working dogs after bad injuries ?

[staffs riffraff 1,068]

how many of you have had or seen dogs that have had bad injuries and still gone on to work to a decent standard my young bitch broke her leg 6 weeks ago now and had it plated and pinned but vet says the screws and plate will have to be left in but the pin can come out so just wanted to hear first hand experiance my bitch was 9 month when it happened and she is using the leg like it didnt happen still keep her on the lead at all time even to go toilet but she like a kangaroo on speed anyone else got a story give me a bit of hope ?

[JPTfellterrier 65]

well this isnt hunting related but when I was 16 I did work experience at a dog swimming pool, there was a peraniean hunting dog that used to run round hell for leather with my terrier.....near the end of my two weeks she showed my a x-ray of the dogs hips, both were fully displaced and neither where anywere near the sockets. The key to helping this dog was building up the muscle without irretating the problem through swimming so it was supported by muscles.

 

This may sound a bit random but I hope this helps

[undisputed 1,664]

Had a wee black bitch that snapped her cruciate ligament and was out for about 7 - 8 month came back good as new....later she had her knee cap removed but it didn't hold her back any continued working up until she was 10....eventually took its toll on her though and she couldn't put her leg down when running

[Bosun11 537]

There's plenty of posts like your asking Staff's, do a search no matter what's posted on this thred. With serious injuries, everyone looks for some 'light', sommat to make 'em feel 'it's gonna be ok', so heres mine...

 

I've a half cross bull here thats more than had his fair share. Along with the usual injuries sustained in the field, wire rash, puncture holes and rips etc, the big daft bugger went and lost his eye. Blackthorn, right through, tried to save it at first but a lost cause and had to have it out... Ok, thinks I, got a one eyed lurcher why couldn't it still run and catch, turning on the blind side might be a bit tricky but with practice he'll adjust. So thats what i did, ran the nuts off him and catch he did!!

 

Oh was I pleased, gonna show the world my one eyed lamping lurcher could do it... But pride always comes before a fall...

A quick January Friday night, just local for a few bunnys. Ok too, nailed a couple and was on the way back.

He's off slip, never use one when on my own, and he's walking 'tight'. Scanned the field, nowt ahead so press on for home. He suddenly darts forward and immediatley the lamps up to see him right behind a hare.

Feck! (Must have been sat in a rut and I missed it!). Near the end of the field, the hare hoped to get some yardage on the big fat headed mutt up its arse but a large deep drainage dyke was only yards infront. I watched that hare change gear for 'the off' and realise her mistake, she first bent a slight left but then took a sharp right, a change to go over the stone bridge in the corner.

The left would have left him hopeless but that jink left and then the right, allowed him to change gear too and cut the angle, then he threw himself forward and disapeared....??

I ran scanning, about 15 yards either side, where..? I'd forgotten about the dyke... I stopped running at the drop and scanned down, the red light (i never had time to get the filter off) lit up a dog floundering in the mud, he didn't make a sound, the hare was screeming for all its worth, as only a hare can, I raced down the bank, about 15 feet!

Blood was pissing from his mouth, dark and thick and the mud seemed to hold him tight, it was a real struggle to pull him free.

I was sticking fast myself and did it with some sort of 'commando roll', pulling him over my chest as I went. We hit the bank, 'come on lad, get up there and we's out', but his front end didn't work!!

That bank is steep, I was wet through and he was/is fecking heavy! Recon it took me 15 mins or more to get him, slipping and sliding up that bank and, if i'm honest, I didn't do him any favours with his injurys... It was one of the hardest things i've ever had to do!

 

I first thought he had internal damage, along with broken legs or shoulders but the Vet confirmed he had serious spinal trauma and was unable to use his front end. The blood loss was from a full rip right under his lips, (if you lift your dogs lips and see where they join the skull bone), well that had gone, right across and either side, his whole face wasn't attached and flapping!

