The Furry Little Heart Outside My Body

As usual, I have a ton of blog post topics swirling around in my head, but right now, there’s only one thing I can write about, because there’s only one thing I’m thinking about right now.

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This little dude.

I went to take him for a walk today, and he was limping on one of his little legs. Carla often calls her daughter her “heart outside her body,” and that is exactly how I feel about my little dog.

I saw him limp, and my heart broke for him. I was so worried, and I picked up all 22 pounds of him to protect him from putting weight on the leg that was obviously hurting him. He broke a leg as a puppy, so although I’ve heard that sometimes dogs get random limps that are gone a few hours later, I wasn’t taking any chances and took his little butt straight to the vet, where a few tears slipped down my face as he gave me the saddest little puppy face.

The vet called us into an exam room, and I tried to let him walk on it a bit and he fell onto his side because he wouldn’t put weight on that foot. They gave him pain meds, and they told me to bring him back tomorrow for x-rays if he was still in pain. They’re also testing him for Lyme disease, since he was just in N.J. He does still seem to be uncomfortable, so I’m taking him in first thing tomorrow morning.

He’s 6.5 years old, and he’s been with me through multiple moves and all the ups and downs of the past 6.5 years and is always there with some puppy kisses after a long day. I know he’ll be fine, but I can’t help but worry myself sick about him.

I’m pretty sure that means if I worry this much about my little dog, I’ve already turned into my mom.

Are you a crazy dog lady too? Do you worry yourself sick about your sweet little furry friends? Tell me about your furry friends. Or share funny animal videos with me.

53 comments on “The Furry Little Heart Outside My Body

  1. Kelly

    Awwwww feel better little guy! I’m definitely on the crazy dog lady spectrum too, I would’ve taken Olive in right away if she was limping too!

    Reply
      1. Kelly

        @Theodora: True Life: I almost didn’t go to the dinner/mini-vacation that my husband ended up asking me to marry him because Olive was limping. Luckily she stopped limping after a couple of minutes and all was good so I felt better about leaving her. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
  2. Michelle

    oh man I would be a mess if I knew my furry best friend was in pain or sick. She’s been with me 5 years and I can’t picture my life without her. All the best to Bailey! I hope he wakes up running tomorrow. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  3. Valerie

    Ummmm my dog is on Prozac. I feel like that automatically qualifies me as a crazy dog lady. Poor little Bailey, though! Sending you both lots of good vibes.

    Reply
    1. Theodora

      @Valerie: nah, just the dog ๐Ÿ˜‰ If you were in NYC, you would be bringing your dog to a dog shrink…which several of my friends have done.

      Reply
  4. Monica

    aww poor Bailey! I hope he feels better soon! Sending lots of love his way!

    I never thought I would be one of those “dog moms” but I got a rescue dog about 4 weeks ago. He had to get his shot about 2 weeks in. The next day he was so out of it, he was mopey and not his usual self. I literally sat on the couch with him all day and my BF almost didnt go a race! I also cried in the airport when I had to leave for a work trip. File that under things I never thought I would do!

    Reply
  5. Jen

    When my little guy had the stomach flu I cried and gave him pedialyte. It’s like a baby before it can talk. I am a total crazy dog lady.

    Reply
  6. Jackie W

    This post in aptly timed. After returning from a vacation I picked up my dog from the vet and he has kennel cough. I’ve barely been able to focus on much else ๐Ÿ™ hope your pup is okay!

    Reply
  7. Farah

    Awww – sending Bailey lots of hugs and kisses and hope he feels better soon! I’m totally a crazy dog lady. When my pup Folly hurt her neck 3 years ago, and was just lying listlessly on the floor, I literally picked her up and ran to the vet with her, from Battery Park to TriBeCa (why didn’t I just take a cab you ask??? No idea…panic of the moment). The vet gave her some painkillers – which cost $5 a pill! More than I would ever pay for my own meds – but of course I didn’t bat an eyelid at getting them for her:) She was fine – and I’m sure Bailey will be just fine too with you looking out for him!

    Reply
  8. Carli

    I’m a crazy cat lady. My little guy greets me when I come home at night and he’s the first “person” I pay attention to. If he even gets a sniffle he gets rushed to the vet.

    I hope your little guy is okay and that nothing serious is going on.

    Reply
  9. Courtney

    Awww poor pup! I have a 6 month old vizsla and she is my first dog. I never thought I would be the crazy dog person, but every time I take her to the vet for shots I get teary eyed! My fiancรƒยฉ laughs at me but I know it just means I care about her so much รฐลธหœล 

    Reply
  10. Laura

    Your video of Bailey limping made me tear up… poor baby! I will definitely be thinking of you guys at the vet tomorrow.

    Also, please make sure he texts me first thing in the morning with an update.

    Reply
  11. heather

    Could your dog have torn his ACL? My dog tore hers last year and she was holding her leg up and not using it, then putting light weight on her foot prior to surgery. If it is ACL, the surgey is DOABLE and they turn out great. My dog is 7 and is running like crazy again!

    Reply
  12. Lisa

    Aw, poor Bailey! I hope he feels better soon. I’m a crazy cat lady. I’ve had Amadeus for 9 years now and it just breaks my heart when he’s not feeling well so I totally understand. Give him lots of extra hugs!!

