New Series Starting Soon!

What Is Wrong With Tobias? — Meet Tobias

After several months away, I’ve decided it’s finally time to start writing again.

And this time, the series I’m starting hits particularly close to home.

This is going to be the story of diagnosing my own boy, Tobias.

The last few months have been rough for him. He has dealt with the loss of a beloved sibling, ear infections, allergic reactions, and hot spots. To say he has been struggling would be an understatement.

Right now, he is spending a lot of his time living in a cone, and life is definitely not easy.

So, without further ado, let me introduce you to Tobias!

Meet Tobias

Tobias is an 8-year-old, 70-pound Lab/Shepherd cross. I’ve always suspected there may be some Mastiff and Boxer in his family tree based on his parents and his overall appearance, but there’s no confirmation of that.

At eight years old, we aren’t quite into the senior years yet, but we’re getting closer.

Over the past year, Tobias has lost approximately two pounds. Otherwise, he has always been a relatively healthy dog—at least until recently.

Tobias eats a grain-free diet, primarily consisting of salmon or chicken, depending on what’s available at the store.

He isn’t what you would call a particularly active dog. He has always been more of a couch potato, and sleeping is definitely one of his favourite activities.

But don't let that fool you.

When it’s time for fun, Tobias is ready to go. He absolutely loves the sprinkler and his splash pad. Summer is his time to shine!

A Little Too Attached

Tobias has a very strong attachment to his humans.

And when I say strong attachment, I mean very strong attachment.

He can also be quite protective of his family, which has made some aspects of his medical care a little more difficult.

His nurse, in particular, is quite afraid of him.

Of course, he will completely deny this if he ever reads this. 😂

I promise he really does love you!

He's just... complicated.

The Biggest Baby

Along with being extremely attached to his family, Tobias is also a massive baby.

We frequently joke that he is worse than our human children were when they were toddlers.

Bump his knee?

He cries and wants to sit in your lap.

The cat walks into the room?

He hides behind you.

Get in the car?

Prepare yourself for an entire concert of crying for the duration of the trip—the kind of crying that makes you wonder if your ears might actually bleed.

And Dad?

Well, Dad is Tobias's person.

He follows his dad around the house until Dad is ready to pull his hair out. And Tobias absolutely knows when Dad is late coming home from work.

He waits.

He watches.

And he makes sure everyone knows that Dad is late.

So, What Is Wrong With Tobias?

To say the least, Tobias is a 70-pound ball of fur, anxiety, personality, and unconditional love.

He loves his family fiercely, and we love him just as much.

But something isn't right.

And we're determined to figure out what it is.

So, after several months away, I welcome you back to Pets Dig This and to a new journey that is much more personal than anything I've written before.

We're going to follow Tobias's symptoms, veterinary visits, testing, treatments, setbacks, discoveries, and everything in between.

There won't be a perfect diagnosis neatly wrapped up at the end of every post.

There may be questions.

There may be wrong turns.

There may be things we learn along the way that I never expected.

But I'm going to document the journey as honestly as I can.

So, welcome to the adventure.

What Is Wrong With Tobias?