Last month our elderly beagle-mix Shiloh tore a cruciate ligament in her left back leg. We didn't see how it happened; we saw the resulting trembling in the leg and inability to jump and took her to the vet. We started her on mild pain killers and a reducing diet.
Early this morning while we were doing our laps around the local baseball field, she yelped and sat down. The other rear knee had blown out, probably from overuse. Unfortunately there was no way I could carry her portly canine caboose to the car to get her home. I got a blanket from the car and walked back over to her, contemplating improvising a sling or perhaps a travois. I also contemplated why that fifth-grade lesson on the travois was still in my head, whether kids are still learning about them, and how much better the wheel is. When I put the makeshift sling under her belly and tried to lift, however, I found that her particular mass divided by her particular volume equaled one dense dog. I couldn't budge her.
This situation called for the big guns --or at least bigger guns than mine and a strong back to go with them--: I'd have to go home and get my husband to carry her. I covered her up with the blanket and me and our other dog -- a three-legger but vastly more mobile at this point-- went home so I could tell Mr. Cracker that I'd left his precious little snowflake princess lying injured in a field. I knew he'd be upset.
He and I walked across the pitch black field and she finally came into sight, all bundled up and awaiting rescue. When we got over to her she was very vocal to him and told him all her troubles.
We got her home and settled and gave her a bit of medicine. Then she asked if she couldn't have a little bite of breakfast.
So she's in no pain and still enjoying a nice meal. Throw in a comfortable bed and that's about as good as it gets for any of us really.
How awful, but I'm glad to hear she's all right. You don't want to have to add a harp and wings to halo just yet.
Posted by: james at December 29, 2008 10:37 PMNo, not yet. Not yet.
Posted by: Donnah at December 29, 2008 11:29 PMI have a beloved poodle who is older than I thought when i adopted him 8 yrs ago. I was told he was 1 1/2 when I adopted him in 2000. A few yrs ago I found out he was older. The vet says he is around 12 now.
I didnt want a foo foo dog and took him in without knowing how wonderful poodles are, especially this one! They r not foo foo!
I was a truck driver when I adopted my wonderful Viscy. He never complained and was always a joy and a comfort as I used to stay out 8 to 12 wks at a time.
Now 8 years later, Im confined to a wheelchair due to a nasty fall. Tripped off the porch by our yellow lab. My little poodle Viscy has been the shining light in my life. I am basically homebound and although he is blind now, we keep each other company on long boring days that inmobility contain.
Both of us miss our freedom of the road! I grieve for his lost sight and will keep him as healthy as I can for as long as I can. Its the very least I can do for my trucker friend who endured many hardships on the road.
Dogs dont get the credit they deserve. They are companions, best friends and serve people with boundless, and never ending love.
I hope your Shiloh gets well soon! With the love and care you are giving him, he should be up and about very soon. Doggie prayers for y'all!
God Bless
Posted by: rememberingduane at December 30, 2008 01:32 AM For real drama I could think of a couple of other scenarios:
1. You could have told Lilly to stay and guard Little Princess Snowflake until you returned. In the meantime, you were delayed, and LPSF became thirsty, so Lilly found a ditch of water, and after soaking her coat she came back and allowed LPSF to suck the water and quench her thirst.
You returned in time to find the lawn crew had arrived, found the two dogs, and was trying to remove them. Lilly may be crippled in body, but in mind. She had often observed how humans recoiled when she approached them with her twisted hind limb. Her quick thinking was an admirable action to follow her master's order.
2. You could have sent Lilly home to get Mr. Cracker. The six blocks home would have been a hop, skip, and a jump for a more fit animal, however, with only three legs, Lilly still stayed the course. She crossed two laned roads and fought of intimidating ,Miami pomaranians. When confronted with a low fence, she made the decision to swim the lake, but first she to overcome her fear of cattails. Finally, after an heroic effort, she reach home and awoke Mr. C. by barking outside the bedroom window.
