Four out of Six

Elderly three-toothed dog has been with us for two years now. We are very fond of him.

I took him to the vet's for his checkup today. He is doing very well, all things considered - the medication for the inflammation/pain in his back knee is working well and is not harming his liver function, so he can stay on it for an extended period of time. That is good, since he is much more chipper with the help of the medication.

The vet took a much longer time than usual to listen with the stethoscope. I knew then that something was different -- and it was. Tio's heart murmur, which had previously been graded as a three out of six just a few months ago, is now at a four. He is on the road to congestive heart failure. We have started him on a medication in an attempt to postpone that stage. Hopefully it will agree with him and he will fare well.

Every time something happens with this elderly dog, I cannot help but cast my eye on the future, toward the moment when we will have to help him cross the bridge. I hope we have plenty of days left, but I know that time can be short. We never really know when the Three Fates will cut anyone's thread of life. And so, I try not to worry -- for what will happen, will happen, whether I worry or not. In the meanwhile, we will continue to enjoy him, every day.

Good dog, Tio.