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The past week has been quite the journey for us.

Last Monday morning I let the doggies out while I fixed their breakfast. Suddenly I heard the loudest yelp of pain from the back. Ran downstairs and Freckles, my male greyhound, was standing behind the pool. When I went over to help he was holding his front left leg off the ground. When I touched him, it was swinging free - no resistance! Fortunately my neighbor was home and climbed the fence to come and help. He carried Freckles to the car and I put the other dogs in the house, grabbed my purse and keys and ran. My neighbor sat in the back of my SUV holding Freckles. At the vet they carried him inside and did xrays - his femur (the same bone as our upper arm) had a complex fracture.

The vet told me the visiting orthopedic vet wasn't scheduled for a few days and I would need to take him to Charleston, 90 miles away. I called a friend to help me - she drove and I sat in the back seat and held him for the drive down. The vet is Charleston was great - but they couldn't do the surgery until Tuesday. So they stabilized him and I had to leave him.

Tuesday was a very loooonnnnnggggggg day! He went into surgery about 11 am. I called about once an hour to check on him. About 2 pm and still no word I was pacing the house, washing clothes, folding laundry, doing dishes, etc. When DH called and I was already on the verge and completely lost it - I was then pacing and crying when DH called to see if there was news. Finally - 3 1/2 hours he was out of surgery and he was having complications from the anesthesia - a problem with greys.

The surgery was to straighten the broken bone, remove bone fragments, put a plate over the area, a pin and about 6 screws in his front left leg.

Tuesday night I had a meeting I had to attend. When I got home I let Katie our other grey and Boomer out. When they came in I noticed Katie had a gash in her chest!!! I have no idea what happened or when. She went to the vet on Wednesday and got stitches. I had to drop her off, because I had to leave to go to Charleston to get Freckles.

All are home now, but not a lot of sleep. I've been sleeping on the sofa all week, except while DH was home over the weekend. I think I'll be able to move back upstairs tomorrow night - Freckles is walking on his own much better.

But - Freckles has to be confined to close quarters for the next 2 months and he is not allowed off the lead in the back yard. He is our wild child and hard to contain. And did I mention - we live in a raised beach cottage?

I'm just looking forward to a full night's sleep.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Charming,

Oh my, Charming, I am so sorry to hear about both Freckles and Katie's injuries.

But happy to learn that both came through and will recuperate with time. I am sure that you are simply worn out - try to get some sleep now that the immediate danger has passed. Sending good thoughts your way.

My goodness Charming, I'm so sorry to hear about what happened to Freckles and Katie. I'm glad they'll both be OK.

Wow! Glad to hear both are doing well. That's too much adventure for that short of time. Well, really for any time!

Very glad to hear that both dogs are doing well.Have you been able to figure out what happened to break one's leg and get the gash on the other? Thank goodness they are both on the mend.

quote:

Very glad to hear that both dogs are doing well.Have you been able to figure out what happened to break one's leg and get the gash on the other?

I was also wondering if you know what might have happened.

Sending thoughts to both for a speedy recovery.

Charming..prayers are being answered for your pets. I would hesitate to let thm wander out with no knowledge of what the danger is..out there. Scary.

We have a large fenced in back yard - a must if you have greyhounds. From my walk around the back where Freckles had his accident all I could find was one exposed tree root - but it was pretty low to the ground and a good distance from where he was standing - and a mole hole which was very close to him. So I think he stepped into the mole hole while at a good run.

Katie - I have no clue. After I left her at the vet and stopped by home I did a full circuit of the backyard and found nothing sticking out. I know she gets excited about a raccoon in the area beyond the fence. We have one natural area with a wire fence she could have hit when leaping but I could not find blood or hair on it anywhere. So Katie remains a mystery.

Well, Freckles is back at the vet in Charleston. On Sunday he broke 2 of the screws in his leg. They are going to have to do surgery again and when he comes home he will be severely limited on activities for 2 months.

Sorry to hear about Freckles and Katie. It's awful when they get hurt, but worse if you can't find out how it happened. Hope they both heal quickly.

Good news- Katie's sutures came out today and the wound is healing well. So no problems there.

Freckles is back in surgery, I'm now waiting by the phone for a call from the vet's office.

Edited for an update: Got the call from the vet. Freckles did well during the surgery, a little hitch with his heart when they were closing him up, not uncommon with Grey's and anesthesia. He is fine now and I can get him in the morning.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Charming,

Freckles is home, the vet put his foot in a sling and he is not a happy camper. He is also extremely limited. No stairs, he has to go on the porch. Seems he has gotten shy and I have to go inside for him to relieve himself. When I'm away from home he is in the kennel.

As much as he hates it - he is quite relaxed and lays in it for a couple of hours when I open the door when I get back home.

I'm still sleeping on the sofa and he has turned into quite the whiny butt at night.

Oh for a good night's sleep.

Glad Freckles came through everything - again - it will just take time though so I hear your frustration! Hang in there...

Freckles update.

Friday I noticed blood on his t-shirt and when I checked it looked like it might have ulcerated at the top of the wound. I called the Mt .Pleasant vet and she said to antiseptic ointment and bandage it. Yesterday it was worse and the pin had worked through the skin due to muscle atrophy. I took him to the local vet for x-rays - consult between them and Mt. pleasant vet. He is going to Mt. Pleasant tomorrow to have the pin trimmed and stitched up.

Well, back home from Charleston, this time I didn't have to leave him over night. He is all stitched up and with luck - knock on wood no more issues until we go back for x rays in about 7 weeks.

Hoping this time will be a healing time with no more set-backs, Charming. Many good thoughts headed your way!

OMG that is just horrible! Your poor babies. I find deep narrow holes in the ground all the time from armadillos and worry about the same, my dogs running at full speed and a paw drops in one of those holes. I'm always filling them up, but new ones are found the next day.
As far as the gash on Katie, oh geez there's got to be something sharp out there. Poor things, I hope they get better soon.

Thanks for the kind words.

Took Freckles back to the vet today to have the last of the sutures removed. YEA!

All went well and he seems to be doing fairly well. He will have a significant limp, but that is okay because that bone will never be terribly strong.

His next vet visit will be in about 3 weeks to Charleston for follow up xrays.

Katie is great- you would never know she had a huge gash in her chest. I still have no idea what she came up against.

So glad to hear that your pups are doing so well!

Glad to hear your puppers are getting better !

Good to see that your dogs are doing better!

Freckles did not get good news when he went back for his xrays on Thursday.

Xrays showed he broke 2 pins and the leg is not yet stable. We have to keep him restricted for another month. If he doesn't show significant healing in the leg by then he will have to go into a full upper boady cast.

Oh, Charming, so sorry to hear the bad news. Hopefully further restrictions for another month - I know it is tough - will help avoid the necessity for even more drastic measures. Please keep us posted...