Balto has a hole!

[BlackPuppy]

My poor Laekenois went to the vet for surgery Tuesday. I brought him in because he had a hole in his hip. I could stick my finger right in it. What bothers me is, for as much grooming and loving that dog gets, I never even saw or felt it until he started licking it on Tuesday and it was bleeding.

The vet said it was an old wound and she would have to remove some dead skin an tissue around it so it would heal properly.

Well, I went to pick him up and he has a 6 inch incision and he can (still) barely walk. He had infection and blood in his urine. I feel so bad for not finding this because he is obviously miserable. But I still have no idea what caused it.

To make it worse, the bill was $600 and I had just spent $300 in entry fees for (RAE) Rally trials that he won't be able to attend, beginning tomorrow. I need to go to my money market fund and get some money, too.

Thanks for listening. I feel so sad because he is the best dog and I failed him. He just lays there, wags his tail, and says he's hungry.

 

[Kat09Tails]

That's horrid luck. I hope he's better soon.

 

[Ratboy]

My old Beagle, Farfel had a horrible "hole" in his flank, just in front of his hip. We didn't have any idea he had it until I was rubbing him and a chunk of skin and fur came off in my hand! He had a hole about 1" by 2" across, full of maggots. Off to the vet, who cleaned it out, and after it healed, he had a "pit" that was easily seen and felt. It healed up in days after the surgery. Hopefully, your dog will have a totally uneventful recovery too.

 

[BlackPuppy]

Today I let him go up the stairs. So, tonight he doesn't have to sleep in the kitchen. I think in another week or so, he will be fine again.

 

[Ratboy]

Sounds good. I've had dogs with pretty nasty cuts, divots, etc, over the years and it amazed me how fast they recover. My old Pit mix Gus went into a hedge and sliced himself up on a hunk of sheetmetal that was used to keep a hose from being rubbed through by the branches when the wind blew. His fur on the back of his neck and shoulders was really thick and I had no idea he had been hurt until the next day when I rubbed his neck and it was all soaked with blood and pus. It looked horrible, but a week later, the stitches were almost ready to get taken out, and by two weeks, all that was there was fresh scar and the odd look shaving him caused. In two months, it was just a memory.