Dr. Harmon examined Copper for about ten minutes. He pressed along the leg, watched him walk back and forth across the room, and checked his paws. Copper didn’t flinch or cry. Dr. Harmon said that was a good sign. He told Rachel it looked like a soft tissue strain — common in larger breeds, especially as they grew up. He said rest and anti-inflammatories would sort it out.
Rachel asked if they should do an X-ray. Dr. Harmon said he didn’t think it was necessary at this point. He said X-rays were the next step if things didn’t improve, but right now, the presentation was consistent with a sprain. He wrote out a prescription and told her to come back in six weeks if the limp persisted.
She drove home feeling reassured. She gave Copper his medication each morning, cut back on the longer walks, and watched him carefully. Some days he seemed better. Some days the limp was still there. She told herself that six weeks was the timeline and she should stick to it. She trusted the plan because she trusted the man.