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Thursday, October 10, 2013

Classic: Freedom is No Fun or a Stupid Thing to Do [Cassie]

Freedom is no fun or a Stupid Thing to DoCassie: Labrador_Retriever

One day last fall Shadow and I had the opportunity to go exploring sans leashes. Mom was working late, Dad was asleep, and Jeni was in a hurry between classes and work so was going to be taking a shower. Well we told Jen we had to go out, and meant business, so she let us out in what she thought was an escape proof yard. Wrong, Shady and I had thought this out so we were out like a field dog after a newly fallen bird. Being a team Shady went under thru his tunnel in the bushes, and I went over the fence. Several minutes later I was standing afraid to move from my pain and Shady was pacing up and down the street trying to figure out how to get us out of the fix we were in, it seems like I had a run in with a vehicle. Seeing Shady pacing and being afraid he would get hit, one of the neighbors who we normally would protect the family from caught him. As he was bringing Shady down the street, Jeni was leaving for work. Busted, she took ahold of our collars and took us in the house. I must have looked as bad as I felt, because as soon as she got in the house, she called Dad and he put me in my house (kennel), and Shadow in his. Jeni was really upset because she didn't know we were escaping. When Mom came home, she said what's wrong, and Dad said he thought I broke my ankle jumping the fence, how I wish I had done that. She called the vet, and the excitment began. Dad and Harold (our human boy) put my kennel and I into the van. That drive was not pleasant, when we got to the vet, (really an animal hospital with a lot of vets) several people came out, one with a stretcher, like I was going to lay on it and a muzzle (hey this is gentle Cassie) as Mom was not certain of what my reaction would be, so Dr. C opened my door and took a look at me, well I saw a canine officer and his human watching me, so I had to jump out (not a smart move), Dr. C said it looks like he broke the canine equivilent of an ankle. Then I had to do the floor slide in, but I had lots of help from the staff and my people to keep me up. My humans left me overnight, and I went to sleep very fast (which is the best thing to do if you have to stay in the vets office), if they knock you out, you just know you are not going to feel well when you wake up. I heard my people come in the next morning to pick me up and heard them have a long talk with Doc. Kennel rest for at least three weeks, pills five times a day, and confined to the family room and kitchen with a ramp over the outside steps for months. The nice people helped me into the van and my kennel, then home we went Dad tried to help me up the stairs, and got the wrong place I snapped at him, but he understood and then built a ramp.It turns out that I had a pelvis broken in two places and scrapes from the pavement when I got hit. I now have sciatic nerve problems which I am still getting reminded of. 6 months later, I was able to go back to dog club as a participant with no jumping for another month. For awhile, I scraped the top of my foot when we went out for walks, but with the patience of my humans and Shady I strengthed that nerve and can walk normal now. It still hurts when I run hard, but we're working on that and to relieve my boredom, we are going to start on flat agility, like tunnels and the poles, in our yard before we start it at Dog club.
I am very cautious of the front yard now, and am sure I won't be in a position to get hit again, cars make me get out of the way quick. I actually prefer to walk on the sidewalk or grass and always with a human attached to my leash.
It was sad to see Jeni so upset about me, but it was my own stupidity that did it. Shady still goes for walks by himself when he can sneak away, and so does Little Bit. I call them stupid, when it happens the humans are normally behind them quickly.
Hint, the pills made me feel so much better, that the rest of the pack took the treat for pill time with me, I got deli treats wrapped around the pills. I liked the hard pepperoni best, but hot dogs also were ok. Now when I hurt, I let them know I need an aspirin. To keep us out of mischievious, they put our pills in a large human bottle as some dogs have crushed empty pill bottles, so they won't take a chance.
Cass

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Date: 15-Aug-97Age: 2Sex: female
Home: unknownDamage: $500.00Human: unknown

Comment: Well it sounds like you are recovering quite well. You need to teach your litter mates to quit sneaking out or they will get hurt like yourself.
Maggie


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