So Meg appears to have sprained her carpus.  I thought she seemed uncomfortable a couple of days ago. Nothing specific, she just didn't seem to be moving quite naturally on her walk. So yesterday, I kept her pretty restricted and she seemed okay, but this morning she definitely wasn't okay. She looked hesitant about going downstairs, so I carried her, and then she stumbled twice on the way to the car. I thought I'd still take her to the wood, just to see how she was, but within about twenty yards she had fallen over twice, so I carried her back and brought her home.

Now the rant part... I called our rehab vet, who is excellent clinically, but not always the most sensitive human alive - the last time we saw her, she actually compared the 11 month nightmare I went through with Meg, which ultimately resulted in her amputation, with the problems she had getting her car fixed. Anyway, I rang her, and she suggested I take her to see a vet locally, just to get Meg checked over, rather than going straight to her, as she is a three-hour drive away. Our primary care vet is in central London, and we are currently in Norfolk, which is also about a three-hour drive, so I called a vet in the nearest town and booked her in to see them. 

The vet gave her a thorough once over and said that she thinks she has sprained her carpus, and she also has considerable arthritis in her carpus, as well as in her elbow and her foot (which I knew), she prescribed strict rest, using her harness to take her weight when she walks and also added gabapentin to the metacam she is already on, just for a week or so. What got me though was just that she was so downbeat. She basically seemed to consider Meg a very sorry case indeed. She told me it was 'much worse' losing a front leg than a rear one. I'm like thanks well I'll bear that in mind next time, see if they can't lop a back one off (I mean, I didn't say that, but I felt like it... and for what it's worth I also don't believe this is true. They each present different challenges). and she didn't say anything nice about Meg at all, or anything remotely encouraging, and frankly it's hard to meet the Megastar and not say something nice. It would take an effort. Even the receptionist was downbeat. Said how sad it was Meg having just one front leg and I told her how well Meg did and how happy she was and she didn't look convinced at all. And to be honest it was just bloody awful.

So then afterwards I called in the supermarket to by us both some comfort food, and I actually started crying at the checkout, and the woman was just brilliant and with FAR more empathy than anyone at the wretched vets. And then the rehab vet phoned and I told her what happened and she is going to see Meg tomorrow – I expect she needs an oil change, or some new tyres or something (bitter laugh...)

Sorry for the rant (though I do feel better having written it). Thanks for reading ❤️