Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Puppy Dog Tails & Nails

This story is actually mostly (okay ONLY) going to be about puppy dog nails. We have failed as doggy parents in that we did not take our dogs to get their nails clipped in a timely manner. It has been on the proverbial TO DO list for weeks. Our dogs clickity clack all over and their nails look horrible and can deliver a painful scratch if so desired (which is possible since they are terrier type dogs and they jump like it is their jobs...)

Last evening upon returning home, I let the dogs out of their crates which of course they are happy about. We joke that Santana is my jealous boyfriend and Lucy is Kevin's jealous girlfriend. That is just the way the loves runs with them. So if I even so much as look at Lucy in a kind and loving way Santana flips out. Last night, Lucy was a bit more hyper than usual so I was petting her and talking to her (HEAVEN FORBID!) Santana came flying up on to the top of the couch but did not realize it was a precarious location. A blanket used to keep all of us warm when watching the tube was there. SO off he fell - nothing unusual right? Well, apparently his dew claw caught on the blanket on the way down. He yelped in pain. I turned and grabbed him murmuring sweet nothings like 'its okay baby you just caught you claw' till I saw the blood... I shrieked like a wild woman and ran to get Kevin who was still outside with Matthew.

They came in and there was blood EVERYWHERE. UGH. I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off jumping up and down saying 'whatshouldwedowhatshouldwedo' while Kevin, Matthew and the dogs all looked at me like 'WTF woman get a hold of yourself.' Yes, I would be solid as a rock in a really traumatic incident...

Finally it was decided - call the vet. So I did and they said come on in (bless their lovely pet lovin' souls or I would still be jumping up and down...) I was just going to stay behind with Matthew until HE started wailing about wanting to go with Santana so we all hopped in the car a la Brady Brunch and went to the vet.

It was rather cute along the way Matthew kept pointing out the Christmas lights, trucks and the broken fence to Santana. He also told Santana stories to help calm him. Did I mention the claw completely fell off at one point before we called the vet which caused me jump up and down even more?!

Yeah so they wrapped Santana up and cut the rest of his neglected nails. Looked at his balding back, furrowed a brow over that like EVERY vet who has ever seen our poor balding allergy ridden dog and gave him back to us with a pain killer and some antibiotics. Poor little pup...

Needless to say this morning he is limping about on three feet and does not like his wrap... sigh... What terrible pet parents we are, no!!???! Now I definitely need to fill their stocking this year!

5 comments:

Kelly said...

Ok, so I know this was not a good thing that happened, and I hope that Santana is back to himself soon, but I have to tell you that I am cracking up at the thought of you jumping up and down freaking out. Great visual! ;)

Anonymous said...

Poor puppy! That would be scary for me too even though my dogs drive me crazy most of the time! We also forget to clip their nails until they're way too long. Bear has this wicked dew claw that curls around when it gets long and is nearly impossible to cut. Makes me nervous every time I do it...which is why we usually let the groomer do it for us!

Christina Schmidt said...

Kelly, I know I looked like fool but I was so scared! I was joking to Kevin last night that I have worried about Santana more in his five years than I have ever worried about Matthew... OKAY, not really but seriously I cannot imagine what I will be like if Matthew comes home with a broken arm or a split chin or something horrid like that! I was SO trying to be calm for Matthew but it was just NOT working!!!

Melissa, we totally do the same thing. Wait forever and than I make Kevin drag the dogs to the groomer. Both dogs are freaks about getting their nails clipped too so it is always embarrassing because my dogs are the ones trying to chew the groomers arm off! PS: my dogs ARE crazy as well as the fact that they drive me crazy - I am most embarrassed about how ill mannered I have allowed the dogs to become!!!

LoriD said...

Poor little puppy! We don't have a dog, mostly because we're not so good at anything that requires maintenance. It takes all my effort to remember to make appointments for the kids check-ups!

Be Inspired Always said...

Oh god, my dogs hate going to the groomers, so we just cut their nails ourselves. We bought a really good clippers from our vet. Really easy to do too.

Now I just have to work on keeping/teaching my dogs to not jump up on people. So far two of them got it, but one is stubborn.

I would be jumping up and down freaking out too


Jillian