Get well soon, Shi :)
Poor Shiloh. I hope she feels better soon.
Remembering, isn't it amazing how one dog can land you in a wheelchair and another dog can make your confinement bearable? :)
Nancy has a much better imagination than I do.. *much* better.
And just think..we used to shoot 'em when they got gimpy.
I am head over heels in love with Josey, and I think the feeling is mutual. Prolly goes back to the whole 'boy and his dog' thing.
It has been a long time since I was around a full on K9..she is hardly 15 weeks and goes alert with little prodding.
Hopefully Shiloh and Mrs. Cracker will take it a little easier next time around the field.
Posted by: csason at December 30, 2008 03:48 PMBut Nancy, you did forget one essential element in Drama In Real Dog Life: Little Timmy! One or the other old fragile doggies needs to risk life and remaining limb to save Little Timmy from danger entirely of his own making
!
Last year a guy put a yorkie in my arms and said, "He needs a home". We named him Dominic. Dominic and I have 2 words for you, CELL PHONE!!! We never leave home without it!
I turned into one of those paranoid puppy mommas nuts.
Puppy kisses for Shiloh
Posted by: Cindy M at December 30, 2008 10:39 PMOwen,
Donnah is the one with the big imagination..she takes those doggies on nightly walks with her for protection. In Miami, I might add.
Starla,
LOL.. Timmy, Lassie, Rin TT, or Flipper
I wanted to be brief. :)
Cindy,
Tell her again about a phone.
Shilo,
Tell her to get a phone, or your not walking with her.
Get the Lassie theme music for the ringtone of your doggie-related cell phone, Donnah. I have an aunt who loves that sentimental wonder-dog crap so much that she gets teary-eyeed just from hearing the Lassie theme. In fact, you can hum it at her and she'll get weepy.
Me, I always wanted a different kind of wonder-pet-goes-on-fabulous-adventures-with-human-sidekick.
I wanna write "The Amazing Adventures of Vanessa and Leon" all about a little girl and her wise-cracking, gadget-making, crime-fighting...
Cockroach!
lol
Starla, that statement has magic in it! you are gifted in the way you see things! Yes, its true, one dog knocked me on my butt, and the other is comforting me while I complain..lol Did you know dog spelled backwards is God? Maybe hes trying to tell me something?
Happy New Year to all! Hoping for a much
improved year.. kicking 2008 butt out the door, not a good year. We lost our house and most of our stuff to hurricane Ike. Yike! lol
Yeah, I did know that about dog being god backward, or is it vice versa? Supposedly that's how the Bounty Hunter got his nickname. At least, that's the version of the story that he can actually tell people now! lol
Happy New Year, one and all!
Nancy, Donnah *has* a pretty spiffy phone if I recall..but phone or no phone, if she is walking
in Miam-uh after dark without at least a .25, she is just asking for it.
Did somebody move ?? I had it on account she was still in Lee county ..
Posted by: csason at January 1, 2009 08:11 PMCould you tie a bunch of helium balloons on her harness, just enough to take most of the weight off her? If you get the balance right, you just kinda tug on the leash and she'd float along.
Posted by: james at January 4, 2009 07:34 PMHey, Donnah, as usual I laughed aloud when reading your post despite the sad news involved (you still make for very entertaining reading even when the news is sad).
Maybe the rolly-polly sweet angel can get one of those wheely-riding-crutch-mobiles for dogs? Sounds as if that'd be the only reasonable way to get her up and mobile for, perhaps, the remaining years. She won't lose too much weight if she continues to just lie there and wait for breakfast, which, I'm sure, is difficult not to provide.
Hope you are well and happy and that all things go well this New Year.
Posted by: -S- at January 6, 2009 02:05 PMI think Shiloh is just faking it..She's jealous of that three legger over in the corner.
Posted by: csason at January 7, 2009 01:58 PM