Sometimes Lucky Fiona Isn't So Lucky...

Look at this sad pathetic face! Oh my poor spotty dog! Friday nights are really shaping up to be exciting for my husband and I - last week we counted Fiona's spots for the Etsy DogMafia contest and this Friday night we spent together at the Emergency Vet ER department! Fiona kindly waited until 6:15pm last night (15 minutes after our regular vet closes up) to wander over to me on our deck with a big laceration on her right side, spotty skin flapping in the wind. I yelled for my hubby to bring down the doggie first aid kit and attempted to figure out how in the world this happened. There were no dog squabbles with our crew and I was petting Fiona just 30 minutes prior and no wound then. My husband Alex (who watches way too many forensic TV shows) went all around the yard looking for blood splatter CSI-style. We think she may have caught herself on the fencing somehow, but honestly can't find any nails or sharp objects that could do this. I told my husband to put away the yellow crime tape and let's get her to the ER. Being dog savvy and veterans of the Animal ER system (sadly) I called the two closest clinics to see how long the wait was and we went to the shorter of the two! Once there Fiona put on a dazzling display of tail wagging and general setter wiggly happiness which made the vet tech who was doing ER triage exclaim "Why you'd never know she was injured!" (i.e. sit back and wait because you are now at the end of the line to be seen by the vet) Being an ex-vet tech I then annoyed Alex by diagnosing every other animal in the waiting area for the next 3 hours. It was a long night. So Ms. Fiona is now the proud owner of 7 staples in her side and this horrible plastic cone. We kept the cone off last night as she was still pretty sedated - but she started licking her wound this morning so back on it went. I ordered her one of the new fangled soft cervical rings that do the same purpose without so much bulk, but the quickest I can get it here is Monday so she'll have to deal with the plastic cone till then. She is so comical with it, she freezes and turns into "statue-dog" when it's on her, she won't move unless we lead her. May have to utilize this cone as a behavioral tool in the future when we want her still. She is also tugging at my heart strings because she so clingy to me since the ER visit, she slept next to me all night and I was up checking her wound every other hour because I am a nervous dogmom. She just gives me this sad "oh, Mommy face" I can't stand. Poor girl. We got her some good pain medication so she will be as comfortable as we can get her and I gave her canned tripe - her smelly favorite for breakfast so she'd take her pills. She's expecting her loyal fans to start sending her Get Well wishes so I better start clearing out the front living room for flowers, balloons and gifts. Will keep all posted on her recovery and if Alex and the crime lab can figure out how this happened.