Letter from an Editor

It’s always painful to admit to a monumental, and disastrous mistake, but I think there is a lesson to be underlined in this admission.

  Last November I took on a co-ownership of a pretty, great moving,  8-month old bitch named Rainy Day Woman with Sheila Dunn.   I knew her to be of a peculiar nature with no Obedience recall.  Her peculiarity takes the form of sudden panic attacks, but all in all, not a cowardly dog.   It is a strange combination.

  She had been with me for  two days.  I was going to the Wild Oats market just off of Colfax, and all  the dogs begged for a ride, Rainy among them.  So I packed them in the car...Rainy was not in a crate nor wearing a dragline.  While loading the groceries in the back of the van, Rainy, quick as a weasel, darted out and was loose in the parking lot.  She ran amongst the cars and, of course, would not return when called.  For twenty minutes I stopped cars in the parking area and begged the dog to return.  I was afraid to leave her and go back to the van for a treat; I could not accept help from strangers because I was afraid they would chase her, and Rainy, who was  in full panic, would have run from them in any circumstance.  There was a period...it felt like an eternity... when Rainy and I were sitting twenty-five feet away from each other while I called her, and knew that if I approached her she would run.  Suddenly she jumped up and headed for Colfax, she passed a few people, who of course tried to stop her, which pushed her right into Colfax traffic at 4:30 pm.

  I don’t think the pickup that hit her even knew it happened.   Fortunately the car behind him stopped.   There was Rainy, underneath the car lying in a pool of blood.  She was rushed to Wheatridge Emergency where she was stabilized and diagnosed with an antibullar fracture.  This means that her hip socket had a fracture in the rear.  She had a road burn over half her head, a severe gash in her mouth which had loosened her two canines, and numerous cuts and bruises.  The next morning I transported her down to my vets and Dr. Neeley operated on her that day and inserted a plate, screws, wires and a pin which will have to be removed later.

  I did not enjoy telephoning Sheila.  She was very supportive...I don’t know if I would have been.

  There are several lessons to be learned here.  

  DO NOT TAKE A NEW DOG UNCRATED IN A CAR.

IF YOUR DOG DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL, PUT A DRAG LINE ON IT WHEN OUT OF THE HOUSE.

TEACH A RECALL IMMEDIATELY.

DO NOT TRUST YOUR DOG’S RECALL UNTIL IT IS ROCK SOLID, AND THEN KNOW THAT SOMETIMES IT WILL GO OUT THE WINDOW--ACCORDING TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

  Another lesson to learn...The emergency clinic was great for the immediate care, and they had a twenty-four hour vet there.  The facility was fantastic.  But the price they quoted me for the surgery was almost double that of Dr. Neely’s, and Dr. Neely is one of the best orthopod animal surgeons in Denver.  Although the vet on the facility was very helpful and businesslike in advising my vet of Rainy’s condition, he was  remarkably uncooperative when told that the dog would be transported for surgery to the vet of my choice.   Be advised.

  I am truly fortunate that Rainy is alive and recovering nicely.  Whether she will be fully sound or not remains to be seen.  I would not wish this experience for anyone.   It is easily avoided.

  Angie Cross Bly