The Million Dollar ACL

Earlier this week, the devil dog started limping. Limping eventually lead to three-legged walking. Since the dogs were already due for their yearly shots/ check up/ mom getting raped by the vet bills, I decided to call and make an appointment. (Please note: this saved me paying the $7M office fee twice, so yay!)

I get there and I get Dr. I Talk To Much. I love all the vets in the practice, they all love my dogs. This particular, woman, however, makes me want to hurt small children. She is one of those people who tells you a story...and you are really interested in the story. At first. Until the story has been going on for 17 hours and you are contemplating cannibalism to survive.

Devil dog is absolutely terrified of the vet. In fact, at one point, the vet actually said, "I think he is trying to crawl in your pocket." So, she tries to examine his eyes. He immediately begins making a noise that sounds like a combination of finger nails on the chalkboard and angels dying. The vet decides to call in back up and have someone other than me and my pocket hold him. They finish the exam, he is thoroughly traumatized.

So, the vet then begins to give me a diagnosis. My dog tore his ACL. HIS ACL. This is a sports injury, or an injury brought on by activity of some kind. I am not sure how eating poop, stealing rawhide from his brother, and creating rug tornado's really causes a torn ACL. I expressed this concern to the vet and she responds that he could have simply twisted his knee funny. OK...WHO THE FUCK KNEW DOGS HAD KNEES? I mean, I get the general concept of bendiness in the leg...thus leading one to the conclusion of a knee-like structure. But, still.

So, I have a dog on bed rest. It is either that or a $2500 surgery to repair his knee. He is improving well and I have high hopes that the tear will heal on it's own. I have been worried sick and doting on him like some kind of crazy overprotective mother.

Just in case it doesn't heal on it's own, I am taking donations.