    Reply
  13. Alicia at Poise in Parma

    I’m pretty sure I’m the Queen of the #crazydoglady hashtag, so I get where you are coming from 110%. Grady, strangely enough, has been walking like he bumped his leg on something the past few days. It took everything I had not to take him immediately to the vet. He *seems* to be fine, but I’m still overthinking about his poor little paw. Hugs and treats to Bailey pup.

    Reply
  14. Courtney

    I took a sick day when my pup (a 6 year old mini doxie and the love of my life) woke up at 6am vomiting. She was of course fine, but there was no way I could leave her side. My favorite was when my boss sent the email saying I was working at home she said it was because I “had a sick kid.” Which was totally right in my mind ๐Ÿ™‚ Hoping for a speedy recovery for Bailey!

    Reply
  15. Katie

    I am such a crazy dog lady… no shame here either! My dog, Jerry is my first dog – and I already do sooo many things I said I would never do (dress him up, talk to him as if he is indeed a human, let him sleep in my bed… the list goes on). It’s Jerry’s world – I just live in it. ๐Ÿ™‚

    I hope little Bailey is doing better!!!

    Reply
  16. Rachel

    I have two cats named Adrian and Rocky and I baby them all the time. Rocky has been to the vet three times in four months, once to the ER vet because I thought he swallowed a pipe cleaner. So no, you are not crazy. I’d rather pay a big vet bill to have peace of mind than to bury my cat.

    Reply
  17. Meghan

    I know how you’re feeling! My cat had an inexplicable limp a few months ago and I was so worried. #CatLady

    It ended up being just a sprain, which was good because he didn’t need surgery/a cast/anything drastic, but it was sad because all I could do was let him limp around and heal. So sad to watch.

    I never did figure out what he did. My guess is he fell while trying to jump somewhere. Klutz. Pets do resemble their owners.

    Reply
  18. Annie @ Annie Get Your Run

    I am a crazy animal lately in general…I talk to people’s dogs when I’m walking down the street, I think my cat (Marty McFly) is the greatest thing to happen to the world, and I drive everyone insane when the mounted police are out in Philly. My fingers, toes, and anything else I can cross are crossed for your and your kiddo.

    Reply
  19. Elizabeth

    Poor Bailey! My dog randomly limps too, and the first time he did it I totally freaked out and went straight to the vet. He couldn’t even get up on the couch, it was SO sad. The vet said that he likely has arthritis (he’s about 9) and gave us some pain killers, which definitely worked. My co-worker, who is tied for crazy dog lady with me, got her pup little stairs so that he doesn’t have to jump up anymore to sit in the window.

    Reply
  20. Nicole

    I’ve been told that when I put up pictures of my dog in my office, get her halloween costumes, and religiously take her to get her picture taken with Santa that makes me a crazy dog lady. That might be the case but hey, other people tell me all about their kids, I dont’t call them crazy kid people… to their face…

    Reply
  21. Kiersten

    Aww poor puppy. I felt horrible last week- I was out for a walk with the pup, who isn’t a big fan of the leash. She often stops walking and I have to pull for her for a second to get her going again. I didn’t look back at her for a minute or so and pulled her along, when I did look back she was limping. She had a piece of acorn stuck in her paw ๐Ÿ™ I pulled it out and she was fine, but I carried her all the way home anyway.

    Reply
  22. Erin @ A Girl & Her Mutt

    I hope Bailey is feeling better soon! I’m am absolutely in love with my dog Korky and I know the kind of heartbreak you can have when your pup is sick and you can’t do anything to help. I’ll be thinking good thoughts for you guys!

    Reply
  23. Kristy

    I hope Bailey is ok!!

    I feel like loving and owning dogs is such a part of who I am. I am definitely a crazy dog lady, but the joy those furry buggers bring me is worth it!

    Reply
  24. Joy

    Me? Crazy dog lady… Ummm yeah! Poodle man was sick as a puppy (he has chronic Lyme and has had hip surgery because of the Lyme) if he ever looks goofy I take him to the vet. They know me so well. I call and say Dobby is… And whatever it is the vet will bring him right in. He tripped out of the car last week. I flew to the vet. (I swear I have dog hypochondria it’s awful)

    Lots of hugs to both you and bailey!

    Reply
  25. Lindsay

    Oh no! I hope Bailey is ok!

    My dog is literally my life – I live alone and she’s the best roommate I could as for! I’m that person who loves showing off pictures of my dog as if she was my baby (which, let’s be real, she is).

    Reply
  26. Ulli

    totally insane mom to two furkids. ๐Ÿ™‚ And my heart just drops to the floor the minute one of them yelps or limps. It’s awful. Hope the little one is doing better.

    Reply
  27. Liz H

    Poor lil buddy dog! I hope he feels better soon! I understand your concern, as I am Lincoln Park’s resident crazy cat lady.

    >^,,^< (that is a cat, duh)

    Reply
  28. Suzanne Welch

    Well I am a crazy cat lady and would do anything for my fur baby. He follows me around like he is a dog.

    Reply

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