The Whole 9 Yards

My precious pug, my dream dog, and my little angel on earth. Today, I found out that he has severe arthritis due to genetic hip dysplasia. I don’t think he knows though, because he’s really active and trying to run around and play with his brother Peanut.

Popoy is very special to me because I got him when I was 18. I was so depressed about migrating from the Philippines, that my mom got me my dream dog.

I’ll never forget that moment on October 15, 2016, my Mom and I were out in the parking lot of Petsmart, where a lady who I found on the internet had two little pugs in the back of her car. That’s when I first laid my eyes on him. I knew he was mine. My Popoy. And that was the start of our lives together.

I stayed here for a year until I had to go back home to finish my studies. I was in the Philippines for four more years. I only got to see him once, those years I lived away. Until I moved back here for good in 2021. It’s crazy that in all those years, he never forgot who I was. He always knew that I was his person. He welcomed me like no time passed. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a loyal pug like Popoy. He truly is my angel.

The vet told me this morning, that there was no healing his hip dysplasia, and that he would eventually need surgery. I know that no one lives forever, but I was always in denial of how fragile Popoy is. I honestly been noticing his aging but I couldn’t accept it.

I’ll honestly do anything to keep him safe and healthy. I would pay anything to take away the pain and for him to be 100% better. I honestly cannot imagine my life without Popoy.

I’m writing all of this down because it’s really hard on me to see him struggling. What hurts is it’s like he doesn’t even know that he’s injured because he’s still trying to walk, run, and jump like normal. It breaks my heart to see him fall whenever he tries to jump, because he always jumps on the couch or chair next to me.

He literally just follows me everywhere. He waits for me outside my bedroom door in the morning, he waits outside the bathroom door, and sometimes I find it annoying that he cries when I leave his sight, but now I just want him close to me all the time so I can keep an eye on my baby.

For the next two weeks he should just be resting. I’ll put him in a stroller as soon as we find one that fits his needs. Then I’ll be bringing him to the vet again to check his progress, and if he’s still limping by then we’ll be talking about the next steps.

As for now, I’ll be taking good care of him.