Poor pup!

This last week has been hard, and if you aren't a pet owner, or haven't had small kids, this may not make a lot of sense. But, we have 2 dogs, Charlie and Kiera. Kiera was rescued be me from wandering up and down a duel carriage way, and abandoned, having captured her, phoning the most famous organisation for rescuing animals.. they said "Is she injured?" on no.. they said "Sorry we don't do stray animals".. fine.. sorry guys I had a lot of love for that organisation, ever last scrap went with that comment. (As they do do strays!!!)

Charlie, was our first pup and I guess in someways that will always make him a little special. However, there is just something about him, his character he is just a special little guy (little isn't really a good word, as hes 45kg!)

anyway

Last year, Charlie had an operation on his ear for a lump, which we were told was benign, but has reoccurred so he had an op again this year on the 28th (I thought I had blogged about my response when we were told it was back and stuff.. but apparently not, just as well the post would have been rather angry)

Well this week has been a week of tragedy

On going back on Monday for a check up Charlie had been exceedingly more than reluctant to get in my car. To the point of in trying we had succeeded in ripping the plastic facia stuff off the back, as well as him fretting and ending up on my front seat, well bum in the foot well paws on the seat with him drooling like a manic thing into the seat..

When we were told we should come back Wednesday, I made him a deal. You get in the car without too much fuss, and we'll go for a big big walk round the fields near the vets, as on the Monday I had rewarded him with a short walk there and he had behaved so well (we don't have good places to let dogs off the leads near us all the big green bits open straight onto roads where cars are doing between 40-60mph..)

Wednesday came, he got in the car with little effort, and so his reward was an hour of walks around the fields, he was the model of perfection, any fears I had about his behavior when things may crop up, like people walking there too (he tends to bounce) I could call and he would come back and walk with me, when other dogs came in he didn't rush and play, he stayed with me as asked and well I could have cried I was just so proud..

What happened next was the saddest thing (Well it could have been worse I grant but, there is no justice here)

I commented to a lady with her 2 collies how well behaved they were and the collies took a ball and came over to charlie and asked him to play so I let him, so they all played together, Kiera couldn't be bothered, and it was glorious to see everyone playing in the wonderful sunshine..

I was about to go, so through the ball 1 last time.

Charlie didn't make it there first, and then turned and lifted his back leg up, he wouldn't put it down, he had hurt himself.

he came back looking real sorry

so I checked his paw, lay him down, checked his leg he didn't whine, couldn't find anything obvious.

So we went back to the vet - Poor Charlie had to walk, it was probably half mile!

The vet looked and found the problem very quickly

Charlie had broken both Cruciate ligaments in his knee (Explained here ) in short, these are a X shaped pair that hold the knee together.

I was devastated, what a horrible way for such immaculate behavior to be rewarded.

An operation was booked for the next day, I asked to attend. It was granted, I was kinda relieved, having 2 ops in a week is certainly not good for a dog, and I had so many fears, and I confess there is an element of feeling at fault so being there at the making better was to help me feel included in the doing so.

The vets have been marvelous, the even reshuffled bringing the op forward - the sooner done, the less damage happens to the inner bits of his leg.

The op went well.. The best that could be expected, no complications, no compromises, all good.. For someone (me) who's scared of needles like you've never seen, I do have a rather curious lack of issue as long as they are going into someone else. So, even watching someone I love as much as Charlie, was not an issue, seeing them cutting and poking and even the scary hook thing they used to pop his knee.. not a flinch.. (kinda just as well the room wasn't that big if I had passed out, thrown up or such there was no room!)

The hardest part was as he came round he cried, I think 90% of it was disorientation the rest was telling me how scared he was..

I spent most of the next 24 hours hugging him, this included me sleeping on the floor, freezing my bits off (had to be the coldest night so far this year didn't it!?) with only my clothes, a coat and in the end a rug Charlie had chewed as a pup to keep me warm.

Last night finally for the first time he managed to getup on his own, and he wanted to wander out having had to err, "leak" onto a towel for the last day, and did all he needed in the garden without me having to support him and you have no idea how much I had worried about the tactics of doing this.

Well today, Saturday, we went back for a checkup, and the vet said it was better than expected, this is such a relief.

However, as you can see from the pic I will attach, Charlie had the life of royalty for that time (and its not much different now) with his water being bought to him and offered him in bowls, each dog biscuit of his tea hand fed.. and.. HE got the couch!!






Before you ask, the pillow case is covering his leg, which has about a 9" set of stitches on it, but it was more to keep the draft off it