Gustavo ran like a champ last weekend.

I dunno if that will keep happening. We have no expectations. Like, it would be nice. It would be awesome. It would be STUPENDOUS if he could, but no guarantees. No expectations.

We’re just doing the best we can.

In the last 2 weeks, he had to go under anesthesia twice. The first time, to pull out not one, not two, but sixteen teeth.

He has really crappy teeth. He came with those, when he got smuggled across the border from Mexico as a skinny little stray, and now his medicine makes them worse.

Let’s bring everybody up to the same speed page. He has a congenital liver malfunction called hepatatic microvascular dysplasia. Basically, his liver doesn’t work and there ain’t nothing we can do to fix it except give him medicine and NO MEAT. No. Not even that kind. Or that kind. NO MEAT.

I know he’s a dog and dogs eat meat but not Gustavo. He gets a carrot.

The other time last week was when he sniffed a fluffy seed pod up his nose and it got stuck. It was like a foxtail but bigger and fluffier and all hairy.

His vet just stared at me when I brought him in. You are kidding me.

He’s not even supposed to have anesthesia. Just great. But she got it out and he did just fine. We have amazing vets.

Every time I meet new people, I find out that he’s a sheltie, a chihuahua, a terrier, a border collie, a schipperke, or a squirrel. You are all correct.

His brain is messed up, his liver is messed up, his remaining teeth are messed up, it took 2 years for him to learn to do weave poles, and he recently developed a fear of wheelbarrows.

You know who one of the best in the whole world of all dogs is?

Hola, Gustavo.

Thanks, Sarah Hitzeman, for the photos!