I’m not supposed to be blogging, but . . .
I’m still on indefinite blackout, but I read your comments from today on the last post, and yes, here I am, and I might as well tell you I’m in Colorado right now, getting ready to do a school visit on Thursday, and it was supposed to be this fun time with husband and dogs, but as we’ve all learned at some point in our lives, it’s all fun and games until somebody gets hurt.
Poor little Bear. He’s all doped up, lying on the rug next to me right now, his back leg all bandaged up after getting sliced open by my husband’s ski this afternoon. Apparently we were very, very lucky, because the metal tip of his ski only sliced the leg open to the bone (”only”) without cutting into the tendon or artery that the vet was kind enough to point out to me as we tried to convince Bear to take the stitches without anesthetic. No go. Little Bear–all 80 pounds of him–fought off all three of us who were trying to hold him to the floor so the vet could irrigate the wound and then staple it lickety split. And now I’m totally kicking myself for putting him through that. Because this is a dog who doesn’t even like us to touch his feet–so you think he’d enjoy lying quietly on his side while someone prodded in his wound? Duh. So instead I let him go through that stress and trauma, until ultimately the vet herself gave up (after Bear had just kicked my glasses off my face–score!) and went the drug route.
So. Since all our activities here involve being outdoors with the dogs (we have the loaner Lab, Kaya, along on this trip, too), now we don’t really know what to do with ourselves. Bear can’t get his bandage wet, and even walks around this snowy town are going to require wearing a plastic IV bag over the foot so no moisture gets in. Fun for all, especially the good-time party boy himself, Bear.
Anyway, that’s the excitement from my corner of the world these days. Aren’t you glad you asked?
Hope you’re all doing well, one and all. Keep reading, keep writing if that’s your thing, and I hope you’re still thinking to yourselves every Friday, “What nice things have I done for myself this week?”
Carry on, gang.
Technorati Tags: Dogs, Pet Emergencies, Dog’s Skiing Injuries
April 1st, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Hugs to Bear and the rest of you. (I’m nursing one of my own pets, but nothing near as dramatic as your experience.)
My word verificiation is “reason”.
There’s gotta be a reason for everything, right?
April 1st, 2008 at 6:48 pm
And this one is “hugs”.
Your anti-spams are like fortune cookies! (Way yummier than SPAM.)
April 1st, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Thanks, Heather. I just got “reason,” too, so I’m sure you’re right.
I’ll pass along your hugs to Bear! Poor little guy–still all groggy and doped up. He just stands in the middle of the room and stares at the floor, like he forgot what he came in for.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Oh, poor little Bear! Lots of healthy, healing vibes to doggeroo.
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:06 am
Oh, poor Bear - and poor you (plural = you + husband). A nasty accident and a bad time for it. I know exactly what you mean about the standing doped up staring at the floor - so freaky to see. And he’ll probably need a collar at some point too, won’t he? Hate those so much!
(I’m in the ‘hugs’ group of anti-spams.)
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:45 am
Well that sucks. Sorry about your vacation trip and about poor Bear.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:36 am
Thanks, Little Willow, Lady S, and Mother Reader. We’re all much better this morning, except for the fact that one of us has to wear that bag over his foot every time we go outside. Kind of holds down the romping, which is a shame. But thanks for your kind thoughts! I’ve just read them aloud to the Bear, and he seems greatly cheered. Or maybe it was that canned turkey I mixed into his kibble this morning. Doesn’t food make all of us feel better?
April 2nd, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Oh, Robin. Poor Bear. At least he’s getting turkey out of it. He probably thinks that’s the whole point of your trip–you went to Colorado to get him turkey.
Hope every day it gets a bit better. My word is WARM. So warm thoughts to all of you!
April 2nd, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Oh, Sara, that’s good. You’re almost scarily intuitive about how dogs think. Another talent!
April 2nd, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Hello just reading a post yo put on Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast and was wondering if you ever became *hooked* on Haven Kimmel’s work
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:36 am
Michael, I haven’t gotten hooked on Haven Kimmel’s work yet, although I surely need to. The women at Seven Impossible Things are so gah-gah over Haven, I simply must read her! But so many books to read before that!
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:54 am
Oh dear, a doped up dog. I had a broken glass and stitched paw incident once. For future reference, the vet would have had an easier time of it without you and your husband in the room. I know that sounds crazy, but when a dog is in pain they think their owner is threatened and all that thrashing was most likely him trying to protect YOU. My vet took Syd out of the room and Syd instantly became docile and let the Vet and her assistant do whatever. With no drugs. My vet is a smart gal who is just as smart about the psychology of animals as the physiology.
I’ve been dealing with a cat who has let me know he doesn’t want the baby opossum living on our porch. In a very stinky way. For the record, white vinegar and water in a spray bottle is the cure for those stinkies. I just wish I could have figured out that bit of cat language a mite quicker. The plain water squirt bottle I use for cat behavior modification also worked for opossum behavior modification. Well, that and lots of yelling and stamping feet. Poor (cute) little thing hightailed it out pretty quickly and hasn’t been back. Though I’m sure when I plant the gourmet free salad bar (aka my garden) he or she will make a return visit.
Hugs to you too! (my anti spam word.)
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:03 am
Hey,Robin-sorry to hear about Bear(poor puppy!)-hope he’s doing better. I don’t blame him for freaking out about the stitches,his reaction sounds a lot similar to mine when I was a kid and had to have my face sewn up after slipping and falling on a hinge(a door had been taken out of our apartment but the hinges were still in the doorway).
My scar is tiny today(it’s my “Harry Potter Mark”,as I call it because of it’s slightly zigzag nature)and I was so young that I have no memory of the incident but my mom sure does!
My anti-spam is “tree” and I pass it on to Bear,in hopes that he will enjoy being under one again soon:)
Oh,and I started reading “The Host” last night-so awesome!
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:13 pm
BJ, that’s good advice about us being out of the room. The vet did shoo us out for the session where she put Bear under. Even that involved quite a bit of thrashing around–she came out with some nice long scratches all over her arms. She said he was just so panicked she couldn’t get him to calm down enough to give him a shot. Yikes.
And good luck with the cat spray (P.U.). A baby opossum sounds so cute, but I can see why the cat might not think so. These showdowns are so interesting to watch–but better without the smell.
Lady T, your description of how you got injured made me cringe! That sounds awful! But everyone knows a little face scar is so cool–so Hollywood. Congratulations! (And extra cool that it looks like Harry Potter’s.)
April 4th, 2008 at 10:06 am
AW that sounds so tramatic! *hugsbear* Tell him to get well soon! Have fun on the rest or your trip! ^^ We miss ya!
April 6th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
The family and I are back from a lovely week on Kiawah Island (South Carolina, about 20 miles from Charleston). I’m slowly returning to the “real world” and catching up on blogs and emails, as we were without access for the entire 7 days. (I intentionally refused to go searching for it.) I missed everyone’s comments, though. Robin, I’m sorry to hear that your trip hasn’t been so delightful. Hugs going out to sweet Bear. I have two wonderful dogs myself and know what it’s like to see them suffer. I hope he’s continuing to improve.