Saturday, July 22, 2017

This Morning

This morning when we got up Lily got up and held one of her rear legs up and was hopping. I examined her foot and leg and there was no puncture wound. She lay down in her bed and I massaged her thigh.

We carried her down the stairs from the third floor, using a towel wrapped under her waist Bill held up her rear legs and I held up her chest supporting front legs. I took her out to pee and fed her and gave her one buffered aspirin in peanut butter and a biscuit.

The day before (Thursday night) we had walked to Harris pond in Blackstone (1.5 miles each way) and she swam out fetching the stick about 6 times and then we walked home. It was more swimming than usual. Maybe she is feeling the effects from that day. She also slept on the wooden floor rather than rug or her bed.

Right now she's curled up on her thick and cozy dog bed. She pooped and peed outside in our yard and ate her food but she is lame on her right rear leg. The muscles in that leg are shaking.

At the moment I plan to give her 48 hours of rest and only backyard moments to relieve herself. I will continue with one buffered aspirin at morning meal and end of the day with her snack.

I hope and pray that she will recover.


UPDATE:2PM

Bill and I looked closely and saw that Lily's ankle is swollen. Now I recall she stepped into the one foot dog made hole when the house painters emptied dirty water into it. It shocked me that they dumped paint water in my yard and surprised her. I washed off her dirty leg. After the evening walk she didn't want to jump up a foot to the raised yard.


We just took her into the yard to pee and drink water using a towel under her abdomen to support her. She is lying down on the linoleum with her weight on the leg that has the sore ankle. If that is comfortable for her perhaps that is a good sign and maybe it feels good having her own body warmth on it.

http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-a-Sprained-Ankle-on-a-Dog

Maybe we will wrap some frozen corn in a cloth and apply it when she re-positions herself.

2:30 Bill and I walked downtown and through the park without Lily so Lily could rest. Everyone asked "Where's Lily!"
"She sprained her ankle!" I said, and she needs to stay off it for 48 hours.
"Awww, I hope we see her soon," our neighbor's said.
When we got home I put frozen corn wrapped in a bandana on her ankle and set the timer for 15 minutes. She didn't resist after the initial curiosity. She isn't shaking or drooling anymore. She's in rest and recover mode. She will have another buffered aspirin with food tonight. I pray she will be okay.
This article https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/10_3/features/Treating-Dog-Injuries_15914-1.html
said let her rest 2 hours before reapplying the wrapped cold pack.


Last night I helped Lily outside to pee and read my book outside with her until Bill could help me carry her back inside. We didn't want her to climb the indoor stairs and neither did she. This morning she stood up and was wagging when I came down at 6 AM. I let her outside to pee and she climbed back inside herself. She's 50 percent better! I fed her and gave her buffered aspirin and placed frozen corn wrapped in a towel on her ankle for 15 minutes. Now she's in her bed next to us.

Yesterday we iced her ankle a few times for 10 minutes at 2 hour intervals. She was feeling good. This morning she still has a little bit of swelling but she is putting weight on it. And was ready for a short walk. We both were eager to get out and sniff even in the rain. She is 85 percent back to normal and sitting right by my side. AMEN!

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: She has been pulling me and eager to resume her routines. She has handled everything well but I am still being cautious giving her just the downtown walks and continuing the buffered aspirin with her food. Her walks are not huge just the downtown loop and the mini Hazel Street Saint Germain loop. Last night there were skunks out.

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