LB's goin' to see the doc.

I've wondered for some time what I was gonna spend all that saved-up money on. A custom Lamborghini 4X4? Designer dope? Three cases of Jack Daniels, or possibly (let's really go crazy) one box of .44 Special?

Nope.

LB's been having problems with his left front paw for quite some time. Problem was that it was so damned intermittent: I can't take him seriously when he's hopping on three legs one minute and then blasting off like a rocket-propelled dog the next. For a while I kidded myself that he was just having incredibly bad luck with tumbleweed thorns. The boys hate tumbleweed thorns. But then it got acute. It comes and goes in severity, but the problem is pretty clearly settling in to stay.

I dunno what's wrong with the paw. I can't see or feel anything wrong with it, but it's all he can do to remain politely non-violent while I'm messing with it. He's a big boy, and I can believe that he broke a bone in there jumping around, and now it can't heal. Best case is it's a piece of a cactus thorn that won't fester: Step the wrong way and it jabs you. But there's no point throwing money at any of the local vets because "I don't know what's wrong, here's some antibiotics, stop at the desk to pay your bill" just won't get it. He's young and active and very heavy, and he needs all four paws, and if I'm gonna spend money on him I need a real vet. So tomorrow we're going for an unusually long Jeep ride. Wish him luck.