Honestly, I try to always remain positive and live day for day. But the last year has been so hard. It feels like I take one step forward but end up two steps back.

Nakita went in for her dental cleaning today. I thought it was going to be a simple cleaning. Wrong! I find out that she needs two extractions! Not one but TWO! I feel so bad that she's been in pain and I didn't even know. We take her in every year for her physical but the previous vets never noticed anything and said her teeth were in good shape.

We're also trying to figure out why she has hyperesthesia symptoms. She basically runs across the room, as if shocked, and then grooms her back leg like crazy. At no point did we think her teeth were involved - it didn't even seem to be a consideration. I did mention to a previous vet that she does occasionally run away from her food bowl, with these hyperesthesia symptoms, but we really thought she had a pinched nerve (or similar). Every time she goes to eat and gets in that low to the ground position, she would run away, thus thinking it was a spinal/nerve issue. She never showed any other dental symptoms, no excess grooming of the mouth, dropping food, drooling etc.

Today, they found a broken tooth with a nerve exposed and another tooth that was totally decayed. My poor, poor girl. We've been trying to fix everything, yet totally missing the pain source. I'm so sorry. And I'm so irritated that after seeing 4 vets over the last 16 months....only the recent vet suggested a dental (because of slight gingivitis)!!

And then trying to introduce Nakita to Phoenix back in September and all the emotion and let down that happened. Again, on the vets advice he suggested introducing a companion since he thought Nakita's hyperesthesia was from boredom. I just feel so sad I put Nakita through all this.

Hopefully, with these 2 extractions, Nakita will be eating more as well since she was down to 1/8 cup at one point. I thought it was not liking the Prescription food and upset stomach/allergies but it was probably from the pain that previous vets didn't diagnose.

Also, I've continued on the 1/4 pill of Prednisone every 2 days and it seems to be working out! She threw up on Monday/Tuesday but I think she ate too fast that time.

I'm hoping the New Year will bring better health & contentment for all of us!