So, today we went off to the vet for the AwesomeDog’s annual checkup.  I was already feeling a bit fail-tastic because it should have been November/December, but I blinked and it was January.  And then I found a tick on his head last night and couldn’t get him to sit still long enough to get it off.  Yay, here is my two months late, tick-laden dog…

1.  The tick wasn’t a tick, but an benign eldery dog bump.  Don’t even have to have it removed – we can, but no reason to actually put him through the procedure since it isn’t causing problems.  (Yes, I did apologize to the dog, because obviously *he* knew he didn’t have a tick on his head, and that I shouldn’t try to pull it off.)
2.  He could stand to lose a pound to a pound and a half.  But, being a smaller dog, that “ideal zone” is pretty narrow – and the vet recognizes it’s a challenge.
3.  Somewhat diminished hearing and wee bit of eye clouding that are are normal for his age.
4.  His tail wagging is not in sync with his heart rate, which makes it extra challenging for the vet to check his heart rate when the tail is whacking the vet’s arm as he tries to do his job.  (I didn’t help, as I was holding the dog and watching his tail and watching the vet try to count and look at his watch and found it very hard not to laugh.)

The vet said, “You’d never know his age from looking at him.” and “Keep doing what you’re doing.”

I had to go look at his last vaccine cert for his age – he’s ~15 years old.  (In my mind, he’s always 5-8 years old.)  I think the cats are keeping him young.

I can’t remember the last time “Keep doing what you’re doing” actually applied to me.  And after Lily being sick year before last, and Carmen being sick last year – this is good.  :)

Here’s an older pic of him right after a rainstorm.  He doesn’t look much different now, except dry.  (I tried to get a pic tonight, but he sees the cell phone and goes, “No paparazzi!!” and turns away.)

A soggy AwesomeDog

Holiday Hairdo

When the cats were still kittens