I’ve lived in Raglan for four weeks now, and life here has
been anything but boring. I look forward to filling you in on the details of my
stay here, but I am going to start with the tale of Rubi Red Dog.
I met Rubi on the same day that I arrived in Raglan, and as
it turns out, it was the first day in her new home. Rubi was a 10 week old red
heeler pup – now 14 weeks – with all of the adorable and obnoxious features
that come complimentary with puppies. I was tasked to train the pup, as part of
the responsibility of taking care of the farm when the owner left on a ‘round
the world trip in mid-June.
The owner left on Tuesday, June 18. On Wednesday, June 19th,
Rubi Red Dog was hit by a truck.
With a crying pup in tow, I went to the vet where she had
x-rays done. Remarkably, she hadn’t broken a bone. In hindsight, I wish that
she had. A bone can be mended, and unfortunately this pup has radial nerve damage, a possibly permanent problem that leaves the front leg virtually dead.
The good news is that there is chance of recovery, and Rubi passed the ‘deep
pain’ test that indicates she still has some feeling in her paw. Nerve fibers
grow at a rate of 1 millimeter per day, so if there is to be any recovery, it
will take a very long time to materialize.
So on Saturday, 3 legged Rubi Red Dog came home.
Because she has no feeling in that leg, she can’t tell that
her paw is dragging on the ground and getting beat up. She has to remain on softer surfaces to
avoid tearing up that foot on the ground.
I really wasn’t sure what she would be capable of doing
compared to what she had been like before, so we’ve been taking it slow.
Honestly, she’s proved all my doubts wrong.
Like stairs. I knew she’d be able to get up them, but before
I knew it she was barreling her way down them again. Sure, sometimes when she
jumps down the step at the front door she falls flat on her face, but every
time she’s getting better at it.
The vets had warned me to keep her locked up all the time to
avoid doing damage to her foot, but so far she’s proved that she knows her
limits. As long as I lay an old horse blanket on the ground in the stable and
go about my business mucking out, she curls up and waits there, gnawing on who
knows what she finds on the ground.
 |
| Like my foot, for example |
The only thing I have to be wary of is long distances. Even
on the grass, it’s not so much about her lame foot, it’s about the one that’s
having to compensate for the extra weight. She gets tired so much more easily,
and I can imagine why! Knowing her escape capabilities are limited, I’m also
cautious with her around the horses.
She’s still a happy pup, just one leg down. Hopefully in
time she’ll regain the feeling into that foot, but until then, let the cripple
adventures continue.
The universe is laughing at me, as if to say
“And you thought staying alone on a farm was going to be
boring!”
 |
| Her right paw is always curved in like that. She has no control of that leg and cannot extend her elbow. |
(See also this week in Raglan: horse eye infections, eye
drops included; horse teeth and the beautiful bruises they leave behind; and penicillin
injections)
