Friday, September 30, 2011

Poor Isabelle or a tale of how stupid I can be




On Wednesday some time during the afternoon Isabelle got her paws (literally) on my brand new food processor blade. It had been sitting on a shelf in the kitchen and she somehow knocked it down. She proceeded to play with it (the vet and I could tell from all the tiny cuts on her paws) and eventually sliced open an artery in her left foot where the paw meets the leg - what I would call her wrist if she were human. I can only assume at some point she got tired of batting it around or it started to hurt and she left it alone but on it's side with the blades up in the air. Then she must have stepped on it hard and the blade cut across her paw, back over her wrist and back up her leg a couple of inches. She almost died from the blood loss. I got home from work a little after 6:00pm and I knew something was wrong before I even got out of my car - Iz didn't meet me at the gate. That was only the first clue - the rest of the night was a nightmare. There was blood on the deck as I walked into the house, in the kitchen it was everywhere and I called for her and she came staggering out of the living room barely conscience. By one of the happy circumstances in life my sister was in the driveway having brought me dinner and was waiting for me. I ran outside and got her and the three of us were off to the emergency vet seconds later. I live very close to an excellent emergency vet that is open 24/7/365 that also has a blood bank. She ended up with a blood transfusion and surgery to repair the artery, ligaments, tendons and muscles that were sliced - she has stitches three layers deep! Iz is splinted and the vet needs me to confine her to a crate for the time she is splinted, four to six weeks. My poor baby! I feel so awful. That blade should never have been sitting on a shelf. I've since gone through the entire house and didn't find any other hazards but of course the damage is done.





I really didn't notice just how much blood there was in the house but my sister did. She was on the phone in minutes calling people to come and start to clean - she told me later she didn't want me to come home to that if Iz died. I of course had to leave Isabelle - the transfusion took hours and they couldn't do the surgery until she was stable. I didn't even know if she would going to make it until the vet called me at 11;00pm. So I got home about a hour and a half after the cleaning had started. And was still shocked by the blood. It was everywhere. My sister wouldn't let me go into the bathroom - apparently she must have settled in there at some point for a long time. Throughout the house there was blood on the walls, of course furniture and the curtains. By the time I went to bed at midnight the worst of it was taken care of and I and I was to go to bed with the great news that Iz would make it.



I was able to pick Isabelle up from the vet at 10:00am yesterday. She's very uncomfortable and hates the cone and crate. I have a better cone coming early next week called a BiteNot and she is in the super sized crate that a friend gave me a month ago when she was cleaning out her house so Iz can turn around and get in and out without much trouble. The pugs are leaving her alone for the most part and I've been working from home. She gets potty breaks every couple ofAdd Image hours but no toys and no excitement. Hard to do with a 10 month old lab puppy. It's going to be a long six weeks. Once her splint comes off she will need to be evaluated for the possibility of more surgery but physical therapy will be a must.

The pugs rallying around Isabelle.


So all the bedroom plans are off for now. The fund is gone to pay to fix my baby. Money well spent and it's not like the bedroom is going anywhere.


23 comments:

Katrina said...

OH poor Isabelle!!!! I am so glad she is going to be ok!!! It's one of those you want to hug them and shake them at the same time situations. I know you must be so grateful you had the extra money to take care of her bills. And your sister is awesome! Big hugs and good thoughts for a speedy recovery.

katica said...

Oh poor you and poor Isabelle! So happy to hear she is going to be okay, thank goodness for small miracles that your sister happen to come at the right time and for everything she did for you!

Sending great big but gentle hugs to everyone and a speedy and smooth recovery for Isabelle!

agent99 said...

So glad Isabelle is OK. We've had a few episodes of human error here too.....scary & costly. So don't think you are the only person who has ever inadvertently left your pet in harms way.

JulieF1962 said...

I'm so glad that Isabelle is going to be okay. Thank God you came home when you did! I'll be thinking of you and your little furry family.

marly said...

I can imagine the feeling in your gut when you walked in your house. It's hard for a young one to be confined but hopefully it will go fast and she will be fine. How sweet of her siblings to keep her company.

Rugs and Pugs said...

Margie ~
What an awful story but at least it did not have an awful ending. I hope Iz heals quickly. Good luck keeping a puppy calm!
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Cari said...

Oh my gosh....I have such a lump in my throat I'm glad I can just write and not have to talk. I am so very, very sorry about sweet Iz. BUT...she made it, you made it, you've been able to pay for it, your sister was there to help you with it, and someone to help clean it!! I love how the pugs have settled in right around her. Isn't it interesting how our animals take care of us and each other? Hugs dear friend and please keep us all informed of Iz's progress. Warmest healing hugs for you and the pup's.

barbara said...

Poor Isabelle AND you! I wouldn't have ever thought of that as a potential hazard. We keep ours inside a cupboard simply because we lack counterspace ... suddenly I'm glad of that! Best wishes for a speedy and uncomplicated recovery!

Mindi said...

Poor Isabelle! Don't beat yourself up too much, dogs can do some really wacky things and get into places you'd never imagine. I'm glad she's ok and hopefully the recovery isn't too stressful for everyone.

And This Little Pig said...

Oh Margie, poor Iz, I sure with all your tender loving care that she will make a full recovery. How terribly scary for you. You are so lucky to have such a wonderful thoughtful sister to arrange for the clean up. Definitely not a job you would want to come home to. Very smart Lab your Iz lying on the cold tiles in the bathroom probably slowed down her blood loss. Keep you all in my thoughts.
LiBBiE in Oz
PS Bedroom's can be renovated at anytime :@

Suzanne said...

Poor Izzy......bless her - and YOU! Dogs get into things you would never imagine, you can't beat yourself up over it. You are an excellent mom to your furbabies. Sending fast healing thoughts to Izzy and prayers of comfort for you.

Who cares what the bedroom looks like! Your babies are more important!

Erica said...

Poor Isabelle indeed!
Hope your poor nerves have settled a bit by now!
I know well what it is like to have pet emergencies.
Take comfort in the fact that your quick action saved her!

Sweet Sue said...

Such a freakish accident, nothing anyone could have imagined or foreseen, so sorry Margie. Very glad Iz got medical attention when she did, and that you're both going to be ok. Wishing Iz many treats and a speedy recovery.

Glenna said...

Poor Isabelle! Who'd have thought such a thing could happen! And poor you--yikes.

Anna van Schurman said...

Poor doggie! Healing thoughts.

Alice said...

Poor Izzy! I'm so glad she's going to recover. I love how your pugs are rallying around her--it's so sweet. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Carmen said...

OH poor Isabelle! I am so glad she is going to be ok!.

Susan said...

How scary!! Puppies, like all children, will find the most inappropriate things to play with. Thank goodness for a wonderful vet and that your sister and your friends were there to help.

Karen said...

Poor Isabelle! I'm so glad she is recovering.

Terri said...

Oh, the poor baby! But I'm glad she's going to be okay.

Sending some "Eskie mojo" your way! Hugs!!

valerie said...

OMG, how terrifying for both of you. Poor Isabelle! I am so glad she is ok and recovering. I can't even imagine how scary it was.

Sun City Stitcher said...

I am soooo sorry to hear this about poor Isabelle! But glad she made it and is recovering. I know when Maddie broke her toe nail and was bandaged I did not realize about potty breaks and let her go out on hear own. Well she "walked/ran" off her bandage. So for the next round it was potty on a leash! Lucky for us it was only three DAYS, I can't image 6 weeks. Hang in there!!

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry you and Isabelle had to go through this! *hugs* I am so happy Isabelle is going to make it, though. Prayers for a speedy recovery.