First Real Injury

[leih merigian]

Well, my little darling came up with her first vet-quality injury yesterday...she sliced open her foot (the large pad on the left front foot) big-time. It's smack on the bottom, almost centered on the pad, and about two inches long. A very clean cut, so I'm thinking glass. The good news is that it sliced completely thru the first layer of the pad, but didn't go into the tissue below much...so, minimal bleeding, and the healing will be easier/quicker than a deeper injury.

The bad news is the two weeks of totally restricted activity. Since it's on the bottom of her main pad on that foot, we can't even do much quiet training...every time she steps, she splays that slice, so we're supposed to be very careful. We can take 3-4, 15 minute walks a day, that's it. OMG. A young DS with these activity restrictions? Boy, am I in for it or what?

Right now, we're working on leaving the bandage alone . I have to put a bootie on over it every damn time we go out, but the great news there is she's very good about that (we've worked on that one, thankfully). I just have her sit in front of me, tell her to put her left foot on my knee, and put a baggie on over the foot, then the bootie (my booties leak, alas, so the baggie first). Patience is a virtue...patience is a virtue...

I discovered this morning that if I put a baby's crew sock on over the bandage, she'll leave it alone. Go figure. As long as she leaves it alone, tho, I'm happy (and I have a good supply of those tiny sox from my GSD's injuries )

Here she is, with her bandaged foot...



Poor baby.

I've thought about it a lot, even way before this accident, and I'm not going to stop letting her run around in the woods. She stays within sight and always responds to my verbal cues (recalls or telling her that's far enough, etc.). She has to be able to just be a dog sometimes...

How about you? Do you let your dog go off trail into the woods and such?

[Dutchringgirl]

oh no! Poor thing! Thalie always goes off the trail, i think at this point, her paws are made of iron. Although last year she came limping out of the woods with a stick through her paw, luckily it only went through the webbing. Its more of the pads are not tough yet at the young age. They will toughen up as she gets older. Its like not letting your kids play in the street for fear they will get hit ( just kidding)

[Sugars Mom]

I'm sorry about your pup It's so hard keeping them calm, and limited physical activity. When Sugar broke her leg, she didn't want to slow down. I kept a sock or shirt on her too, to keep her from chewing on the bandage and she did well too. And keeping the bandage dry was extremely difficult too...I don't know about yours, but mine is the sloppiest drinker, and every time she gets a drink of water, there are puddles all around!

All the best with a speedy recovery!

[Kristie E]

sorry to hear about your impending frustration... good luck with trying to keep her inactive. I feel your pain. yet, you will bounce back like it never happened at all. I let Gwen run, she is a dog, that's what they do. It is why we worked so hard on the recall.

[Chillyroses]

Poor baby! I couldn't imagine slowing my elder lab down, much less a ds. Luck to you and speedy recovery! I was reading about natural calming foods, good for travel and such. Might be worth looking into? Probally won't help much but maybe it will.

[Kristie E]

Sedatives are an excellent idea, either for yourself or for the dog ... I wish I had some when Gwen was out for the count.

[leih merigian]

Sedatives are an excellent idea, either for yourself or for the dog ... I wish I had some when Gwen was out for the count.

Actually, we're now both on the same pain meds...tramadol . She needs them, and they do take the edge off a tad.

This little stinker has a tendency towards handler aggression, and I predicted immediately that I'd find the biting crap increasing...and it already has. It's gonna be a looooong two weeks

[Kristie E]

Gwen bit me once...... She now bites Izar at any sign of frustration. It is good to have a punching bag for her to eat on when she is feeling a bit testy

[Raven]

Leih,

Poor baby...AND POOR BABY'S MAMA. You'd rather have the injury yourself; we can understand the conditions and terms.

A few weeks back, our property was full of divets from ice, snow, sleet, melts, rain, freezing temps, snow, ice, etc. Blood came up in the icy, snowy mess one morning so Thor got a few days of house-arrest (ramrodding indoors only). Few days later, still blood...so more house-arrest.

He didn't get it and hardly cared about the injuries: "LET"S GO!!!! C'MON, C'MON!!!"

Condition of the snow changed...so, good to go! Until his other foot got cut. Are you kidding? Really?

Then the ramrod-play in the house had to stop because my husband and I both had accidents that restricted our movement. As full of energy as the young buck is--he got it. He was so good. He didn't give a crow about his injuries, but he was very accepting of ours.

They pull through. It's harder on us than it is on them.

Certainly I hope for your baby's speedy recovery...though perhaps a little more for your sake than for hers!

Hugs to you both.

[Dutchringgirl]

Gwen bit me once...... She now bites Izar at any sign of frustration. It is good to have a punching bag for her to eat on when she is feeling a bit testy

I have an extra smaller dog bed that I keep around for Sadie, her back haunches up and she starts hopping around so she attacks the bed

[vneerland]

Darn Leih. I am sorry about that stroke of bad luck and wish the both of you a speedy recovery.

[Sugars Mom]

So how are you guys holding up?

[leih merigian]

So how are you guys holding up?

Well...mixed, I"d say . One of the most difficult parts is that I have to put a bootie on her foot, over the dressing, every damn time I take her out (to keep the dressing dry and relatively clean). The first day post-injury, she was an angel about this. After that, forget it. So, I have to put a head collar on her before I even think to start to put the bootie on.

And, as I pretty much expected, her handler aggresion has gone nuts. She wants to fight me at the drop of a hat, over nothing or anything, due to her boredom, unexpended energy, and frustration. She is still mostly very good, but like the poem, when she's bad, she's horrid .

After a couple more days, I'll be able to do a bit more with her (I want to see her foot when I change the dressing before letting her have a little more activity, and a longer lead when we take our little walks). Being able to add in some easy training things will help so much, I'm sure.

Thanks for thinking of us :fluffy:

[Sugars Mom]

I feel for you. Ya, that bootie was a PITA. Sugar didn't have a problem getting in on but keeping it on while she wandered around for the perfect poop spot, sometimes it would slip off.

Exercising the mind, feeding with treat dispensers, etc, is what kept us sane while Sugar was laid up. The thing is, once she was allowed to walk, it was still a gradual thing, so it took a while before "real" exercise began.

We were at the park yesterday, and she was running all around and racing up and down the large rocks there and I felt myself cringing and holding my breath...I was nervous for sure, and I hope that goes away. I want to be able to let her enjoy those things and be the dog she wants to be!

Hang in there!