Duck Dog out of action

Boedy · 12-02-2002, 07:51 PM

Well my Lab went out and got him self hit by a car Saturday. Broke his pelvis and has to have surgery to repair it tomorrow. I guess that is going to put a damper on the rest of my duck hunting this year. The person that hit him didn�t even stop to check on him just drove off. I saw it happen but was to far away to get there in time. What kind of person hits a dog and drives off like it was nothing? Really made me mad knowing there are jerks like that running around. I know it was my dogs fault but still at least get out of the car and check on the poor thing. If I hadn�t been right there my dog could have died on the road from shock it was close as it was. $900 bucks for an emergence vet and another $1500 for the surgery tomorrow man this dog is starting to get expensive.

KingFisher85 · 12-02-2002, 08:01 PM

Sorry to hear about your dog getting hit by a car. Hope he comes out of it good and healthy ready for the duck blind soon.

bigshark · 12-02-2002, 09:18 PM

Boedy

I know how you feel. We have our oldest boy's shorthair with us each summer and a couple of years ago she ran across the steet and when I called her back to get in the car she bolted back across the street. Bang, she was hit by a gal in a van going way too fast for the posted speed in our neighborhood. The gal stopped and proceeded to tell me I should not let the dog run. I agreed to that part but what I didn't like was her speeding and told her so. She explained she was in a hurry to her bridge club lunch up the street. I asked her is that what she would say if she hit a child going that fast. The judge would love it.
It was the first time ever that I talked to a female as if she were a man. Her reaction was
predictable. Schocked, she hopped back in her car and went up the street. We all make mistakes and I was at fault for letting the dog out for an unguarded moment. There is a reason for speed limits in residential areas however and the little lady, IMO needed an adjustment in attitude. Hope all goes well for your lab and make a full recovery. It is not always the case. One of our clubs best labs was hit and he does not have the fire in him he had before. My prayers will ask that your lab is more lucky.

blackdog · 12-03-2002, 07:27 AM

Boedy, I am terribly sorry to hear about your dog getting hit. I had the horrible misfortune to witness my lab get hit by a car a couple of years ago. Luckily it was icy out and the car wasn't going too fast. That and the fact my boy's built like a tank saved him from any serious injury. So I feel your pain. It still brings tears to my eyes to think about that night. And while I feel for you, I also can't help be saddened by your statement that it was your dog's fault. Sure he was the one who ran across the road but how did he get into a situation where that was even possible? As his owner, it's my opinion that it's your responsibilitly to provide for his health and safety, and that includes keeping him out of situations where he could run across a road and get hit by cars.

I'll admit, my opinions may be a little strong on this point, but they are based on way too many 'bad dog owner' situations, including when I put my dog in a situation where he was hit. In the last month alone, I have taken in three different labs that have been left to run loose by there owners and were just waiting to get hit. All three were over a mile from there homes. If people would take more care to protect their dogs and keep them out of situations where they could come into danger, they would be better off.

Again, please don't take this as me coming down on you. I really feel for you now and both you and your dog will be in my prayers, as I know your pain. I just hope in the future, more care will be taken to keep your dog out of situations that may put him in harms way.

tag-a-long · 12-03-2002, 08:29 AM

Boedy,
Hope everything turns out okay for you and the dog. It is sickening that people who don't own dogs don't see them as part of the family. No different than hitting a kid in my opinion. I guess we'll have to put off getting the dogs together till later in the winter or early spring. We'll keep you in our prayers.

Warren

Boedy · 12-03-2002, 10:45 AM

Blackdog,

First off I understand where you are coming from and agree with what you said about responsibility for keeping your dog safe. Let me just say that my dog does not run free but I do let him go to the bathroom without a leash on. I live in the country you see about 200 yards from the road so I feel its safe for him to be outside with me. I let him out side to go to the bathroom late Saturday night like ever night before bed and I went out side with him. I lost sight of him for a moment in the dark as he is a choc lab and the next thing I heard was the car hitting him. Now unless your dog is never off a leash or outside a fenced yard then things like this can and do happen.

My dog has been to a professional trainer and is a well behaved dog that minds so I can�t understand what would make him take off like he did. Maybe there was another dog in heat or maybe he just had a wild hair who knows what he was doing.