 

He was five days in the Vets when they called to say that they didn't think he would stand, nor make any recovery, they needed to see some 'glimmer' over those days and seen none. He was in bad shape, the only way his face could be held in place was to wrap the stiches round his smashed teeth and both eating and breathing was difficult. They said there was nothing more to do, dead straight, the told me what was to be done......

 

My Vet, this Vet, is in North Wales. It was gonna take me/us (the Mrs was coming too) about 45 mins there. A sickening drive that day.

We arrived and both took a deep breath, walking in, the Vet came running out to meet us... 'Come and look', we did and 'ol fat head was stood in his crate...!!!!

Once home, it took about 4 months to walk without aid and the whole process took a year, but a year on from that and he's just the same 'ol mutt i've always had. He's out mooching every day and on occasion he lamps but i pick and choose the specks very carefully. His strikes are still suicidal and I do worry for that neck but 'feck it', its Him, and what he was bred for, we wouldn't have it any other way!!!

 

After just finishing that, I'm suddenly wondering why I'm writing it... Yer, bad injurys and recovery...! Staffs, my story ain't like yours i'll bet, but yours is a much younger dog and long before this tale i've seen enough bad 'un's, injurys that have seen many a dog in the ground. You'll be very surprised, given the right care, just how well these workers can do...! Keep us posted.

 

Best of luck

[undisputed 1,664]

There's plenty of posts like your asking Staff's, do a search no matter what's posted on this thred. With serious injuries, everyone looks for some 'light', sommat to make 'em feel 'it's gonna be ok', so heres mine...

 

I've a half cross bull here thats more than had his fair share. Along with the usual injuries sustained in the field, wire rash, puncture holes and rips etc, the big daft bugger went and lost his eye. Blackthorn, right through, tried to save it at first but a lost cause and had to have it out... Ok, thinks I, got a one eyed lurcher why couldn't it still run and catch, turning on the blind side might be a bit tricky but with practice he'll adjust. So thats what i did, ran the nuts off him and catch he did!!

 

Oh was I pleased, gonna show the world my one eyed lamping lurcher could do it... But pride always comes before a fall...

A quick January Friday night, just local for a few bunnys. Ok too, nailed a couple and was on the way back.

He's off slip, never use one when on my own, and he's walking 'tight'. Scanned the field, nowt ahead so press on for home. He suddenly darts forward and immediatley the lamps up to see him right behind a hare.

Feck! (Must have been sat in a rut and I missed it!). Near the end of the field, the hare hoped to get some yardage on the big fat headed mutt up its arse but a large deep drainage dyke was only yards infront. I watched that hare change gear for 'the off' and realise her mistake, she first bent a slight left but then took a sharp right, a change to go over the stone bridge in the corner.

The left would have left him hopeless but that jink left and then the right, allowed him to change gear too and cut the angle, then he threw himself forward and disapeared....??

I ran scanning, about 15 yards either side, where..? I'd forgotten about the dyke... I stopped running at the drop and scanned down, the red light (i never had time to get the filter off) lit up a dog floundering in the mud, he didn't make a sound, the hare was screeming for all its worth, as only a hare can, I raced down the bank, about 15 feet!

Blood was pissing from his mouth, dark and thick and the mud seemed to hold him tight, it was a real struggle to pull him free.

I was sticking fast myself and did it with some sort of 'commando roll', pulling him over my chest as I went. We hit the bank, 'come on lad, get up there and we's out', but his front end didn't work!!

That bank is steep, I was wet through and he was/is fecking heavy! Recon it took me 15 mins or more to get him, slipping and sliding up that bank and, if i'm honest, I didn't do him any favours with his injurys... It was one of the hardest things i've ever had to do!

 

I first thought he had internal damage, along with broken legs or shoulders but the Vet confirmed he had serious spinal trauma and was unable to use his front end. The blood loss was from a full rip right under his lips, (if you lift your dogs lips and see where they join the skull bone), well that had gone, right across and either side, his whole face wasn't attached and flapping!

