In fall 2015, we got a frantic text from my now ex-SIL. "Does Eric want a Corgi?" she asked.
Eric's wanted a Corgi named Barky since he was very young. It was one of the first things he told me on our first date. Over the years I'd periodically look for Corgis available for adoption, but there were none within six hours of us. The closest breeder was even further away, and would cost upwards of $700. When we saw that text from SIL who we knew is heavily involved in fostering and rescuing dogs, we jumped at it. The next day, we drove three hours to meet our newest family member.
He's very fluffy. He has a lot of fur and sheds like crazy no matter how frequently I try to brush him. At one point we went through four months of flea-hell (thank you, Portage fleas, for being used to Frontline. Eventually Adams brand worked great for us). He's so sweet, and loves the boys. He's terrified of other dogs. There were many hours spent meticulously running the flea comb through his fur until we'd got every last one we could find, only to do the same thing the next day with slow results. He loves car rides and walks. He puts up with the boys constantly trying to ride him.
This past week, he suddenly started coughing and throwing up. His head was tilted to the side, which I vaguely remembered was a Thing. He pooped on himself twice and didn't seem to care, so we bathed him thoroughly. He wasn't playing. He wasn't eating. He was barely drinking. Barky wasn't himself.
We really can't afford the going rate of vet bills, but I remembered that a local animal hospital had been great and super affordable to my sister's cat. I googled and found that they also take a special vet-only credit card that you can apply for and instantly use if need be, which took a lot of the worry on the financial implications away. A simple call to a friendly receptionist later, and Barky was booked to be seen this past afternoon.
I went into work about two hours before Barky's appointment, so Eric soloed it while Sister B watched the boys. Not gonna lie, I was freaking out the closer it got to appointment time. What if he had cancer? What if Eric had to put him down? That would just destroy Eric's poor heart. We've had so much go wrong with our dreams, and Barky is something that's gone right. He's a wonderful pupper.
As I was finishing up, Eric came up to let me know he'd just finished up. The vet had let Barky go around back into an exam room (thus removing the "oh god other dogs help help help" reaction Barky would've otherwise had), examined and done their tests, and decided on a diagnosis. He definitely had an internal infection affecting his tummy and booty, and had some kind of nerve damage to the right side of his face. He's got two pills twice per day for each issue. Hopefully, he's gonna be just fine. I'm both bewildered (wtf happened to give him nerve damage?!?!?!?!) and thankful (it's not cancer, his issues are treatable, and he's not put down!). Mostly thankful, because lord knows I can't change the past but I can sure as heck appreciate the present.
Mattawan Animal Hospital is the name of the wonderfully kind and concerned practice, btw. Cheap, caring, and efficient. Huge, huge thanks to them for helping our pup. <3
