LTS

I wasn't prepared to deal with dog medical issues yet. After having an older dog who couldn't walk very far for his last few years, Ava seemed like she was invincible. She had boundless energy and pain never really seemed to register with her. She would get tired after long hikes but she was always up for another walk if the possibility came up. Well, yesterday, she apparently pushed herself too hard and her tail paid the price.

The term for the affliction facing Ava right now is Limber Tail Syndrome. It's kind of like a sprain. She can't raise her tail and it just sort of droops there, looking comically pathetic. I only say that because it's supposed to bounce back in a few days. Otherwise, I'd be mourning the loss of her wagging tail. It's also affected her lower back. She wanted to run on the beach still but when she was hauling a log out of the ocean, she came back to the beach, dropped, and sat down like her back legs weren't functioning appropriately.

Apparently, LTS is caused by either over-exertion, cold weather, or being too used to a kennel and not being as active. Ava experienced all three of those things. We went into Tillamook to get her some baby aspirin as an anti-inflammatory. It's good to know that it's a limited time thing because I don't want to deal with chronic dog issues already. I need another few good years of a healthy dog.

What else?

Yesterday, I beat Andrew by more than 2x his score in 10,000, earning myself the first drink off the game.  I collected at The Schooner which has a great porch with glass walls and blankets available to cover yourself while you dine which I did.