Bad News

I learned today that Orion is having tendon/suspensory problems, andhile not specifically diagnosed as DSLD, it's pretty clear that it will only get worse from here. He's not in too much pain right now but definitely was a little bit touchy through his back and both front legs, especially his right front, which is worse than the left.

There are things that I can and will do to possibly slightly slow the degeneration process and to take some of the strain off his legs and manage his pain as it gets worse, but the bottom line in this is that he is going to get worse. There's just no telling how fast it will progress. Eventually (and I'm praying that this will be a long time from now and give me as much time as possible with him) I will have to put him down.

When the pain can't be managed anymore and living is not worth it for him anymore, it will have to be done. I want as much time as I can get with him, but I will not let him suffer unnecessarily.

So I know this is a short post, but I will elaborate and go into more detail later. I feel the need to process this for a day or so longer in order to give this topic the attention it deserves. I've known for a while that this might be the news I would receive, but my mind is still kind of an emotional mess at the moment.

Photo by Liz Stout. Cropped by me.