Things We Do For Love

I have mentioned that our handsome boy, Hawk, who really hates the limelight, has not been feeling well. Ever since we went through that round of sickness from the bad dog food, he has been losing weight. He hasn't bounced back, and given his age, that's a cause for real worry. So, since I happen to be sick today myself, we decided to move his vet appointment up to today to see if we could get some answers as to what's wrong. To protect his dignity, I did not take the camera along today, although I wished I had as we drove over this morning.



Hawk has always loved to go for car rides, as long as the car ride involves going to a drive through where he gets some French fries or a Milkbone at the magic window. He's even happy to ride to the grocery store and wait in the car when the weather is nice. Just don't take him to Petsmart or somewhere else where he has to go inside. He hates the strange acoustics in Petsmart and will do almost anything to get out of there, including poop on the floor. That was a long time ago, however, and we don't bring it up. Today he thought he was in heaven, bless his heart, as he rode in the van between my husband and me, watching out the window.



Given how weak he's been in the back end, we encouraged him to lay down. Apparently, that won't allow him to see if the sky starts to fall, which he knows it will at some point. He went to the back bench seat and tried to climb up, turning to look at me in what has become a classic pose for him -- front feet up on what he wants to climb up on, back feet on the floor as he gazes at me and waits for help. I suspect that he's gotten a little to used to the help, since he went and jumped into the back seat of the car on his own the day I was frantically trying to load Lilac into the car when she had her strange seizure. Anyhow, he wanted on the back seat, so I crawled to the back and lifted his back legs up for him. He gave me his big grin and I crawled back up to my seat. As I strapped on my seat belt, there he appeared again. I sighed and patted his head in reassurance. A few minutes later, he was back at the seat, waiting for my help again. Dutifully, I unbuckled my seat belt and climbed back again to lift his butt back onto the seat. As I sat down, there he was to sniff my arm again. Then he returned to the back.



Husband: Maybe he wants the seat down. You just pull it out in the front.



Me: Okay! (climbing back into the rear of the van again)



Hawk: Aww, you really love me!



Me: (after pulling the seat out so it's a big flat surface for him) Okay, this is the last time I'm lifting your butt up here!



Hawk: I'll take that under advisement.



So, I lift him up and get back into my seat as my husband giggles over what the people in the car behind us think I must be doing to the dog back there. Of course, a minute later, Hawk's back up in the front with his happy grin. I just look at him and shake my head. He stood the whole half hour ride to the vet's office, which was not a wise decision on his part.



We entered the vet's office and Hawk was escorted to the scale where they confirmed that he's lost a lot of weight. We went into an exam room and laid a bed down for him. Of course, he still wouldn't lay down. The vet came in and we spoke about what's been going on. In order to help allay his fears, we went back into the back exam area with him, and I will say that I am happy we have a vet who welcomes us back there with our dogs. There aren't any mysteries about what happens back there for us. My husband lifted him up onto the elevator table and they secured him and raised the table. The vet tech held his front end as the vet began her exam. Hawk started to get tired and nervous. I saw his back end sagging. He could have sat on the table, but his dignity told him to stand. So, being the person who loves him, I stood behind him and held his back end up. Yes, the things we do for love!



At last the exam was over, his blood drawn and they needed to get a urine sample. They walked him out the back door and we returned to the exam room. A few minutes passed and the vet tech returned him to us stating that he wouldn't go. That's a first! He's almost always locked and loaded, ready to drop pee-mail whenever the need arises. Still, it wasn't a big deal and he was very stressed. So, we'll see what happens and if we're able, I guess we'll make a delivery to the vet's office later when he's feeling more refreshed. Hawk still refused to lie down, but his rear end wasn't taking the hint. We spoke to the vet and then it was time to go. My husband took him out to the van while I paid the bill.



Then we had to make a stop at McDonald's so he could have a hash brown, since it was too early for French fries. Bless his heart for believing that was the real reason that we took the whole trip. He polished it off as he rested on the dog bed, finally laying down and comfortable. He rested the whole way home and allowed my husband to carry him into the house, assuming he'd finally been promoted to king of the castle status. He's now resting comfortably on his favorite bed as we await word on the test results. It was an eventful morning for the old guy and fortunately, he saw it as an adventurous outing and doesn't hold a grudge.