GREYHOUND INJURIES

This has been quite the busy week for us at the Cult. Aside from a big Astronomy event for work, (I was a guest speaker on a meteorite panel, I don’t know when I became a specialist, but apparently if you are in an unusual field long enough it can happen.) we have had some dog drama. Again. Sigh.

Miss Breeze cut her webbing again. Different toe, same result; stitches. Gah. We have been an all dog injury free house since the last time she cut her foot open in May (I’ve finally deduced it was from jumping up on the door and catching it on the molding around the window).

Actually the week previous I had found a lump on Breeze’s chest (yup, another one), but I hadn’t had a break in my schedule to bring her in. The toe luckily came at a time when I finally had a day off. So it was a two-fer. Actually it was a three-fer. She was also having problems with her gums and teeth, even though we had them cleaned a year ago. So in we went two weeks ago. The Doc took one look at her toe and said “Yup, stitches. Wrap that back up.” When I mentioned the lump, he felt around until he found it, then gave me a concerned look. “This one feels weird, it definitely needs to come out and be sent to pathology.” As for the gums “The teeth need to be cleaned again.” So they took her for the day.

I noticed this visit; I have been upgraded from the standard manila file folder to an expansive 3-ring binder that houses all the dogs records. (hmmm, dogs in a binder…) I’m not sure whether to be honored or mortified that we have been there so often we rated a binder.

Last week, the toe seemed to be doing well on the bandage changes, but I was pretty anxious about the results of the lump. Then they came back. “They don’t know what it is and need to run more tests.” My panic level instantly ratcheted up a few notches, until he said, “The good news is that they do know it is not cancer.” Whew! Dodged that bullet again.

On Monday we went in for our follow up exam. When he unwrapped the bandage, there was a bit of fresh blood. She blew out a couple of stitches. Rather than put her under, the Doc numbed her foot and fixed it up right there in the exam room. Her skin looked like hamburger, and though he didn’t want to, because of the location on the foot, he had to put staples in. It was the only way to really get the skin together.

So Miss Thing has been grounded for an additional 3 weeks. She’s already tired of being cooped up in the house after 10 days. To help her restlessness a little, I’ve been taking her for car rides around the neighborhood. Otherwise, she is making herself quite comfortable on the couch.