How to cope when your pets get sick

My wife and I have each had our health issues over the years, but thankfully have both gotten through them all pretty gracefully. But now our Foxy has a problem, and because she really is a member of our family — way more than “just a dog” — we’re as upset as if one of us were sick. Or maybe we’re even more upset, because Foxy can’t really tell us what’s going on.

Foxy (yes, I’m a Hendrix fan, and she does looks like a fox) will be going to our vet soon. At least now that we’re “post-pandemic,” we can go into the exam room with her. I think that makes it easier on the animals and their humans. So we will be there to comfort Foxy and each other.

My wife and I don’t have children together, so our dog and cat are truly our furbabies, and we treat them as such, totally look out for them and do our darnedest to make sure they are healthy. But things happen. And when they do, everything else in our lives stops. Well, almost everything.

Now that I’ve taken a few moments to get this down on paper, it’s time to take care of my wife and puppy. I will help them cope for the next few hours, and then we will go to the vet and see what our little one needs. Supporting one another at times like these is what a relationship is about at its deepest level. It is what family is all about. It is what love is all about, and most people don’t have enough, or they pollute it with selfishness and greed.

If our dog is really ill, she will get the best treatment available. I have nursed several other animal children before her, and I shiver at the thought of going through this again — it is so sad and triggering. But if Foxy needs me, all I can do is be there for her and for my wife, who adores this little creature in ways that make everyone who meets them smile.

I know we will get through this, and I know it’s normal to be scared. That knowledge helps me stay balanced, so I can make the best decisions and keep the ones I love comfortable.

Fast-forward two days: After an extensive exam of Foxy, including skull X-rays, we don’t have an answer. She will be eating soft food and getting lots of love until we do. Will keep you posted.