In A Bad Way

When Leah, our Australian Kelpie was in heat for the first time, friends from out of town were visiting. Robin explained that we had to keep a close eye on she and Red (our male Kelpie), saying that Leah was "in a bad way." That phrase stuck, and as of yesterday, has come to mean more than being in heat.

Leah and Red are beloved pets, but they are also working farm dogs. They go to work every day with Robin, where they help immensely with herding and sorting cows, not to mention gathering up the chickens every evening. Although we love them and do our best to take good care of them, sometimes accidents happen. Yesterday was one of those times: Leah fell off the back of Robin's Nissan pickup just before dark. She seemed unhurt, except for a nasty cut on her hind leg. It looked like the impact burst open the skin. When I saw it, I immediately said it needed stitches. Robin wasn't so sure...you know how men are. Nevertheless, Leah and I headed to the animal hospital first thing this morning.

Saturdays are pretty zooy at the vet office, but Leah was good and waited very patiently. The vet tried to numb the area with a local anesthetic  but she wouldn't have it, so they had to put her under long enough to close the wound with twelve shiny staples. I thought we were home free until the assistant brought in an "Eliz Collar," so the bill says. I guess that is short for Elizabethan collar, because that's what it reminds you of after you get over thinking the poor dog has a giant funnel on her head! Now that took some getting used to.

Leah had no sense of her head being twice as big as usual and kept bumping into things. It didn't help that she couldn't see to either side, nor could she touch her nose to the ground. She was a mighty confused little girl for a while. Her balance was off too, and I had to lift her into the back of our SUV, a jump she easily makes when things are normal. She settled down on the long ride home, but every once in a while I'd hear the collar bump as she tried to get comfortable.

When we got home, I kept Leah on the leash, as instructed to do, and she didn't understand that either. She is used to being free and was puzzled by having to be led around. In the house, Cheyenne, our Sheltie, was also puzzled by this thing that smelled like Leah, but sure didn't look like her. Leah ignored her and did a lot of bumping until she finally got comfortable enough to take a long nap.

Our instructions are to administer pain medication and an antibiotic twice daily, and to limit Leah's activity for two weeks, keeping the Eliz collar on her at all times unless we are able watch her constantly. I took it off for a long walk late this afternoon, and was able to leave it off while she ate her supper. The collar went back on while we got our supper ready, ate, and did the dishes. Leah is a talker, and while I was busy in the kitchen she began a conversation of rowls and arghhs elsewhere in the house. At first I didn't pay attention, but as the intensity of her language grew I went to investigate. I found her standing piteously in front of the water bowl in the bathroom, thirsty but unable to get her mouth to the water. When I got the collar off, she wasted no time in getting a big drink. It's going to be a long two weeks until the staples are removed!

So now, little Leah is in a bad way again. Not in heat this time, as she was a few weeks ago, but rather stuck with her head in a funnel and nothing to do but wait for a wound to heal. I don't think she knows it yet, but we're pretty sure she's also waiting for something else...puppies! Won't that be a sweet adventure!!

Puppies? You're kidding. Aren't you ??