Scary

[Robin1017]

Robin and I (and the birds and the gerbil ) are staying at my mom's new house in CT this week for the holidays. There are two steps leading down into the living room, and it is a wood floor, so it can be slippery at times.

 

Robin is usually okay with it, but this morning he slipped while following me up into the kitchen. I didn't see it, because he was behind me, but suddenly I heard screaming from behind me and when I looked back, all four legs were spread (think Bambi on the ice) and his front legs were in the kitchen and his back legs were at the bottom of the stairs, in the living room. He was screaming and trying to get his legs under him. When I tried to help him, his legs slipped under him and he fell backwards down the stairs.

 

I got scared, because I started wondering if he had broken something. We were in the middle of the woods in a blizzard, and it would have been quite a trick to get him to the vet at that point. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. I got him to stand up, and he was shaking, obviously terrified. He was favoring one of his back legs, too. But I just sat there for a few minutes, hugging him and talking to him while he shook. When he finally calmed down, he was walking fairly normally on the leg and seemed okay.

 

I think the leg is still a little sore at times, and he has some bruising on his chest and stomach from the stair, but otherwise, he's fine. Thank goodness. That was a very scary moment, and I won't soon forget the screaming. I'm trying to accompany him up and down those stairs for now, to make sure he doesn't have trouble. Plus, he's probably sore and stiff.

 

As a footnote, he is apparently feeling well enough to tear up a book that I left on the couch and will now have to replace. I think he was getting back at us for something....

 

ETA: Darn. I didn't mean to post this in H & M. I was going for EEG. It ALMOST fits...

Edited December 28, 2010 by Robin1017

[Guest PhillyPups]

Poor Robin - hoping his bruising heals quickly.

[iluvgreys]

OMG. How scary for both of you! He will probably avoid those "evil" stairs like the plague.

[Sambuca]

I'm glad he's OK. That is scary.

 

If the stairs are totally unavoidable, go to petco and get a harness (most can adjust to fit a hound at least somewhat) and whenever he needs to use those stairs, lift on the harness. It will help keep him from falling again and help with your peace of mind. If you can't get to the store, keep a towel by the stairs and use it as a sling to help him on the stairs. Neither are fool proof, but can definitely help.

[Guest Fasave]

Oh, poor Robin. I hate that greyhound scream of death. I'm glad he seems to be okay. A good "book" always makes me feel better.

[RedFawnMom]

Poor guy! I'm glad he's ok and enjoying some literature. Do you have any rubber-backed bath mats that you could put at the bottom of the stairs so he won't lose his footing?

Edited December 28, 2010 by RedFawnMom

[silverfish]

Oh gosh, poor guy!

 

It's appropriate enough in the H&M, I think! They can damage ligaments as well as bones and muscles, don't forget. Our first grey, Jim, did the Bambi thing c/w GSOD when he was about three or four and seemed OK enough afterwards except for a slight limp which seemed to get better and then 'stuck' at intermittent. Eventually it was dxd at a vet school as a torn tensor fascia lata, a hip abductor which is buried deep in the inner thigh.

 

I hope he's OK apart from bruising and a horrible fright. It's one of the things I dread, having a grey fall downstairs.

[Robin1017]

Well, he seems to be doing okay today. A little wary of all stairs, but that is to be expected. He's been sleeping on the couch all day, pampered and soaking up the attention.

 

I will keep an eye out for the limp, but I don't think it's there anymore.

Thanks for the well-wishes!