can off of the counter, unscrew the lid, and proceed to neatly clean out the jar - a couple of times she even put the empty jar BACK on the counter, I guess to "hide" the evidence. (This is the same dog that ATE an entire jar of WoodBeams - she wasn't able to unscrew the lid, so she very neatly split the bottom and licked it all out. WoodBeams - while fantastic on wood - turns into a very slick, very hard concrete-like substance when mixed with Wolfhound drool and pancake mix.)
This morning, she had drug herself to the family room. I got her to take some water, but....things don't look good. SG has class tonight.....I can't get her into the car to take her to a vet. She's big.....and still too heavy for me to lift. Is it horrible of me to hope she passes at home, without medical help? Or is it cowardice?
I don't know what I'll do with a huge Wolfhound-sized hole in our house. I don't even want to think about it....but it's inevitable. (I'm sitting here crying now, and - as far as I know - she's still *here*.) I know I don't want to live without one, but replacing her will be impossible - there's only 1 Zoey-monster. (I have already applied to get on the waiting list of the IW Rescue group, but they don't get that many in. I'd prefer a rescue to a breeder.....)
I just....this is gonna be very hard.