Maggie The Pup Still Has Four Legs

She Was Almost A 3-Legged Pup

[digitalghost]

Last Monday our house dog got caught up in her leash and managed to break her right front leg. It was a particularly bad break, through the growth plate in her shoulder. It was fractured in 3 places.

We took her to the vet and surgery was recommend. After visiting several orthopedic surgeons we learned that amputation might be better for the dog than surgery.

We took her back to the original vet and he assured us that he could save the leg and that Maggie wouldn't suffer any prolonged pain. So, Maggie now has two pins in her shoulder and is resting comfortably on the couch. In 7 weeks she should be walking normally again with a full range of motion in her shoulder.

[Ivana]

That must have been absolutely awful for both you and the dog! Glad to hear she's okay. Your vet must be feeling very happy about himself now.

[nancyb]

My experience with vets has run the gamut from godlike miracle men and women that really care about the pets they treat, to those that don't care about your loved one beyond what they can charge. Unfortunately, sometimes the ones with expensive clinics and full surgical facilities are the worst. Finding a good vet that gives more than routine medical care can be a nightmare when your pet is really sick or injured. Glad to hear you found one of the good ones and that Maggie will fully recover!

[mivox]

Sounds like my old vet... always willing to go the extra mile for an animal. :) Glad to hear Maggie came through alright.

[digitalghost]

>>That must have been absolutely awful for both you and the dog

Ya know, I consider myself to be one of those macho guys. Ya don't see a doctor until ya can't stand the pain. If ya smash yer finger ya tape it up and move on. Broke a rib? Engine block fell on ya? Duct tape it and cowboy up.

Hearing that dog whine every time she moved tore me up. I woke my horse vet up at 3:13 A.M. so I could get pain pills for the dog. Ya know what? He came over to the house at 4:14 A.M. and knowing that he cared that much made tears run down my cheeks. So much for that macho thing huh...

<added /> Maggie is wearing a tee shirt to cover the bandages and stitches and her right leg is taped up to prevent movement. Seeing her hop over to me so I can scratch her ears still makes my eyes watery. And yeah, I cried when the kid shot Old Yeller. ;)

[mivox]

Well, in a lot of cases it's easier to sympathize with an animal than a human, isn't it? ;) I can't think of many moments in my life that hurt as much as when one of my pets died... but seeing them in pain is worse, in a way.

Hope Maggie's better soon... I was amazed at how quickly a cat I once had healed up with a pinned femur. (I think the elizabethan collar she had to wear bothered her more than the leg!)