Guardian

This little story is for all dog lovers out there.

"When did you start noticing this?" The vet asked, his voice ringing with concern.

"She started to avoid the use of her hind legs about a week ago or so."

"Ok. We have to give her legs a scan." The vet, Dr. Lee, proceeded to leash me up  and take me to a room filled with petrifying equipment much bigger than myself.

I refused to let him stretch my legs, giving him loud, onerous snarls when he tried. 

He went to the waiting room to speak to my hassled owner, Vanessa. "We'll have to anesthesize her, as she's not allowing us to stretch her legs. We can't see what is happening to her bones or muscle tendons."

Vanessa nodded and gave him her permission to proceed with the scan.

After some time, Dr. Lee spoke with her again."Snowball has hip dysplasia. Her hip joints are loose and laxating," He intoned professionally."We'll have to operate on her." Vanessa promptly groaned at the impending costs these medical procedures would incur.

Part 2

"Snowball, getting you to do your exercises is like trying to move Mount Fuji!" Vanessa sighed. She proceeded to keep the leash that she had been using to try to get me to move forward and to the side. 

"Ball, you're far more trouble than you are worth! Kelvin, Vanessa's husband, groaned while trying to pay the month's credit card bills. "Listen to pawmum and start moving now!"

When I refused, he went ballistic. "Get under the sofa! No dinner today. "

Whining, I crept under the sofa and made myself as scarce as possible. The pain in my hip was excruciating, but of course, they didn't know that.

Part 3

Staying at home the whole day was no mean feat. My hip was not at its best, so moving about was almost out of the question. I desperately needed something to do.

My solution? My teeth. Exercising them, that is.

I was still a 10-month-old puppy after all, and with my teeth growing, my gums itched. So when I saw the wire connecting Vanessa's laptop to the power supply dangling from the table, I did what every good dog would do. Of course, the wire went into my mouth. 

Vanessa returned from work grinning from ear to ear. "Honey, I'm about to become the IT department's new manager!!" She couldn't wait to share the wonderful news with Kelvin.

That is until she saw the chewed-up wire. 

"Snowball! I have notes for an important presentation tomorrow on that computer! how am I supposed to turn it on now??" She began to type on the keys in a frantic attempt to turn the contraption on.

Of course, I spent the evening in the bathroom. With my hips burning, I became grumpier than ever.

Part 4

The busy couple seldom had time to walk me. I needed to ease myself, and Vanessa hadn't taught me how to use the potty. Left to my own devices, I used my instincts.

Spotting Kelvin's plants, I saw my opportunity. And we had it -the biggest brown splat a dog could make. 

Proud of my achievement, I couldn't wait for Vanessa and Kelvin to come home. But when they did -

"SNOWBALL!" Kelvin's voice was so loud that neighbours in the next block of condominium apartments could hear him."I'll have to spend the whole night cleaning and keeping your poop company. I have an important project to complete! You are going to spend the night leashed up."

Hey, wasn't giving the plants a little fertilizer the right thing to do? Why was I leashed in the bathroom again?

Resigned to my fate, I bit at the chain around my neck, all the while whining softly.  Vanessa and Kelvin did what they did best, and ignored me.

Part 5

The next day was a regularly scheduled veterinary appointment. Dr.Lee wanted to know how well my hips had healed. 

He gave Vanessa a long hard look and raised his eyebrows. "Have you've been getting Snowball to do her exercises? She seems to have lost more muscle on her leg than before the operation."

"Well, doctor, I've been too busy to get her to walk much," Vanessa replied sheepishly.

"Well, you should have made time for her when there was an opportunity for her bones to fuse properly. There may be atrophy and she won't be able to walk."

Vanessa broke the news to Kelvin, who pondered over it for a while. When he finally looked up, he was grave.

"Neither of us will have time for her. We'd best contact the SPCA tomorrow."

I was hit by the biggest curve ball in a dog's life. I lay flat with my head between my forepaws.

Part 6

It takes only a night for the world to change. 

That evening went as usual with me in the bathroom. The friendly couple had decided to give me a little reprieve and not chain me up. Because it was my last night with them, I even had a little space to walk.

A soft click came from the front door. My ears perked up immediately. Who would be at the door at this time of the night?

Then there was the sound of footsteps coming towards the bedroom. I imagined it was just Kelvin going out to buy something from the supermarket which functioned for 24 hours a day.

That was wrong though. They seemed to be coming closer. 

Through a tiny gap between the door and the door frame, I saw what seemed to be a male figure wielding a short knife.

I didn't know where I found the strength, but I managed to bang the bathroom door open with my front paws. I headed straight for the figure and bit its leg.

The commotion had woken the sleeping couple up by this time. Kelvin, seeing the wriggling figure on the ground, sat on top of him and removed his knife. With a few zip ties Vanessa had found in the utility room, he bound his hands. Vanessa had turned on the lights.

"Police for you. Should never have trusted you! you know the code that opens our main door!" Kelvin exclaimed. it was one of the condominium's security guards, a scrawny fellow old enough to be the couple's father. He offered a surly grin and showed the gaps between his teeth.

"Thanks, boy." Vanessa rubbed my head. "you won't be going anywhere soon. Right Kelvin?" She eyed him meaningfully.

Kelvin sighed. "Can I say no?"

That night, I graduated from the bathroom to the foot of the couple's bed.