I Also Have A Dog

 What with all the attention the new cat has been getting here lately, some of you may have forgotten I also have a dog. His name is Jesse, and he's 12ish years old. I don't rightly know, because I adopted him from the local animal shelter on August 13, 2011.  They estimated him to be between a year and a half and two years old, so I count that as his birthday.  

I'm not sure what he went through before Animal Control picked him up, but it's very difficult to get a good picture of him, because he's a bit camera shy.  I have no idea what could cause a dog to be camera shy.  I mean, it's not like I show him the photos or anything.  Still, every time I get the camera out, he runs and hides.  Thus, a great many of the photos I have of him look something like this:  

Sometime yesterday afternoon, Jesse started acting very strange.  He was acting as if he were frightened of something...all hunched over with his head down.  Jittery and nervous.  I noticed he was carrying his front foot also.  I went over and checked his foot out, but I didn't see anything wrong with it.  He didn't have any cuts, or anything that looked like a sting or bite.  Still he was holding it as if it was hurting, so I told him to go lay down and let it rest.  

A few minutes later, I followed him down to the bedroom and went to bed myself.  Along about 11:00 ish, I was awakened by the cat jumping on my bed and laying down next to my leg. 

 "Huh", I said to myself.  "I thought the cat was outside."  

I guess not.  Still half asleep, I reached down and stroked her a bit...and realized something was just not quite right.  

The cat's fur.  It didn't feel right.  It wasn't soft and silky like it normally was.  It felt much coarser.  

Turning on the lamp, I saw why the cat's fur didn't feel right.  Because it wasn't the cat.  It was Jesse.  That was very unusual for him to jump on the bed, because he knows he's not allowed on it while I'm in it.  He can get on the bed when I'm not using it, but he hasn't even tried to jump on it since I very first got him, ten years ago.  

I shooed him off the bed, and lay back down.  I was just about to drop off to sleep again, when I felt him jump back onto the bed.  "He must really be distressed if he got onto the bed twice," I said to myself, and decided to take pity on him and let him stay.  

At least until he started panting.  Now, keep in mind, this isn't a chihuahua or Yorkie.  This is a 60 lb dog.  His panting shook the entire bed.  That's where my pity ended.  Telling him I have to get some sleep, I shooed him back off the bed.  

Since I was awake, I got up and answered nature's call.  By the time I got back to bed, Jesse had settled down on his bed and slept for the rest of the night.  I soon dropped off to sleep myself, where I dreamed my sister and her family had come for a visit.  The most interesting thing was my middle nephew Andrew, who is 16, had grown his hair long.  He was very impressed with it, and kept showing it off. 

 Heh, I need to remember to tell my sister that.  

By morning, Jesse was very much perked up, but acting as if his foot were still a bit sore.  This afternoon, he seems almost back to normal, but I'm going to keep an eye on him over the next few days.  I doubt a vet trip will be necessary, but given his age, we can't be too careful.