I'm on my way out to work right now, Penguin, so don't have much time, but I just want to wish you strength and serenity while you wait for your houndie to recover. I'm a dog lover too, so I totally get the importance of your dogs to you. It was one of the reasons I worried about splitting w/XAH--wasn't sure my dogs, who are also old, could make it thru the length of a workday w/o being let outside. (XAH and I worked staggered hours, so while we were together, they typically weren't home alone more than 4-5 hours) I don't make enough money to pay a service to let them out and I don't have neighbors close enough to do it for me either.
Turned out that once XAH was gone, things were fine--I think the dogs were reacting to some degree to the discord in the household and once life settled down, so did they.
Anyway, gotta go, but I hope you keep coming back to read and post, and I wish for speedy healing for you and your dog friends!