Birthday Splurge

Yesterday was a birthday, but it's been raining for three days, so we waited until today. It's a warm sunny day today so the birthday party was on. Lola and Norma Jean are 13 years old. It seems way too quiet to be a dog birthday celebration, but it is what it is. Instead of cupcakes we're having Frosty Paws. Don't tell Dr B.

When we were at the vet's office with Tess on Monday, I mentioned that Norma Jean has a sore foot. Dr B said to bring her in on Wednesday and he'd take a look at it. So Wednesday afternoon Norma Jean and I went to visit him. Of course, with her adrenaline surging Norma Jean's limp disappeared. He gave her a good check up anyway and when he came to her right front leg, she reacted. He says it's not the foot, but the elbow that's hurting. He prescribed pain meds for a week. If there's improvement we can assume that she has bone spurs in her leg. If there's no improvement he wants to take xrays.

But then the bad news hit! He said that Norma Jean has gained ten pounds since her last visit and needs to be on a strict diet. He wants her to shed five pounds in the next month. Her meals need to be reduced and her snacks cut out entirely.

 We've started. She's getting tiny little meals and no snacks, but for her big important birthday she can enjoy a cup of Frosty Paws. Then back to the diet. It looks like the pain meds are working. The limp is almost gone and she seems to feel a lot better.

Mackey was invited to the birthday party and enjoyed her Frosty Paws but she's also on a diet.

Syd had her treat in seclusion but enjoyed it anyway. Syd is dieting too.

Lola is the only one who doesn't need to lose any weight so she gets a slightly bigger dinner than the others.

 Dogs live in the present so they were all happy to have a party, no matter how small and sad the humans considered it. Maybe we should all take a lesson from them, enjoy the moment!