Sometimes life gets a little fuzzy as you fight to prevent something drastic from rocking your world.

Earlier this week, I noticed my dog, Murphy, wasn’t acting like her normal peppy self. (Read on…I promise there’s a happy ending.)

my best pal with paws on her human sister’s Dora couch

I shouldn’t be surprised that she’s slowing down. After all, she’s 13 canine years old, which I think translates to somewhere between the advanced directive phase and nursing home stage for people.

Problem was…she slowed down considerably in a very short amount of time and her eyes conveyed she was in serious discomfort. I can’t remember ever seeing her head hang so low or her tail tucked so far between her legs.

As I drove Murphy to the vet, my mind filled with fear. I am not yet prepared to make any decisions about her quality of life. In all honesty, I will never be ready for that.

I had to put her canine companion down in June 2010 and I haven’t fully recovered from that experience. I doubt I ever will.

Murphy epitomizes what it means to be a good friend. She won’t resent you for ignoring her. She’s simply there for you when you need her the most.

She was my first child before I had children. She was the first living, breathing soul who relied on me, who made me realize life was bigger than me.

And, yes, I know I sound like a crazy dog lady right now, but for anyone who thinks that way, I will simply smile knowing that you’ve never had a dog like her.

As I carried her into the vet’s office, her demeanor changed immediately. Her tail returned to its curled-up, wagging state while her entire body perked up. I thought to myself, Awesome. All she needed was a change of scenery. A very expensive change of scenery no doubt.

Turns out she needed to have her a_al sacs drained (edited for those eating right now). Ninety two dollars later, we walked away with two prescription meds and  a greater understanding of a dog’s anatomy than I ever dreamed possible.

Why would I take the time to share this diagnosis, you ask? Because I find it ironic that a pain in the butt made me rethink my life today.

I guess I needed to tell you all how happy I am to still have my furry friend by my side.

Created by Heidi Woodard