if only our pets could tell us what's bothering them

Sheba has noticeably been walking gingerly for some time now. Over the last week or so, it's been noticeably worse. I had avoided taking her in because a) I'd figured it was a joint issue and that it was mostly stiffness, b) the symptoms were sort of non-specific, and c) she hasn't acted like she's in pain. She's so stoic about stuff like that that it's sometimes hard to tell if she's hurting.

I finally took her in on Friday. The vet thought that given her symptoms, especially the way she was knuckling her back feel under that it was probably a nervous system thing, something with her spine. We decided on x-rays to determine whether it was discs or a tumor or something else causing problems. The tumor idea is never a comforting one. I spent the next hour while they were taking and developing the x-rays kicking myself for waiting so long to bring her in.

At least it's not a tumor. She has a couple of discs protruding into her spine. *ouch* Poor thing. The vet gave her a cortisone shot and sent her home with a supply of prednisone. We're hoping that with the anti-imflammatories, swelling will go down and that the discs will recede into their proper place. Also she has to be kept in strict confinement. She's not enjoying the confinement very much. She does seem like she might be feeling a little more comfortable after a couple of days of treatment, but I'm not sure whether that's wishful thinking or actual fact.

If this doesn't do the trick, then the more radical, expensive options (that I can't really afford) will have to be considered.