If only we could all be like dogs...

Last week, my 4 pound Toy Fox Terrier and I had an accident. The sidewalk outside was slippery and I was carrying Scooby outside to go to the bathroom because at 14 years old, he can't go up and down the stairs anymore. I thought to myself, "It looks slippery, be careful" and yet I still ended up flying through the air and practically body-slamming poor Scooby down onto the ground as we fell. It was horrifying to hear his yelp of pain and to know that I caused it. I quickly snatched him up to cuddle him and realized that he had no use of his back legs. When I set him down, he crumpled and fell over and I didn't know if I broke his legs or his hips, or his back... I panicked and ran inside to call the vet. They could get me in right away so I wasted no time bundling him up in a blanket and rushing off to get help.

At the vet, they took X-rays and listened to his heart and lungs. He wasn't getting deep breaths and his heart was beating irregularly. They came back with the x-rays and told me that they couldn't see any significant breaks and that his lungs had not been punctured. The shallow breathing could have been due to the shock and trauma and they wondered if his heart had been bruised during the fall or if he'd had a heart murmur for some time. They concluded that without more tests (EKG, etc.) that there wasn't anything they could do for him. I decided to take him home, to shower him with TLC and give him time to heal. I was so grateful and so relieved because part of me had thought that he would never see home again.

That was a week ago yesterday. Since that time, he has slept a lot, but is now walking on his own and is his usual, feisty self. He is one tough little bugger. He doesn't whine, he doesn't complain. He doesn't hold a grudge over me almost killing him, but still follows me around adoringly, wanting only to be on my lap. He is forgiving and loyal and loves without conditions. He is happy and makes the most of every minute he has with me.

If only we could all be like dogs...

PS- yesterday I got a call from the vet. The radiologist confirmed that he had two fractured ribs. Poor baby. You can't keep a good dog down.

Julie