Lessons Learned The Hard Way

[macoduck]

No flames please, it's been a bad week here and not just for the dogs.

I hope someone can learn from our mistakes.

 

I can home from work with an achy back. Let the dogs out/in and thought if I got to my chiropractor at just the right time he could work me in. He did, and I was gone from home for no more than 35 minutes. Returning home, normally I am greeted by a chorus of barking dogs led by Wally but the house was silent. I had left Wally outside in 90 degree weather. No water bowls out there but plenty of shade.

Once he dashed in to the house I could not get him back out to the garden hose to cool him down. He didn't even drink much water. I put soaked cloths on his skin while I poured water over him in the living room. I wiped the pads of his feet with alcohol wipes. Continued to keep him wet and had the ceiling fan on high. His temperature was 104.5 initially, within minutes in came down to normal. Thirty minutes from when I came home and cooled him down, he was playing with a toy and wanting to eat.

We were very very lucky.

 

Last night DH was hanging out in the garage (his man cave), I was in the living room. He went to bed. Two hours later the light drizzle of rain ramped up to severe thunderstorms. I went to check on Thane since he's thunderphobic and I could not find Gracie. DH had left her outside and forgotten her. She was soaked. When I tried to dry off her head she yelped. Gracie had a large hematoma on the end of her ear. My guess would be that in shaking to get the rain off while she was outside, she either shook it so hard a blood vessel burst or she hit it on something while shaking her head.

I gave her some pain meds and gently wrapped the ear so she wouldn't try to shake it. By morning the hematoma had not gone down and she was very uncomfortable. My vet doesn't have Saturday hours and the E vet doesn't open until noon. Rather than take her to the other (bad) vets in town, I took her to one that another greyhound owner likes. I got there at 8 to be told they didn't take walkins, but when the tech saw I had a greyhound she said they'd make an exception. Turns out she has 6 whippets.

The vet had the tech lay Gracie's ear on an ice pack for a few minutes to numb it, then gave her an injection of lidocaine. She lanced the ear and out came the blood - a good bit of it on the vet.

She finished with an injection of dexamethasone and gentomycin. We are to continue to give her the cephalexin she was on for her very recent anal gland near-rupture. If the hematoma reappears then she will probably need a surgical fix.

We were very very lucky.

 

The dogs are rarely outside without us and yet this happened twice in a week.

 

Since we nearly baked Wally and drowned Gracie, DH and I need to learn how to count heads before we get our dogs repossessed.

[Guest KyGrey]

:grouphug

[GreyPoopon]

Yikes. I'm glad Wally is OK, and I hope Gracie's hematoma doesn't return.

 

And for you:

Edited July 18, 2009 by GreyPoopon

[Newgreymom]

Ducky,

 

I completey understand...I have left Dylan out and almost forgot! Hugs to you, your husband and all the dogs...

[rschultz]

so sorry..it is so easy to do. we all do it. things can happen in a minute whether your there or not. hope your week improves.

[CaliforniaGreys]

I'm glad all turned out ok Ducky, and I hope your back is feeling better. Back aches are the worst and very distracting

Edited July 18, 2009 by cbudshome

[Guest fruitypebbles]

It's been a tough week.

 

How about having 3 treats lined up on the counter when they go out. When they come in treat each one and then you'll know they're all in when the counter is empty.

[Guest greyscot]

I'm glad everyone is okay. It is so easy done. I left my Angel Shirley out. I had let her out while I gathered my gear together for the gym and promptly forgot about her!! I went to the gym and saw her little face at the back door when I returned 2 hours later. She was fine because the weather was neither too hot nor too cold and it was dry but I felt so guilty. to you.

[TheFullHouse]

Don't feel bad Ducky, I think all of us with multiples have done this at one time or another. Lesson learned and we quickly learn how to count. I'm glad both your babies are well, hope Gracies ear heals with no further complications.

[Guest EmilyAnne]

Weve all made horrible mistakes. I once accidentally forgot to let my dogs in before bedtime. They spent the whole night outside with no shelter! These dogs were NOT dogs used to sleeping outside.

[Guest sorenkkg]

Hugs to all of you, and thank you for posting this reminder...

