My wife and I got back from the vet earlier this week, with the news that our dog may be experiencing arthritis in his lower back area. It’s not 100% confirmed — we still need to schedule an X-ray before we can discuss next steps, but for now, we’re treating our dog as if he has arthritis. I had a hard time processing the news inside the patient room at the vet. Thankfully, my wife was there to talk to the veterinarians during our visit.

Chance is a nine-year-old Chihuahua mix, so he has some years left in his life. He’s pretty healthy for the most part; he can lose a couple of pounds, but it’s nothing too concerning. It still upset me and my wife to hear him having this kind of pain, and to be considered young for his type of breed. The vet labels him as a senior dog, but on the early side of the senior spectrum, at least. What we keep on thinking about now is what we have in store for us.

It’s heartbreaking to see a loved one in pain — even if it’s an animal. Chance is family; he’s my wife and my first dog together, and is my wife’s first dog, ever.

 

I have talked about my relationship with my father before (quick summary: not good). But last night, before my wife and I went to bed, and after we got the sadness out of our system, I joked with her and said, “It’s quite sad that if I were to get a call that my father passed, I would be fine. But, I’m over here tearing up and getting really upset over our dog having arthritis.”

I didn’t think I would be dealing with arthritis so early with Chance, but I guess he’s an old soul. We’ll have to wait for the X-ray results and hope for the best-case scenario!