We decided to let the dogs have a run in Margaret's field this morning. The stubble field had been ploughed over the weekend and we know that she is also considering ploughing at least some of the hay field because of the number of mole hills in it, so future opportunities may be limited.
We let Jen off first and she trotted happily away. Then we let Poncho off and he quickly disappeared at speed over the brow of the hill. We wandered up and saw him at the other end of the field. He appeared to be hobbling. When we got to him he was looking very sorry for himself, and he was clearly suffering. He would manage a few limping steps and then stop. Paul took Jen home and then came back with the car.
While I was waiting for him David walked past with Florence, which normally causes much jumping, twirling and barking. Other than another two or three hobbles towards the gate there was little reaction. We managed to get him into the back of the car but had to lift him back out when we got home.
We gave him a half dose of pain killer with some food and decided to see how he was when we got back from shopping. Things were obviously not great as he had not broken into the kitchen and the lounge was still intact. His left paw had now swollen quite considerably. I phoned the vet and we got an appointment to take him in at 2.30 p.m.
Again he had to be lifted in and out of the car, and once inside took very little notice of a Yorkshire terrier waiting ahead of us.
The vet decided to keep him in to X-ray it - she thought he had broken his middle two toes. This was later confirmed, one very badly broken and the other one cracked.
He now has a very large padded bandage that we have to try to keep on for 10 days before he goes back for a checkup. No walks for the forseeable future, and no runs for at least 6 weeks. If the worst comes to the worst and the badly broken toe does not set it may have to be removed.
No comments:
Post a Comment