 

He was five days in the Vets when they called to say that they didn't think he would stand, nor make any recovery, they needed to see some 'glimmer' over those days and seen none. He was in bad shape, the only way his face could be held in place was to wrap the stiches round his smashed teeth and both eating and breathing was difficult. They said there was nothing more to do, dead straight, the told me what was to be done......

 

My Vet, this Vet, is in North Wales. It was gonna take me/us (the Mrs was coming too) about 45 mins there. A sickening drive that day.

We arrived and both took a deep breath, walking in, the Vet came running out to meet us... 'Come and look', we did and 'ol fat head was stood in his crate...!!!!

Once home, it took about 4 months to walk without aid and the whole process took a year, but a year on from that and he's just the same 'ol mutt i've always had. He's out mooching every day and on occasion he lamps but i pick and choose the specks very carefully. His strikes are still suicidal and I do worry for that neck but 'feck it', its Him, and what he was bred for, we wouldn't have it any other way!!!

 

After just finishing that, I'm suddenly wondering why I'm writing it... Yer, bad injurys and recovery...! Staffs, my story ain't like yours i'll bet, but yours is a much younger dog and long before this tale i've seen enough bad 'un's, injurys that have seen many a dog in the ground. You'll be very surprised, given the right care, just how well these workers can do...! Keep us posted.

 

Best of luck

 

 

I was getting a wee lump in my throat reading that...lol

[buster 8789 64]

There's plenty of posts like your asking Staff's, do a search no matter what's posted on this thred. With serious injuries, everyone looks for some 'light', sommat to make 'em feel 'it's gonna be ok', so heres mine...

 

I've a half cross bull here thats more than had his fair share. Along with the usual injuries sustained in the field, wire rash, puncture holes and rips etc, the big daft bugger went and lost his eye. Blackthorn, right through, tried to save it at first but a lost cause and had to have it out... Ok, thinks I, got a one eyed lurcher why couldn't it still run and catch, turning on the blind side might be a bit tricky but with practice he'll adjust. So thats what i did, ran the nuts off him and catch he did!!

 

Oh was I pleased, gonna show the world my one eyed lamping lurcher could do it... But pride always comes before a fall...

A quick January Friday night, just local for a few bunnys. Ok too, nailed a couple and was on the way back.

He's off slip, never use one when on my own, and he's walking 'tight'. Scanned the field, nowt ahead so press on for home. He suddenly darts forward and immediatley the lamps up to see him right behind a hare.

Feck! (Must have been sat in a rut and I missed it!). Near the end of the field, the hare hoped to get some yardage on the big fat headed mutt up its arse but a large deep drainage dyke was only yards infront. I watched that hare change gear for 'the off' and realise her mistake, she first bent a slight left but then took a sharp right, a change to go over the stone bridge in the corner.

The left would have left him hopeless but that jink left and then the right, allowed him to change gear too and cut the angle, then he threw himself forward and disapeared....??

I ran scanning, about 15 yards either side, where..? I'd forgotten about the dyke... I stopped running at the drop and scanned down, the red light (i never had time to get the filter off) lit up a dog floundering in the mud, he didn't make a sound, the hare was screeming for all its worth, as only a hare can, I raced down the bank, about 15 feet!

Blood was pissing from his mouth, dark and thick and the mud seemed to hold him tight, it was a real struggle to pull him free.

I was sticking fast myself and did it with some sort of 'commando roll', pulling him over my chest as I went. We hit the bank, 'come on lad, get up there and we's out', but his front end didn't work!!

That bank is steep, I was wet through and he was/is fecking heavy! Recon it took me 15 mins or more to get him, slipping and sliding up that bank and, if i'm honest, I didn't do him any favours with his injurys... It was one of the hardest things i've ever had to do!

 

I first thought he had internal damage, along with broken legs or shoulders but the Vet confirmed he had serious spinal trauma and was unable to use his front end. The blood loss was from a full rip right under his lips, (if you lift your dogs lips and see where they join the skull bone), well that had gone, right across and either side, his whole face wasn't attached and flapping!

