drunk doggie

Minor crisis with Annabelle yesterday and today. Her toenails have been ridiculously long because, ever since her summer 2004 encounter with a porcupine in Chester, MA, she won't let anybody come near her with any kind of tool. And I've been hesitant to sedate her just to do her toenails because, well, she's my baby, and sedation scares me. So last night she was limping, favoring her front left foot--this is the third time in as many months that I've noticed this, but I'd always figured she was limping because she'd run too hard the day before. Turns out it was probably her toenails that were bothering her. Last night I noticed that one of her toenails had separated itself from the quick--the best way I can describe it is to say that it looked like the toenail was shedding itself, kinda like a snakeskin. But it was still attached.

8:15 vet appointment this morning. Poor girl thought we were going to the dog park like we do every Saturday morning (yes, Belly knows the days of the week). We decided to sedate her because we knew she'd never let the vet get a good look at that nail. I've never seen my girl sedated before. It brought tears to my eyes because, well, where was my girl's fire and spunk? Before we sedated her, the big fat nail shell came off and it reminded me of a big ol' bug shell. Dis.gust.ing. Boy, did I feel like a bad mother.

She was such a good girl. After they did her nails (Oh, I feel so much better about that. Big sigh of relief) they gave her a reversal drug so that she'd be able to walk out (I'm strong, but not strong enough to carry my 77-pound girl out to the car). Half her wrinkled tongue was hanging out of her mouth and she was stumbling to the car. Poor poor baby. But it was also kind of hilarious to see her tongue like that. I would've taken a picture, but by the time we got home, most of the tongue had retreated. She's in bed now with Blueberry, her special toy. Our friends at the dog park will be wondering where we are this morning, especially since it's so gorgeous out--65ish and sunny in early November.

I wonder if she'll feel hungover when she wakes up later today. My precious precious girl.