"Yep.  It's exactly what you think it is."

He didn't have to say it.  But I saw the wry sympathy in my vet's eyes as I sat cross-legged on the floor, my brindle dog's ginormous head lazy and compliant in my lap, relaxed throughout the various proddings and joint manipulations.

In addition to his seasonal allergies and irritable bowel syndrome and partially-digested-hambone-in-stomach and immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, Bannik now has a complete CCL tear!  Just like his little brother!

(Un?)luckily, he can't have surgery just yet, due to the risk of infection.  He'll be on prednisone for his ITP (that last thing with all the syllables) for up to six more months.  The medication works by suppressing his immune system, and the last thing you want to do to an immunocompromised, platelet-deficient individual is cut 'em open and make 'em bleed.

I can't even joke about giving up and trading him for a pet rock.  Makes me heartsick.