Cankles

So one of the more unpleasant side effects of the surgery is that Paco now has "cankles". His hocks and ankles are so swollen with fluid that there's almost no distinction where one part ends and the other begins. I kinda want to get him some control pantyhose.

Just look at the shame.

The only way to relieve the problem is to massage them by by hand frequently in an effort to redistribute the liquid. It feels a little strange to rub the squishy, hairless parts of my dog, but it also feels cool, like petting a Sphynx or Xoloixcuintle.

Massaging him this morning I remembered that, ironically, when Paco was a puppy, I used to tell people he was an Ixcuintle. It wasn't a far stretch, since he was missing a great deal of hair due to mange (mostly on his head in an awesome imitation of male pattern baldness). I started the lie one day after a five year old girl recoiled in fear after I informed her she was petting a "pit bull". I mean, how can you be scared of a 5 lb puppy, regardless of what it is? But she was.

From that day forward, for several months, we lived the lie. At the time I figured it was either my puppy's socialization or the truth, since it isn't easy for folks to give pit bulls a break (or even a chance, most of the time).

Eventually, though, I realized there was no shame in Paco being what he was. He couldn't help it more than I can help being Mexican-Irish. We turned a corner, decided to turn our handicap into our strength, and we haven't looked back (or lied) since.

Speaking of keeping it real, I wasn't going to include a picture of Paco's ham-hock-esque cankles but Paul insisted that we "keep it real." Here you go:

Seriously, doesn't it remind you of the pickled pigs feet in corner stores? Not attractive.