Well, add “canine injury” to the list of things which assist/permit/allow/facilitate/blah blah blah, more LAME activity (audio visual stuff) on my part. (AKA, viewers being against ANYTHING which allows more time for this type of nonsense – lol)
A little over two weeks ago my GSD surprised me with a jaunt after some deer that frequent the area. She sees them all the time. Often just sits there watching them. It’s almost like she puts on this big show for me…..GOOD LORD! IT’S THOSE REALLY BIG THINGS ON THE HILLSIDE AGAIN! GOT TO GET TO WORK…. WOOF WOOF WOOF! Lol Yup, she sees them all the time, but from inside the fence. Most of the time she will stop and return when I call, (forgot the E- collar this time, and she’s “collar wise”- never have to “correct” while she is wearing it because she behaves) not this time- that is, not until disappearing over the hilltop for (what seemed like a long time), but maybe a minute or so. So what does a deer do when— some domesticated long haired fur ball ignorantly believes chasing it (the deer) on the home turf of heavy foothill brush and tall weeds is a good idea early in the morning? Probably something on the order of …..
(First deer to second one) “JAKE! JAKE! Look! Look! The brown fussy female is finally outside the fence and chasing me from a start point of over 50 yards away steep downhill! Look at this!” (Jake uncontrollably laughing, has to lean against an Oak for balance) “Be sure to introduce her to the new spring sticker patch!” (Jessie laughing while obviously waiting for Liz to get a little bit closer before bouncing off into the darkness to provide a close up tour of the rescue patch of stickers.) “Oh you can count on it. Think she’ll make it to the corner?” (Jake: “I doubt it, they both put on some pounds recently.) Jessie: “Ok, then (laughing)….I’ll catch yooooou later!” Jake chuckles and says: “Be gentle but teach a lesson”!.
Liz came back just as I was ready to drive up the hill. Looked like some kind of specialty bakery or confectionery item, smoothly blended waves of dark chocolate, caramel, cream, and not just sprinkled with toppings, but all that sticky sweet looking waving color of goodness was heavily rolled in a generous pile of loose, dried vegetation, flaky brown and tan stickers, thorns, nettles, needles, etc.
Crap. Now I’m not just hungry. I want candy. lol
Jesse gave her the full tour alright and I’ve been picking embedded stickers out since. (Imagine little pieces of bloody wooden toothpicks removed from under your skin with tweezers!) So, Vet visit for the ear, (the shaking head tells all) then later that same week, the left hip and leg became extremely swollen – (oh yeah, almost forgot the three days of diarrhea! My pup was a sick little girl alright) and the swelling was spreading to the foot. Looked like the leg belonged on a much larger animal and pushing maximum density. Couldn’t even feel the heel tendon (today is Sunday…2nd day of antibiotics, and other meds, and swelling finally down from hip area – I was afraid she was going to pop!)
My first thought was Rattlesnake – yet never a whimper, cry, panic, nothing – were the last four years of vaccinations doing their job? Could there have been two injection points that she chewed away? (There was a large silver dollar sized “lump” with one small opening that was oozing – and the Vet found another spot further away which looked more like the one I first observed the night before. What the heck?) I have also recently dispatched two one buttons (very dangerous because you can’t hear them as well), no doubt there are many more, But still….Liz is real furry….how could she have been bitten without my knowing?)
Oh yeah, there was also a definite loss of appetite but thankfully would always accept good portions of water.
Was finally was able to inspect the wound (night before appointment) but whatever it was she had chewed out the area (or had venom of some type partially eaten it away – as the initial area around the “chewed spot” was purple/black (Confusing two different injuries?) then bright red to pink, reducing to the natural color of her skin, ???? kind of a tan cream? At least in that hip area. Anyway, something really bad got her …… OR…. another sticker embedded very deep with a resulting infection? Hot compresses, continuing oozing, eventually swelling down. And today? I can finally feel the heel tendon! Think another visit will be in order soon. I suspicion some foreign object needs to come out, but maybe not. We shall see right? Anyway, Liz is much better (preemptive) thank you. My best to you and yours, Sew (lol)