Again I understand what you where trying to say and I do hold overall responsibility for him but I don�t think I was negligent. I have taken responsibility for him and he is getting the best care as he can.

I guess I just didn�t like you asserting that I am somehow unfit to look after a dog because he was hit by a car. Bad things happen all the time we do our best to avoid them but they still happen it doesn�t make someone incompetent just unlucky.

Thank you for you thoughts I know your heart was in the right place.

I also want to thank the rest of you guys for your good wishes. He goes in for surgery today and I should have him home tommorw sometime. Will keep you posted.

Birdnest · 12-03-2002, 07:32 PM

Boedy,

Sorry to hear about your lab. :depressed: They truly are members of the family.

I will try and cheer you up over to the $$$. I went fishing last Wed. with out my dog. I get home and she is giving me that old "you went fishing, didn't you?" look. So I start playing with her and chucking her ball. She proceeds to rupture one of her cruciate ligiments in her stifle. Cost in Seattle---2800.00. We are going to have the surgery in BC and with the conversion should be under 2000. :shocked:

I am not complaing, she is a member of our family and will always be taken care of to the best of our ability. However, I am going to get pet insurance.

Birdnest

Flatfish · 12-03-2002, 09:57 PM

Boedy,
Sure am sad to hear the bad news. The good news is pup is Ok.Mine did the same as yours, 1500 bucks later( and most of his first duck season) he was back in action.
Hope all is well.

Mark and the dog.

Boedy · 12-09-2002, 04:43 PM

I looked into pet insurance and I think I will get some as I couldn�t take many more of these. 200 bucks a year is much cheaper then the amount I spend at the vets in a year anyhow. My dog had surgery Tuesday ($1493 ouch) and is back home now and doing well. Won�t be doing any retrieving for awhile and I won�t be getting that new rifle I wanted but he should be fine in a few months.

skein · 12-09-2002, 06:48 PM

Boedy,

Glad to hear your pup came through the surgery all right. You're right, there's next year. And besides, the hunting will be even better then because there will be more water - and you'll have your hunting partner with you. That's worth it - all of it.

Hang in there and good luck to both of you.

Skein - who's lab is lying right here watching me type this.... [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img]

Capin' Dan · 12-10-2002, 01:51 AM

Birdnest try wa state university for your dogs surgery. they really do top notch work for a fraction of what it cost at a normal vets. Yes it is a student whom is coached by a very good vet. Just a thought.

Dan!

blackdog · 12-10-2002, 09:35 AM

Boedy, glad to hear you and your dog are doing well. Any time you have to go to the vet it's scary and expensive. Heck, one time when my lab was less than a year he swallowed my keys and $750 later they were extracted from his stomach

. But what are you going to do? I don't know a lab owner that wouldn't go to the end of the world for his dog. Boedy, I wish your dog the best in his recovery. Hopefully by next fall he'll be back at full speed making all the retrieves you can get him.

Birdnest · 12-11-2002, 10:17 AM

Capn Dan,

I did discuss WSU with my vet. After considering the distance to Pullman vs BC, and the savings with the exchange it came down to a very simple decison....

I would never let a Coug touch my Dawg.
There might still be some Apple cup resentment going on. :grin:

Acutally the type of surgery I have chosen is something the guys in BC have down pat. WSU is working on a tibial plateau approach(TPLO) that part of the tibia is shaved down and creates an lip on the anterior edge to help reduce anterior motion of the femur. This type of surgery is great for larger dogs (100 lbs +), but due to the fact that it is a pretty new procedure and more invasive, the fibular head transposition approach was our choice.

Birdnest

tailchaser · 12-13-2002, 03:25 PM

Man, I know your pains. My lab jumped over a stump retrieving a stick and landed in a pothole with one of his front legs. It jammed it hard enough it broke off a piece of bone in his elbow. Can you say 1200 bucks to have the little piece of bone removed!! It's rediculous but no one will touch it besides a specialist in eugene because it's surrounded by tendons. This happened a couple of months ago and he still limps from time to time so I decided to have it done. Can't imagine not having my boy to hunt with this year but I'm in the same boat.

I don't have the luxury of yelling at someone, but it was my mom's stupid dog who dug the hole. The little yipper drives me crazy and now this. I wonder how it would do flying off the bridge?
:grin:
tc