Treating my dog's wound == not fun

[NuclearNed]

My dog has hurt herself, and treating her injury is breaking my heart.

Several days ago the dog was running through the woods while I worked outside, and she somehow got a nasty looking gash on her front right paw in between a couple of toes. It took a day or two for me to even know she was hurt - she wasn't limping, and the only sign of injury is that she kept licking it incessantly.

So after we found it, my wife took Coda to the vet and got lots of medications. She got a steroid shot to take down the swelling, oral antibiotics that seem almost the size of my fist, a topical antiseptic that we have to spray on the wound, and eye drops for an unrelated problem (allergies).

Coda is a really big lovable dog, completely gentle in every way. She's ok getting shots, she's ok with me shoving the brick-sized pills down her throat, and she's ok with the eye drops. But the topical antiseptic must be alcohol based, and obviously causes her a lot of pain.

It's heart wrenching when it comes time to spray the wound, because even though she knows what's coming, she always obediently comes to me and sits on command. She never growls or acts like she's going to bite - she just quietly struggles a little as I hold down her paw, and then she just submits and takes it without even whining. What kills me is that afterwards those big brown eyes give me that look that tells all: she's feeling betrayed, and wonders what's come over me to want to hurt her so much.

I can't wait until she's better - I have an enormous sense of guilt right now. Knowing that I'm doing the right thing doesn't help much. I just wish she could understand.

 

[trmiv]

Poor doggie. She should be better soon. What sucks is since they don't know what you're saying, you can't make them understand you're not doing it to hurt them. I know how you feel listening to my poor puppy crying while getting blood drawn from his neck last night was tearing me up.

 

[sonambulo]

Awwww poor doggie. Whenever I had to do stuff like that to my dogs I would always pick them up on my lap for a good hour or so and smother them with affection and a treat afterwards. She'll understand.

 

[zoiks]

Good thing is that dogs live in the moment and are extremely forgiving. You just need to do whats required.

 

[Blieb]

Give her extra cookies!!!

I'm sure she knows that you're doing it to make her feel better. If she's submitting so easily, she's smart and knows you're helping.

 

[Squisher]

Aww poor Ned, sounds like NuclearNed is going through more trauma than the dog.

I think some Librium or Thorazine are in order............for Ned.

Something you might want to think about next time this happens. Infact, you could bundle the your dog first-aid treatments along with something for the owner.

 

[amdhunter]

lol, reminds me of the time my dog popped one of his paws on the bottom. It was open and all red and nasty, and he would have a heart attack when I cleaned it. I don't think he cared much really though, as he was usually happy less than a minute later after everything.

He is used to pain from me anyway, since I like to bite him at random to piss him off.

 

[Jeff7]

Once she's all healed up, I'm sure she won't think a thing of it. You magically made her all better by doing hurty things to the already hurty paw. Then with it better, all will be well with her world once again.

 

[brunell8]

My wife and I went through something very similiar about 18 months ago. My dog was attacked by the pit bull next door. Luckily the pit only got hold of my dogs collar and not his neck, but was pulling so hard, my dog's neck was split open. The next day when we took him to the vet, they had to cut out the dead skin. Left a gaping hole in his neck about the circumference of a softball. We had to clean it daily with solution, pat it dry, sprinkle in some kind of powder they gave us, then wrap his neck up in a towel pinned around him so he wouldn't scratch at it. It was disgusting to look at and smelled even worse. Now when we get him trimmed in the summer, he has this huge scar down the side of his neck. I might still have pics if anyone wants to somewhat grossed out.

 

[mikelish]

Luckily. Dogs live in the moment and forgive easily. Keep up the good work

 

[RKS]

When our lab was younger he loved sitting in the front seat of my car. He enjoyed sticking his head out of the window.

I was coming home from my in-laws and my wife, who had driven seperately, pulled up on my right while I was driving (about 40 MPH). She had her window down and said "Hi Bacon" and the moron tried to jump from my car into hers!

He still had his leash on so I slammed on my brakes and grabbed the leash. By this time he was already dangling outside of the car. Fortunately I had grabbed enough of the leash that he didn't get run over by my car, my wife's car, or other traffic.

He did get major road-rash on his rear paws that took a few months to heal. This incident was on the Memorial Day weekend and we had to go to the emergency vet which cost us about $500.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: RKS
When our lab was younger he loved sitting in the front seat of my car. He enjoyed sticking his head out of the window.

I was coming home from my in-laws and my wife, who had driven seperately, pulled up on my right while I was driving (about 40 MPH). She had her window down and said "Hi Bacon" and the moron tried to jump from my car into hers!

He still had his leash on so I slammed on my brakes and grabbed the leash. By this time he was already dangling outside of the car. Fortunately I had grabbed enough of the leash that he didn't get run over by my car, my wife's car, or other traffic.

He did get major road-rash on his rear paws that took a few months to heal. This incident was on the Memorial Day weekend and we had to go to the emergency vet which cost us about $500.

Damn!

 

[GasX]

I feel for you, but it's nothing a nice piece of sirloin can't fix.

 

[jonks]

Originally posted by: RKS
When our lab was younger he loved sitting in the front seat of my car. He enjoyed sticking his head out of the window.

I was coming home from my in-laws and my wife, who had driven seperately, pulled up on my right while I was driving (about 40 MPH). She had her window down and said "Hi Bacon" and the moron tried to jump from my car into hers!

He still had his leash on so I slammed on my brakes and grabbed the leash. By this time he was already dangling outside of the car. Fortunately I had grabbed enough of the leash that he didn't get run over by my car, my wife's car, or other traffic.

He did get major road-rash on his rear paws that took a few months to heal. This incident was on the Memorial Day weekend and we had to go to the emergency vet which cost us about $500.

The dog is the moron here? j/k Named him bacon? lol

 

[RKS]

Originally posted by: sirjonk

Originally posted by: RKS
When our lab was younger he loved sitting in the front seat of my car. He enjoyed sticking his head out of the window.

I was coming home from my in-laws and my wife, who had driven seperately, pulled up on my right while I was driving (about 40 MPH). She had her window down and said "Hi Bacon" and the moron tried to jump from my car into hers!

He still had his leash on so I slammed on my brakes and grabbed the leash. By this time he was already dangling outside of the car. Fortunately I had grabbed enough of the leash that he didn't get run over by my car, my wife's car, or other traffic.

He did get major road-rash on his rear paws that took a few months to heal. This incident was on the Memorial Day weekend and we had to go to the emergency vet which cost us about $500.

The dog is the moron here? j/k Named him bacon? lol

He is a chocolate lab and we were going to get a yellow lab and name him Eggs.

 

[ManBearPig]

thats really hard...i hate it when my dogs feel like theyre doing something wrong but they really arent. they're really really small and if i step on them or they get in the way of my foot they give a little screech and they get scared, like they did something wrong and i hit them.

i feel so bad lol, so i hold them and give them treats.

 

[hiromizu]

Years ago I had a golden retriever that somehow stepped on a piece of glass that penetrated and got lodged into the fleshy part of his front paw. I noticed it when I saw him licking it and had difficulty walking. Since I couldn't bring him to the vet (he was ~100lbs) I had to take it out with a tweezer. When I got near him, he started licking my hands but as soon as I grabbed the glass with the tweezer, he bit my fucking hand. Luckily he eats a lot and had round teeth LOL but I was shocked and broken hearted since he never bit or hurt anyone. I had my sister put him in a choke hold and was able to get the glass out. Afterwards he seemed to be pretty grateful for what I did. Bastard but sad to say he passed away two summers ago.