 

I'd share my stories but you'd all think we're bad parents I swear that Haka is even more of a survivor than a normal greyhound b/c he's survived all my attempts to (accidentally) kill him... sigh. Thank g-d these dogs are resiliant and DETERMINED to love us, no matter what we do in the name of loving them back

 

Aleeya got left outside (neither hot nor cold nor wet nor sunny, thankfully) a few weeks ago-- I think the cleaners opened the back door (not supposed to) to clean it or shake something outside, and I guess she got out and no one told me... they left (I was home) and I was walking around and saw that sweet little face looking IN at me from outside????

How did she get there?

how much grass did she eat? sigh...

 

You're good parents, and we all just need a reminder to slow down a bit and pay attention a little more.

 

 

[Guest Jennifer4719]

Hope your week gets better! We are all human and we all do make mistakes, so try not to beat yourselves up too bad! Hope your back is feeling better and glad your pups are doing fine!

[nyGreys]

I'm glad everything turned out ok & hope you feel better.

 

I worry more in the winter. I'm so afraid I'm gonna forget they're

out in the cold. Sometimes at night one or all will wanna go out, & I'm half asleep so when they go

out, I Don't sit down in a comfy chair, because I know I'd fall asleep. There's been a couple times have

been asleep in the recliner & woke up & thought the dogs were out! I didn't know I could move that fast!

 

 

 

 

[Remolacha]

 

 

[Guest arlosmom]

OHh Ducky, I am so sorry for your bad week. I did the same thing to Arlo not too long ago. He likes to lay in the sun and I forgot and ran up to CVS gone about the same amount of time. Whew. Stuff like that does happen to all of us. I hope Gracie's ear gets better soon and that she doesn't have to have any surgery. Those of us with multiple hounds need to take a role call. I left Arlo also at night for about an hour or more and it was 40 degrees. He didn't even cry or scratch at the door like Jewel would do. Hugs, Deb

[Guest IrskasMom]

 

 

Ducky .... Don't beat yourself up . S%$%t happens and it just was a bad few Days . We all have them . For all the cool

Month , I took Morty with me everywhere I go .Now I have to remind myself everyday not to go anywhere ( even for the

shortest Time ) to leave Morty in the Car . Even Minutes can be deadly .

for Ducky , Gracie and Wally

[Guest PhillyPups]

 

Ducky, I'm coming to get your pups now (I knew I'd find a reason to snatch them up) ;lol :lol

 

I am so gald it all turned out okay for you. Isn't it a bitch to be reminded we're human and not as perfect as our hounds? I too do a head check - crap Stepper used to stand at the open door and wait till I called him in no matter what the weather - nothing I taught him, I just had to remember to call him in!!

[Guest TurnerMiller01]

I'm so sorry you are having such a bad week.. I am glad that your hounds are ok.

Hugs to you... that things start to get better for you and that your back feels better soon.

 

yes.. your stories are a good reminder to all.. thank you for sharing.

[maryz]

I'm glad everything turned out o.k. and I hope Gracie's hematoma doesn't come back. Please don't beat yourself

up-no one is perfect (except greyhounds)

[Guest Energy11]

TIME TO CHILL, Ducky! Do you drink??? If so, have a cold, tall one!

 

Glad everyone is okay, and I HOPE the hematoma doesn't return! Hugs! DEE

[Guest kydie]

What a week you all had, I know how easy it is to get caught up in what is going on in the house, I let my pack out one night for a final pee, called them in, I was sure all 4 passed me in the kitchen, turned out the light, started up the steps, and heard this little "yip" thought a neighbor dog was in my yard, "how could it get in the fence" walked to the backdoor opened it up there stood "the old girl" looking at me so discussed. I know, I know

[Batmom]

Glad you got the hematoma taken care of!

 

And glad everybody got inside safely.

 

Hugs.

[Guest Flysmom]

to all of you!

[MandysMom]

What a tough week. Sometimes the best thing I can say about a day (or week) is that it's over and I can move on. I'm glad everyone is okay.

[KF_in_Georgia]

You can try this:

 

Get colored loops--oversized rubber bands, bits of ribbon or string--and assign one color per dog.

 

Hang the loops on the doorknob.

 

Let a dog out? Put the correct colored loop on your wrist. (Multiple dogs go out? Put multiple loops on your wrist.)

 

Let the dog back in? Put the loop back on the doorknob.

 

Any time you walk by the doorknob, count the loops. That way, you'll know a dog is out even if you weren't the one to let him/her outside.

 

 

Sorry you--and the dogs--have had such a rough time.