Things you should NOT say

I love medicine.  Diseases that used to really concern me as a private owner, aren't as big a deal know because I either understand the etiology of the disease or know that they can be managed fairly successfully, or compared to the million other things that can go wrong, a particular, highly publicized disease just really isn't as big a deal comparatively.

Last week Reed (Matt's Golden Retriever) was diagnosed with hip dysplasia.  It's not an especially mild case, but it isn't so severe that he shouldn't, with pain management live and enjoy  most of his usual daily activities.  He's 2, both parents were "certified" although now I understand that hip dysplasia is a disease of many different influences, some known and some not, and genetics are just one part of the equation.  We did our best at the time.  He is guaranteed against genetic defects such as this, but the guarantee is another puppy, something this house DOESN'T need, and Matt and I love this dog --> he's the dog that all the children's story books describe. 

So how did I try and make my boyfriend feel better, as he was understandably upset that is wonderful companion had just been diagnosed with a disease that he has been obsessed about ever since he got his first dog (a German Shepherd)?

I said the following:

You know, being a Golden Retriever, this is probably not what ends up killing him, it will probably be something like cancer or someother disease, so this isn't really a disaster......

You can imagine how that went over.  Yet one more piece of evidence that I'm much more suited for something like research, or public health, or really anything that doesn't require me to try and make people feel better......