More Boo-boos...

So today at work, I went on my lunch break and the kennel manager asked me casually if I'd recently clipped Ferguson's nails. I told him no, not for a few days, and wondered why he asked. He said that he saw a little blood in his run, and thought he had maybe been quicked, but I told him no, not likely (I pride myself in having never before quicked a dog). Figuring it was just a little scrape, I clocked back in and finished the last 30 minutes of my shift. Then, upon picking him up I see not "a little" blood, but rather a lot, and in paw print marks all over the run. 0_0

I immediately take him over to the hospital (little bloody pawprints the whole way), which thank GOODNESS, they are always willing to help out co-worker's dogs in need, even when they are busy. One of the doctors takes a look and sees that he tore the skin between his pad, pretty much straight through. She looks at me and asks if I will be able to bring him back in two weeks exactly for a stitch removal. 0_0

We walk him over to the table and hoist him up so it's easier for her to work on, which Ferguson does not like one bit. She gets her materials and calls for a tech to hold his leg steady while she works, with me hanging on to the rest of him and giving him lots of ear scritches all the while. I see her pull out the stitch twine and needle and ask if she was going to use an anesthetic. She shook her head no, and said that the skin was so tight in the area that she'd hurt him much worse to try and shove a needle there (like if you tried to inject something into the palm of your hand), so we did it with none. Surprisingly, he was much braver than when they last saw him when he screamed continuously for 15 seconds while getting a routine convenia injection, and only whimpered a little bit during certain parts. He also did shake like a leaf, but I think that's also because he was on a metal table and felt (and looked) extremely awkward. So, 4-6 stitches, Tramadol, and a bandage later, we've been put on bed-rest for 14 days.

This is very unfortunate news, as we've been still working to get him used to being left for periods of time by himself, and always always always make sure he is well exercised before being left. Now, I hate to bring him to work, because I'm rather confused and upset about whomever was outside with him when this incident happened; there is no WAY he did not cry out when he tore that skin. Additionally, I can't very well bring him to work with those stitches in his feet and have him walk around on those rocks (I'm hoping it was just a sharp rock that caused it in the first place), since that would undoubtedly hurt him. My co-worker suggested I have him stay in the hospital and let him out myself, but he is not at all used to the hospital and would likely stress and cry all day.

Not to mention, my first CGC class is Thursday. While he doesn't need to move much to be a demo dog, it will certainly be a bit more difficult.

Why oh why oh why!