Just spoke with Howie’s doctor. Good news: the x-rays came back showing that Howie has an issue with his hip instead of his spine. He returns home tonight with some pain medication and an appointment to see a orthopedix specialist. Bottom line, Howie will be just fine.
Update from Uncle Vuz:
He’s still lethargic and avoids walking long distances. But he responds well to treats, which is a good sign.
His condition is actually quite common in bulldogs: Hip Dysplasia
For a dog of Howie’s young age, it looks like surgery is necessary to prevent arthritis in the future. Surgery comes in 3 varieties has a very high success rate.
Here is a good summary of the problem.
I had dinner with peace of mind tonight and I hated the feeling. Knowing that Howie was there but wasn’t barking crazily at me to share my food (actually give it away and nobody gets hurt) sucked.
But I know he’s made of steel. I don’t buy this congenital bad health stuff, not for Howie. This is just a little break from being the funniest, cutest and smartest bulldog around.