Tassu means Paw

Tassu is slowing down. I no longer take her on long walks along the lakeshore on Sunday morning; I take her for a short slow ramble--or maybe we both ramble together. Her back leg, which has some arthritis at the hip (back haunch?), is getting increasingly stiff and 'snaps' when she takes a step. She usually trails behind me. I turn around every now and then ans say, "C'mon, you can do it!"

One day, we crossed the lights at Cumberland St. and headed up the overpass. The day before had been sunny and mild, melting the snow, causing a slushy, wet mess. But the night had dipped down to -20c and everything froze over like a sheet of ice. Whole sections of ground were like skating rinks. A light snow dusted the ground, making it difficult to see what was stable ground and what was treacherous ice.

As we walked along the sidewalk of the overpass, suddenly Tassu's legs gave way. With a clumsy plunk, there she lay. Her tummy on the ground, her big white paws spread out awkwardly. "Oh, no! Tassu, what are we going to do with you? Get up! Get up!"  I tried pulling her up. I spread my legs wide and wrapped my arms around her middle and heaved, telling her, "C'mon, Tassu! Get up! You can do it!" She was like a dead weight. I tried again and again, but the ice gave me no leverage. Tassu just whimpered and lay like a heavy log on the ice. Her jaw started to quiver. I got worried that she'd broken her leg. What to do?