[OURTREV]

Really bad start to the year for my spaniel, Willow. On the bank holiday 2nd January so did what most spaniel do and went crashing through the undergrowth just off the main track in the Forestry near home.
There was a yelp and little whimper, I called her back to find she had had the most aweful accident a tore off her belly skin which extended round her thigh and the outside of her leg. Horrific was to only word to use.
Of course it was Bank Holiday and my vet was closed so I had to travel the 15 miles into the emergency vet hospital in Gloucester.
They stitched Willow together again and kept her overnight and I picked he up next day with load of medicine. The next two days did not go well and after two visits to my local vet they referred me on to a big referral vet hospital 35 miles from home who kept her over the next four days and were forced to remove a piece of skin measuring 8 inch by 4inch before doing a flap graft on Monday just gone.
Home again with me now with loads more medicine and instructions to keep her quiet (Spaniel!) for 2 weeks with minimal exercise.
I've attached before and after photos. I'm praying she'll be ok. God alone knows what she did in those bushes.
Anyone else experienced this sort of injury to their dogs?

Thank God for insurance total bill is going to be around 6k and I'm covered for 4K so no holiday this year!

 

[Sinktip]

Our cat came home with a similar injury a couple of years ago. She has made a full recovery, luckily it was just her hide that was torn open and there was no injuries to any organs etc. the hide was a bit tight for the first few months but has stretched and doesn’t restrict her in any way now. To this day we don’t know what happened her

 

[heather point]

It is an occupational hazard in working dogs when out shooting. I have seen many such injuries. That is why I do not keep dogs now, that and also the pain of loosing them eventually.
Luckily the dogs have no imagination as humans do so they are not so bothered about it as you probably were.
I really feel for you and your dog but hopefully he will make a full recovery.

 

[Safranfoer]

That's a horrific injury... Your poor girl. I hope she heals well.

 

[westie4566]

Bloody hell Ourtrev, that's an awful looking injury.

Fingers crossed she makes a speedy recovery, though being a Springer I'm sure she'll bounce back like nothing happened.

 

[gcp1987]

Nasty...every dog owners worst nightmare. Wishing her a speedy recovery!

 

[Grassy_Knollington]

That is horrific Trevor, you must have been extremely worried.

I hope Willow makes a full recovery and is accompanying you on the banks at Ross in short order.

 

[Sinktip]

That’s the only picture I have of her, that wound continued right across her stifle and up her stomach

 

[Craigfly]

Nightmarish injury - praying for a complete recovery. The sad part of parenting these beautiful animals is times like that.

 

[OURTREV]

That is horrific Trevor, you must have been extremely worried.

I hope Willow makes a full recovery and is accompanying you on the banks at Ross in short order.

Scott I was and still am worried I suffered shock and was shaking when it happened but not Willow. Got to keep a close eye on the wound. Spaniel are so bloody hard. She did that about 2 miles from the car. I tried to carry her but she was far too heavy so she had to walk on a lead back to the car without a single whiper.

 

[paddymc]

Jeez that was awful.

Here’s hoping she has the worst behind her now and gald you had insurance to cover most of the bill🙏

 

[Grassy_Knollington]

Scott I was and still am worried I suffered shock and was shaking when it happened but not Willow. Got to keep a close eye on the wound. Spaniel are so bloody hard. She did that about 2 miles from the car. I tried to carry her but she was far too heavy so she had to walk on a lead back to the car without a single whiper.

That shows how tough they are Trevor and hopefully bodes well for recovery as long as she keeps that wound clean.

 

[Tayghillie]

Not quite as bad as that but I had a Spaniel that had an 8" gash with her gut popping out.
Also Westie on here has one of my Spaniels that gashed herself a couple of years ago.
Both caused by rolls of discarded barbed wire left to rust and undergrowth had grown around it. Barbed Wire should be banned as it serves no use what so ever. It terrible stuff.
Sheep wire does exactly the same job!!
Hope it's a quick healing process. The biggest job is stopping the dog from nibbling and locking the stitches out.
I recommend a muzzle for when you can't keep an eye on her.
Good Luck..👍

 

[Safranfoer]

Scott I was and still am worried I suffered shock and was shaking when it happened but not Willow. Got to keep a close eye on the wound. Spaniel are so bloody hard. She did that about 2 miles from the car. I tried to carry her but she was far too heavy so she had to walk on a lead back to the car without a single whiper.

