A tiny dog facing major challenges
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Why children need to learn to play gently with pets
As I come down the stairs, I see any pet owner’s nightmare. Porn, who helps me with the turtles, has brought her nine-year-old daughter, and the kid is passing the time playing with my poodle pup Wan-Wan.
So roughly! She’s grasping around the waist and swinging her back and forth. The dog doesn’t mind, but I do.
Wan has had really bad luck with her two back legs. Her problems appeared late last year when she was four years old. I noticed she was limping, we took X-rays, and we discovered that she suffers from a luxated patella on each of her back knees. In other words, the ligaments slip out of the grooves on the knees.
The problem is genetic, passed down from parents to children. Many dog breeds are prone to this painful situation, especially small breeds, like poodles, Pomeranians, even chihuahuas. Luckily for Wan, her knees weren’t so bad.
The operation on one knee was a success, and the surgeon was pleased with Wan’s progress. After three months or so, she was walking just fine.
I was relieved, of course, but, problems continued, I’ve mentioned in other columns. She was playing with Thong, the biggest in my cat herd, when he playfully butted her on her side. He’s so big and strong that he sent the dog flying across the room.
Poor Wan could barely walk without pain, although the surgeon assured me that the ligament was only slightly twisted and would improve in a few months without any surgery.
And slowly, Wan improved. She no longer showed any pain, and she began playing with Thong again.
Now Wan has the biggest challenge of her life, that nine-year-old kid. The child loves dogs - after all, her family has a Thai dog, a massive bang kaew.
Usually, she and Wan dance around, chasing each other, but today, perhaps from boredom, the kid has taken it a step further.
“Child, please don't be so rough," I say, but the kid keeps on forgetting, grabbing the dog again and again and swinging her.
I try to stop her every time, but I guess she doesn't understand that Wan doesn’t have the big, strong bones of her own dog. Being so tiny, Wan probably seems more like a doll than a dog to a child anyway.
By the time Porn and her daughter go home, the dog can’t walk. The rough swinging must have twisted the ligaments again.
I try to explain to Porn, but she can’t believe that her daughter would cause any living creature so much pain. I understand completely.
She’s a mother who loves her child. Besides, the kid is sweet and obedient, just forgetful.
Wan is healing slowly - again. Now we’ll see who can learn how to behave, a doggie or a nine-year-old child.
