Thanks everyone. Preacher seems fine today. I gave him another anti-inflammatory this morning. My father-in-law is going to stop by and let him outside again this afternoon. It's -40 with the windchill here today so my old-timers are not allowed to stay outside for long.

Thanks for the suggestions Phred--I already have a baby gate in the house to keep dogs out of the cat's litterbox room. I'll just move it next time the door has to be opened. I have a small log carrier--we heat our house with a wood stove so I carry lots of logs. I'll have to look for a bigger one that would work as a doggy stretcher. There have been a few occasions where such a thing would have come in handy!