bowie

Right before we left for our Alaskan cruise, my sister and her husband noticed their dog, Bowie, suddenly limp a little.  They didn’t really think much of it – Bowie is an active, healthy girl who acts much younger than her 10 years, so they assumed she must have just twisted or tweaked something.  When the limp persisted, they took her in to the vet, thinking – at worst – it was a stress fracture.  They were not prepared for the diagnosis – osteosarcoma.  Cancer.  The bone in her front leg was already seriously weakened, though – aside from the limp – Bowie was acting fine.  Eating, drinking, playing, pooping – same as always.

Nevertheless, the diagnosis has been confirmed.  After discussing options, it became clear what they were going to have to do.  Today, Bowie goes under the knife to have one of her front legs removed.  There’s no indication that the cancer has spread beyond the leg yet so the hope – fingers crossed – is that the amputation will mean she’ll be pain-free and around for several years to come.

It’s sometimes tough to be a dog owner – they are so reliant on us to take care of them and to help them and when we can’t easily, it’s heartbreaking.  I know my sister and brother-in-law are doing the right thing, but I also know it’s not an easy decision to make.  I have no doubt that Bowie will readily adapt to her new three-leggedness – probably quite a bit more easily than her parents – but in the meantime, I’m wishing her a safe and quick recovery from her surgery!