Dear doG....

May I please have just ONE morning without any of the animals being out of sorts????? First Charley, then Oliver, then Sadie, next Derby, and now....Princess Belle.

Charley woke me up to tell me Oliver needed out (Oliver just stands nose-to-door and sends his servant Charley to let me know his needs). I took Oli out, and as I came back indoors I saw Belle staggering and falling and staggering and falling along the wall of the hallway. I carried her outside where she did her business, but she was unable to walk without toppling over. I carried her back indoors, placed her on a mat, offered her the usual early-morning treat, and was surprised when Ol' Alligator-Jaws declined.

Hoping it was just her arthritis flaring up (heaven knows I have trouble getting my legs moving some mornings when the arthritis is bad), I gave her half a baby aspirin and let her rest. She was shivering a little, so I covered her with a soft blanket and she was soon snoozing away (she snores in very un-Princesslike fashion, but don't tell her I told you).

An hour later, as I was preparing the dogs' breakfasts, I saw her staggering down the hall once again. She tried to get into the dog bed in the kitchen, but fell over and couldn't get up. I took pity on her and sat her on the carpet, and she waited patiently for her breakfast - a good sign, as she wanted to eat, but a bad sign in that she is usually prancing around my feet the whole time I prepare the meals.

After breakfast, I took the crew out into the yard, placed Belle on the grass, and watched her stumble around. She did regain her sea-legs and walked around for a few minutes with only the occasional stumble or back-end collapse. Then she lay down in the soft moss, and let the world carry on under her regal supervision.



I had to carry her back into the house, and she has not played her usual game of following me from room to room. A few attempts to get up resulted in back-end collapse, but she seems pain free and is resting comfortably so I think I shall just watch and wait. Healthy appetite, normal elimination, breathing regular...... no signs for alarm here other than the weak hind quarters. Could be that our recent romps in the still-snow-covered pasture have been a bit too much for her.

Send positive healing vibes her way, please - there's a lot more life in the old gal yet.