Bad luck struck over the weekend. My Border Collie, Skyler, got hit by a truck. She survived, but she looks like she will permanently suffer from the accident.
Last week I attended the 2009 Arkansas Philological Association Conference in Eureka Springs, Ark. I attended as the editorial assistant of the APA’s journal, Philological Review. It was an interesting experience and one which I can’t say I would miss if I don’t attend again.
Friday night, I returned to my room at the Crescent Hotel, and my wife, Colleen, called.
I really just wanted to use the new HTML 5 < dialog > tag. That conversation wasn’t exactly deep, but allow me the small indulgence, please.
So my seven-year-old Border Collie, Skyler, got hit by a truck when she and two other dogs chased after something across Highway 83. They had been let outside moments earlier to use the bathroom. Skyler survived, albeit rather beat up. She ended up with two lacerations in her rear right leg and lots of scrapes and cuts. I returned from Eureka Springs Saturday evening, as did Colleen, from Texas. When we saw her, we realized she should have been taken to the vet that day. We took her to a vet on Sunday, and he put staples in her lacerations and gave us some pain pills for her. (The staples lasted less than an hour. She had pulled most of them out by time we got back home.) The most disheartening news we received was that her back was severely bruised, and her spinal cord was nearly severed. That would have been heart-breaking.
It’s been a trying experience caring for her in the aftermath of the accident. She can’t move around much at all. When she tries to, her rear legs tend to spasm and she gets off-balance, with her rear falling over onto the floor. I have to carry her outside to use the bathroom. She can’t play with our other two dogs, Goochy and Ruckus. She lies on the floor and that’s about it.
Over the past few days she has improved. Her wounds are kept clean and are healing. Her gait is still very awkward. Her legs spasm some, but she’s regaining control over them. She can walk a very short distance before her rear legs give out and she has to sit. The vet said he expected her to recover, and given the improvement I’ve seen over the past few days, I believe she will. Through it all she’s remained as affectionate and loyal as she has ever been. So, I ask you to please keep my best friend in mind, and watch out for animals on the roads.