They're ridiculously stoical dogs. Nothing like the scale of Willow's injury, but at some point on our walk on Christmas Day 2021, my springer tore a hole in her front right armpit. (Do dogs have armpits...? Legpit?!). She didn't murmur, carried on the walk and her day as normal - I have no idea what happened, or when.

Come 10pm at night I'm sat on the sofa with her watching crap telly, stroking her, and I come across a burr in her legpit. So I'm trying to pick it off, tease it out, and it just won't come. Ugh. Big light on, roll her over - turns out I've been fettling around INSIDE HER, trying to pick off the edge of her bloody skin. It must have hurt, and the hole was about the size of a 50p piece. Nothing. That was a trip to the emergency vets too, on Christmas Day.

They don't like to let us know they're hurting, do they?

That walk to the car must have been petrifying for you. I'm not surprised you were in shock. And getting them to try and understand they need to take it easy and not jump and leap - impossible. Is she ok with the stitches, or does she also have a cone of shame to contend with?

 

[OURTREV]

They're ridiculously stoical dogs. Nothing like the scale of Willow's injury, but at some point on our walk on Christmas Day 2021, my springer tore a hole in her front right armpit. (Do dogs have armpits...? Legpit?!). She didn't murmur, carried on the walk and her day as normal - I have no idea what happened, or when.

Come 10pm at night I'm sat on the sofa with her watching crap telly, stroking her, and I come across a burr in her legpit. So I'm trying to pick it off, tease it out, and it just won't come. Ugh. Big light on, roll her over - turns out I've been fettling around INSIDE HER, trying to pick off the edge of her bloody skin. It must have hurt, and the hole was about the size of a 50p piece. Nothing. That was a trip to the emergency vets too, on Christmas Day.

They don't like to let us know they're hurting, do they?

That walk to the car must have been petrifying for you. I'm not surprised you were in shock. And getting them to try and understand they need to take it easy and not jump and leap - impossible. Is she ok with the stitches, or does she also have a cone of shame to contend with?

Yes, she has a cone, well she had two but we found she could get to the wound by doing contortions with the first one so she was fitted with a longer one, now no chance.
She is on sedatives to try to keep her calm and so far they appear to be working. Might try a muzzle later as Tay Ghillie suggest but not just yet whilst the wound is so fresh.
It's the second time with an open wound much in the same way as you I found a hole under her armpit late in the day when I found blood and she had to have a couple of stitches.
This time she has about 60 stitches!

 

[Chicharito]

That's a shocking injury ! Hope she makes a good recovery. Infections can be a problem as it heals. Keep a close eye on her. Good job you have her insured !
Hope it all goes well !

 

[Safranfoer]

Yes, she has a cone, well she had two but we found she could get to the wound by doing contortions with the first one so she was fitted with a longer one, now no chance.
She is on sedatives to try to keep her calm and so far they appear to be working. Might try a muzzle later as Tay Ghillie suggest but not just yet whilst the wound is so fresh.
It's the second time with an open wound much in the same way as you I found a hole under her armpit late in the day when I found blood and she had to have a couple of stitches.
This time she has about 60 stitches!

We used an inflatable collar like this with Merle when we were awake and able to supervise her - if you fix it to a normal collar right behind their ears, they can't easily twist their head round. It's possible, but not easy, and so you can easily spot what they're trying to do and distract them. Might work to give her a break from the muzzle once the wound is a bit further along - but only when you're around to distract. She quite liked resting her head on it.

60 stitches is a LOT. Poor ducky.

 

[SAB]

Hi Trev. Grim news indeed. Two of my past springers had torso rips similar to this, although not as severe. Barbed wire injuries in both cases. Scary, but surprising how quickly they recover. I wish you both the best and look forward to throwing sticks into the river soon. For her, not you.
Steve

 

[Tomos Llyr Edwards]

That injury is the stuff of my nightmares. I don’t know what I’d do if my cocker had that happen.
I hope she has a very speedy recovery.

 

[westie4566]

Not quite as bad as that but I had a Spaniel that had an 8" gash with her gut popping out.
Also Westie on here has one of my Spaniels that gashed herself a couple of years ago.
Both caused by rolls of discarded barbed wire left to rust and undergrowth had grown around it. Barbed Wire should be banned as it serves no use what so ever. It terrible stuff.
Sheep wire does exactly the same job!!
Hope it's a quick healing process. The biggest job is stopping the dog from nibbling and locking the stitches out.
I recommend a muzzle for when you can't keep an eye on her.
Good Luck..👍

And remind me, how many times did the wee madam remove her own stitches??? 😅