A Very Lucky Dog

We were enjoying a nice warm Sunday with the whole family yesterday. Brian and I have taken the last few Sundays to work at getting the lawns in order, which requires mowing, raking and watering. When we water we have to move our sprinkler contraption every 20 minutes to get another part of the lawn. During one of these moves, we made a huge mistake. We left the kids inside with the dog and went out the front door to do our chore. Just as we were about to move the sprinkler (it IS a contraption and needs two people to move), the front door opens and Layka darted out – terribly excited to be going on a romp.

Now, lest you worry, I would not be able to write about this event this soon and with such relative levity had the outcome been horrible. As it was, we did watch in horror as Layka bounded right into a car driving by. Brian went immediately to the dog and I went to the driver. We saw the whole thing happen, and there is no way the driver could have stopped this from happening. It truly wasn’t her fault, and I tried to reassure her of that fact. I am sure she still felt badly.

Layka was in relative good shape. She wasn’t limping, not bleeding outrageously and not crying. She had a couple of spots of blood and a good deal more from her tail. I will try not to give so many details as to gross you out, but I did take her to the emergency vet. They x-rayed her and pronounced her a very lucky dog – nothing was damaged internally. The worst part was that her tail needed a partial amputation. They kept her overnight and she came home today. She is bandaged up and a little mellow, but otherwise okay.

All in all, this could have turned out worse. As a little kid – first grade, I think – I watched another dog of mine get in the head by a truck. She had to be put down by my dad. This incident yesterday brought up a bunch of old memories of that. Ugh. Layka, a very lucky dog indeed.