 

He was five days in the Vets when they called to say that they didn't think he would stand, nor make any recovery, they needed to see some 'glimmer' over those days and seen none. He was in bad shape, the only way his face could be held in place was to wrap the stiches round his smashed teeth and both eating and breathing was difficult. They said there was nothing more to do, dead straight, the told me what was to be done......

 

My Vet, this Vet, is in North Wales. It was gonna take me/us (the Mrs was coming too) about 45 mins there. A sickening drive that day.

We arrived and both took a deep breath, walking in, the Vet came running out to meet us... 'Come and look', we did and 'ol fat head was stood in his crate...!!!!

Once home, it took about 4 months to walk without aid and the whole process took a year, but a year on from that and he's just the same 'ol mutt i've always had. He's out mooching every day and on occasion he lamps but i pick and choose the specks very carefully. His strikes are still suicidal and I do worry for that neck but 'feck it', its Him, and what he was bred for, we wouldn't have it any other way!!!

 

After just finishing that, I'm suddenly wondering why I'm writing it... Yer, bad injurys and recovery...! Staffs, my story ain't like yours i'll bet, but yours is a much younger dog and long before this tale i've seen enough bad 'un's, injurys that have seen many a dog in the ground. You'll be very surprised, given the right care, just how well these workers can do...! Keep us posted.

 

Best of luck

brillant write up mate

[staffs riffraff 1,068]

There's plenty of posts like your asking Staff's, do a search no matter what's posted on this thred. With serious injuries, everyone looks for some 'light', sommat to make 'em feel 'it's gonna be ok', so heres mine...

 

I've a half cross bull here thats more than had his fair share. Along with the usual injuries sustained in the field, wire rash, puncture holes and rips etc, the big daft bugger went and lost his eye. Blackthorn, right through, tried to save it at first but a lost cause and had to have it out... Ok, thinks I, got a one eyed lurcher why couldn't it still run and catch, turning on the blind side might be a bit tricky but with practice he'll adjust. So thats what i did, ran the nuts off him and catch he did!!

 

Oh was I pleased, gonna show the world my one eyed lamping lurcher could do it... But pride always comes before a fall...

A quick January Friday night, just local for a few bunnys. Ok too, nailed a couple and was on the way back.

He's off slip, never use one when on my own, and he's walking 'tight'. Scanned the field, nowt ahead so press on for home. He suddenly darts forward and immediatley the lamps up to see him right behind a hare.

Feck! (Must have been sat in a rut and I missed it!). Near the end of the field, the hare hoped to get some yardage on the big fat headed mutt up its arse but a large deep drainage dyke was only yards infront. I watched that hare change gear for 'the off' and realise her mistake, she first bent a slight left but then took a sharp right, a change to go over the stone bridge in the corner.

The left would have left him hopeless but that jink left and then the right, allowed him to change gear too and cut the angle, then he threw himself forward and disapeared....??

I ran scanning, about 15 yards either side, where..? I'd forgotten about the dyke... I stopped running at the drop and scanned down, the red light (i never had time to get the filter off) lit up a dog floundering in the mud, he didn't make a sound, the hare was screeming for all its worth, as only a hare can, I raced down the bank, about 15 feet!

Blood was pissing from his mouth, dark and thick and the mud seemed to hold him tight, it was a real struggle to pull him free.

I was sticking fast myself and did it with some sort of 'commando roll', pulling him over my chest as I went. We hit the bank, 'come on lad, get up there and we's out', but his front end didn't work!!

That bank is steep, I was wet through and he was/is fecking heavy! Recon it took me 15 mins or more to get him, slipping and sliding up that bank and, if i'm honest, I didn't do him any favours with his injurys... It was one of the hardest things i've ever had to do!

 

I first thought he had internal damage, along with broken legs or shoulders but the Vet confirmed he had serious spinal trauma and was unable to use his front end. The blood loss was from a full rip right under his lips, (if you lift your dogs lips and see where they join the skull bone), well that had gone, right across and either side, his whole face wasn't attached and flapping!

