I tried to play doctor with him, to see what was wrong with his paw. Clearly it hurt, but I could find nothing sticking in or out of it.
His left rear leg shot up to his tail, he was now very uncertainly, trying to walk on one back leg and two front legs. His left front paw may have been still tender from the booboo of a few days prior. He tottered from side to side, as if he were drunk.
He seemed so pathetic, trying to gallantly hop along on 3 legs, on his leash, that I decided to carry him home in my arms. He didn't fight me about it, but for some strange reason, he kept getting heavier and heavier. Gosh am I getting that weak? Too funny!
I washed his paw under running cool water. He was not thrilled, nothing swelled up, but he put himself to bed by the window, mournfully looking out at the cruel world that had injured his wittle paw. . The next morning, he was his usual busy self, back to walking on all fours. When I tried to inspect his foot again, he snatched it away, as if it still hurt.
Then a few days later, July 4th, a friend drove me to another's friend's camping party on a river in the mountains. We were just going for the afternoon/evening, not camping, so I rode in their car with Harley dog. When we arrived, most of the camping party was heading out on a walk down the river, a gorgeous walk. So Harley and I joined in.
He was having a great time, enjoying the new walk, he had been to this area last year, but for a puppy like him, it's thrilling to go to so many cool places hiking. On the return hike, well he was in the bushes watering something, when he suddenly jumped vertically, very startled.
His left rear leg shot up to his tail, he was now very uncertainly, trying to walk on one back leg and two front legs. His left front paw may have been still tender from the booboo of a few days prior. He tottered from side to side, as if he were drunk.
He seriously looked in pain. I picked him up to inspect, couldn't see a thing. I put him back down, he tried to walk on 3 feet, holding his left rear leg just as high as it would go, tucked into his body. His strange little leaps, looked painful, so I picked him up to carry him back to Riverbend.
There were a few other dogs there, he so wanted to meet them and play. I put him down, he slowly hobbled around on 3 legs. I had brought a bowl full of ice to convert to his drinking water for the day. I opened it up, it was icy cold water with some ice still left in it. I stuck his leg in it. He didn't much like that, but it did seem to give him some relief.
I rechecked his paw, I guess I bumped the part that hurt badly, as he grabbed my thumb, biting hard down on it, making me squeal in surprise.
OK, I get it. The poor little fellow hurts.
I put him on a lengthy tether, he wanted to hobble around sniffing the area, but he wasn't his usual enthusiastic circus doggy. Before his injury he had met a cute little female dachshund. They had acted like old lovers, the way they played and flirted. Sadly her owner left the party early, so Harley was left with the other dogs. One was super yappy, so Harley just ignored him. He dragged his little cotton clothes line tether around the party, hobbling on three legs, then resting, then hobbling.
When the fireworks started, he was a real trooper. While the other dog barked his head off annoyingly , he sat under my folding chair, nice and quiet. I got up to go get some more iced tea, he followed me over to the picnic table, where he curled up asleep, under the table, while fireworks were shooting in the sky.
When all was said I done, I woke him up, carrying back to my friend's car for the ride home. He slept in the floorboard, between my feet. The next day, amazingly, he was gingerly walking on the injured foot.
A few days later, his vet doctor and her husband came over for lunch on the patio. I made Szechuan Pasta Salad, Waldorf Salad, Mango-Chicken Salad and homemade baked beans plus multi-grain bread. He was all over her, in her lap, playing kissy face, showing off, trying to be oh so cute. When he wasn't looking, she gave him his rabies booster shot. She warned because he was so tiny, his body would need to metabolize it. He might be a bit off.
Well, he slowed down all right. This morning he woke up in a grumpy mood. When I went to pet him, he snapped at me.
Horrors!
The rest of the day, he moped around, looking exhausted. I took him for a walk, which he barely seemed interested in. I went to take his harness off, and he snapped at me again! I guess I was too close to the shot area or something. Poor little grumpy doggy.
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