Episode 101: Thankful Elwood is BACK

Elwood looking to stick his tongue in

someone's mouth, his signature move.

As many of you know, our Boston Terrier Elwood began declining about four months ago. He’ll be 11 next month but was acting as if dementia was seizing him early.

He was staring at walls, refusing things that used to give him pleasure. He didn’t jump up to sit with either Perry or me, and his appetite was fading away. In the past it was common for him to jump on the couch with Perry and then hit him with his paw to demand his blankie.

It all started with the purchase of our final puppy from a breeder in the Virginia countryside, where he was called Sporty Spot.

Sporty Spot.

Renamed Elwood, he grew into an eccentric, lovable adult. Our Aussie friends called him Cheeky Dog.

In 10 years, we had no significant problems with Elwood – other than the obliteration of hens and chicks (in the garden) and three oak-leafed hydrangeas.

But as I said, four months ago he slowed down significantly, stopped eating and when his left eye showed a large red bloom, we took him to the vet, who immediately sent us to the eye vet in Leesburg, but not before saying the eye could rupture at any minute and there might be cancer behind it. And we might have to put him down.

Yikes.

Cheeky dog.

Perry and I were distraught and it’s a wonder we didn’t get in a crash on the way out But after waiting 2-1/2 hours in the parking lot, the eye doc saw him and came back with good news. Elwood had an infection behind his eye that eye drops, 10 a day at first, could fix it, along with a shot of antibiotics. Plus he acted like a 'little gentleman.'

The red bloom was his own red blood cells fighting the infection. Now some weeks later, Elwood is back to normal, and we are thankful.

Elwood is behaving normally, he’s already demanding treats and hitting Perry for his blankie.

I know this is a small thing when wars are waging around the world, our politics is messier than ever, and folks are struggling with illnesses and financial problems. But we’re grateful for this one small thing.

Elwood at his best:

Hunh, what?

Sweet dreams.

Christmas.

Elwood with his late partner in crime, Nico.

Soon: Remarkable Creatures