 

He was five days in the Vets when they called to say that they didn't think he would stand, nor make any recovery, they needed to see some 'glimmer' over those days and seen none. He was in bad shape, the only way his face could be held in place was to wrap the stiches round his smashed teeth and both eating and breathing was difficult. They said there was nothing more to do, dead straight, the told me what was to be done......

 

My Vet, this Vet, is in North Wales. It was gonna take me/us (the Mrs was coming too) about 45 mins there. A sickening drive that day.

We arrived and both took a deep breath, walking in, the Vet came running out to meet us... 'Come and look', we did and 'ol fat head was stood in his crate...!!!!

Once home, it took about 4 months to walk without aid and the whole process took a year, but a year on from that and he's just the same 'ol mutt i've always had. He's out mooching every day and on occasion he lamps but i pick and choose the specks very carefully. His strikes are still suicidal and I do worry for that neck but 'feck it', its Him, and what he was bred for, we wouldn't have it any other way!!!

 

After just finishing that, I'm suddenly wondering why I'm writing it... Yer, bad injurys and recovery...! Staffs, my story ain't like yours i'll bet, but yours is a much younger dog and long before this tale i've seen enough bad 'un's, injurys that have seen many a dog in the ground. You'll be very surprised, given the right care, just how well these workers can do...! Keep us posted.

 

Best of luck

thanks for replying everyone and thabnks for taking the time to write that mate

im just woried about the screws and plate if/when they rake knocks and wear and tear and such

 

 

 

[Bosun11 537]

If your Vets right Staffs... Then its in the hands of the Gods but yours is a young 'un, and that really helps.... Best of luck...

[skycat 6,173]

Fantastic write up Bosun. Talk about commitment to your dog: hats off for sticking by him and giving him time to recover. Not many would have done that.

[iworkwhippets 12,449]

A true dog lover, top man Bosun

[Bosun11 537]

Fantastic write up Bosun. Talk about commitment to your dog: hats off for sticking by him and giving him time to recover. Not many would have done that.

 

Thanks Skycat and all but i'll be honest, when you've helped pull sommat from your bitch and watch it grow from a ball of fluff and it took over ten years in the making, you ain't gonna say 'oh well'...!

[staffs riffraff 1,068]

Topman bosun

[BORDERSCOT 3,816]

There was a thread on here a week or so ago asking what makes a good dogman.

 

Well mate your post just about sums up what being a good dogman is all about. Major respect to you.

 

I know some folk who wouldn't think twice about swapping/changing/getting rid of dogs at the first hurdle and they call themselves dogmen!!! Don't think so!!!

 

You stuck by your dog in the most traumatic of circumstances and you were there for him. Best thing I've read on any THL forum yet.

[staffs riffraff 1,068]

Cheers mate but met few people off here who are just the same

[Neal 1,853]

My eldest kelpie was chased into the road by another dog when he was around nine months old and subsequently hit by a van. Fortunately, due to the high wheel base, it simply hit him and went straight over the top. He had a fractured pelvis and needed crate rest for a few weeks while it mended. He's gone on to be my best ever working dog as he has the knack of being in the right place at the right time. (Maybe due to his lack of speed ).

 

A couple of years ago I had to take him to the vet as he was barely able to walk (he was just coming up for ten years old at the time) and it turned out that the "jelly" between his vertebrae was beginning to calcify. Even more of interest to me was when the vet showed me the x rays. He said, "I know what you're thinking: why is the x ray taken at an angle...but that's actually dead centre." His pelvis looked like an EU and a non-EU banana side by side. The vet was amazed that he'd a) survived the initial accident and was still going.(Don't know why that smiley's there: tried to edit it out but it won't go). He was even more surprised when I told him he'd caught two rabbits less than a week earlier.

 

Current happy ending: he's still going strong though lets the two bitches do most of the running around. I don't think he's caught a rabbit since then but still gets the occasional rat and pigeon.

Edited April 26, 2011 by Neal