We got Greta a puppy this afternoon. We need a guard dog and we were hoping it would help her want to stay in the shop and convalesce instead of chasing every noise she hears and hurting her elbows even further.
So far it’s working! Greta is fascinated with her new baby and hasn’t left her side since she arrived this evening.
Introducing: Ziggy Stardust Ellis ❤️
Update: April 2, 2020
Greta is no longer with us, we took her to the vet this morning and he recommended putting her to sleep as she couldn’t walk any longer and she was in a lot of pain. There really wasn’t a way to fit her giant front legs or her rambunctious nature in a wheelchair, and she let us know that it was time. She’d been on pain meds for years and they were no longer enough and she was ready to go.
Greta was born with a congenital issue, Ununited Anconeal Process, that we didn’t know about until it was too late to do anything but knee replacement. Greta was bonkers, and there was absolutely no way we would have ever been able to keep her still to recover from that surgery, without it doing more harm than good.
Because she favored one leg over the other, she developed arthritis in the better knee, and for years she was on pain medication and joint pain supplements. We knew this day was coming eventually.
I had hoped getting her a new shepherd puppy, which is something we had planned to do this Spring anyway, would help her settle down and retire, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Ziggy definitely isn’t a replacement, but I will admit, I made the transaction fast, because I cannot stand to see Kenny cry, and I wanted to make it better, somehow.
Ziggy is turning out to be the perfect dog for us, she reminds us so much of Greta, she’s like a tiny, yet fully developed, version of her. I’m glad Greta and Ziggy got to know each other and bond, in the short time they had together.
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