Benny and the Vet

I'll start out by saying that Benny is okay. That being said, today has been a horrible day for mister Benny. It actually started yesterday. He was idle most of the day, which I just thought was his laziness. It was a beautiful day outside but he didn't want to go out, in fact, he laid in the same place most of the day. I didn't think much of it until I put their dinner in the bowls. Usually Benny runs to his bowl, first to eat, but he just laid there. I told him to get up and get his dinner, at which he attempted to get up, but seemed unable. This is when I knew something was wrong. I called Jeremy and he walked me through some checks. He didn't seem bothered when I touched his legs, although it seemed hard for him to get up on them. I brought his food to him, and since he still had an appetite, Jeremy told me just to keep an eye on him. At 4am, I got up with Nate and decided to come downstairs to let the dogs out too. Sammy ran right out but when I noticed Benny not at the door I looked back and found him dragging himself across the floor by his front paws. It was the saddest sight. So I picked him up. He could put weight on his legs and was able to walk outside. By 8am, it had gotten worse. He could barely stand on his own and when I stood him up, he wouldn't move. He cautiously laid back down, crying and moaning, with his whole body shaking. I knew it was bad then. I called the vet and luckily they are open on Saturdays so I got him in this morning. Jaime, the amazing sister that she is, came up right away to help me out with Nathan and for emotional support. After an exam and x-rays, we found out that he has a spinal injury, a couple of his vertebrae are jammed together. The vet says we may never know how it happened; it could be a fall down the stairs or jumping down them and overestimating the distance on the landing or even just stepping in a hole in the backyard the wrong way. He's on several medications and he received a couple of shots to help with the pain while we were there. He's on strict restrictions for 10 days, needing to be kenneled when I'm gone or at night, and I need to harness him to take him out to the bathroom. Even if he starts feeling or acting better, I need to control his activity as further injury could lead to paralysis. Since he's been home he's just been lying in the front room. Sometimes he whimpers, but he has eaten, which is good. I took him out to use the bathroom, but squatting or raising a leg still seem to be too difficult, but when I was helping him back inside he lost his bladder control. Luckily we were still outside so it just meant a change of clothes for me. And while we were out there the mailman came; he turned to go towards the mailbox, and probably more quickly than his body was ready for and he just collapsed in the yard. When Sammy was attacked last summer I thought how horrible it was to see her all tore open, and while that was horrible, this seems so much worse. To see a dog so immobile and in so much pain. My poor sweet Benny, it just breaks my heart. Hopefully he will start feeling better and able to walk unassisted soon.