Tender

As I said yesterday, Theo got his last set of shots. Well he didn't react the best to them this time around, poor thing. Yesterday when I went home at lunchtime to feed him, he was acting very lethargic (which is normal). Normally the garage door wakes him up, but yesterday he was so conked out, he didn't stir until I started talking to him after I had gotten in the house. Normally he'll put his front paws up on the pen to let me know he wants to say hello to me, but yesterday he only pawed at the floor a little bit.

When I went to pick him up, he squealed in pain like I've never heard him squeal before. Man, hearing a puppy in pain is absolutely the worst sound in the world. I immediately stopped. I hadn't actually lifted him off the ground, I had only put some pressure on his chest and butt. I leaned over again and put pressure on his chest again. He squealed again! Ack! My poor puppy! This time I just lifted the pen so he could crawl out under the bottom. I very gingerly pulled him into my lap, turned him onto his back, and inspected his underside and chest area. He seemed uncomfortable, but ok. Gently putting pressure there didn't cause him pain anymore. Phew!

When I took him outside I noticed that there was a little bit of a different rhythm to his gait. He was slightly limping. That was the last straw. I called the vet's office and told them he was extremely sore. The vet asked where he was sore, and when I told them, they said that was where he was given the shot. Phew! It makes sense then! I asked if it was normal for him to be sore where he had received the shot, and they said yes (though I guess most dogs don't experience it). Phew!

It was a bit of a scare, but I'm glad I was able to discern what the problem was. When I got home from work at the end of the day he was totally fine. No limping, no pain, no lethargy! It can be so hard not being able to ask him what is bothering him. Heh.