....in the world ever :(

As some of you will know,  my lovely Chow X Rottie, Shay'had surgery on a very arthritic knee joint back in November.  Since then, his recovery has had ups and downs but, on the whole, he has been doing very well and our vet (who, incidently, is a god among vets) was delighted with his progress.

Yesterday, we had a fairly major setback :-(  OH took both dogs to the park for their moring walk.  Shay is allowed short periods of lead but his exercise is carefully controlled.  He was off lead for a minute or two to let him go to the toilet (he is very particular about his toilet habits :rolleyes)  when a husky X lab that we know charged up to him.  He is a friendly dog and usually doesn't cause any bother but yesterday he got a bit over-friendly and humped Shay...with the result that Shay's leg is worse than ever :-(  OH feels at fault because he had let Shay of lead just  a few seconds before and didn't manage to intervene in time as he was distracted by our other dog.  I feel terrible because I should have taken Shay out separately like I usually do but I asked OH to take him as I 'needed' to get into work early.

We had him checked by the vet yesterday evening and he doesn't think that any major damage has been done but Shay is obviously in significant pain and it breaks my heart to see him like this again after all he's been through :-(

We've spent the last 2 and a half years trying to make up for his cr*p start in life...and now we fell lik ethe most inadequate owners ever.  Shay is being a trooper, as ever...albeit on 3 legs.  I just hope we can make it up to him.

Sorry for rambling, just needed to share....

Don't beat yourself up!! Hindsight is a great thing, you weren't to know a dog was going to come along and try to hump him were you. ;-)  Though I do think we women can see things a lot quicker than our male counter parts, (sorry guys) but I usually know what is about to happen, where and when before hubby has even noticed the first phase of anything. I think that is a woman thing, we are better at spotting what is going on around us, you may have got to Shay but then you may not.

Let it go and I am sure you will both make it up to him ten fold,

Crystal balls are great, but none of us have them, (and we probably wouldn't be able to work one anyway :-P) we all just have to deal with what happens, and learn from things.

Hope Shay is feeling better soon, he is a brave boy.

Ohhh Julie!!! We all do all we can, but NONE of us are perfect sh*t happens and if the Vet thinks that things are okish then it may just be bruising and a bit of swelling! To be honest, look at me...if Storm banged into my knee replacement it would hurt like hell...BUT...it wouldn't do any lasting harm...just shake it up a bit! Please, please, please don't beat yourselves up! (or I may have to talk to my friend Willie about your suitablility!!! HAHAHA) Just take a deep breath, know that you give your dogs the best ever lives they can have, taken them away from a fate worse than death!!! Hugs and kisses for all XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX :D

Thanks guys :)

Just needed to vent a bit here as I'm trying to reassure OH that he wasn't at fault so can't say anything to him about how I'm feeling. Feel better for getting it off my chest :)  What would I do without you lot?

I'm sure Shay will come through this like he has everything else...I'm just sorry that he has to :(  He seems to have had more than his fair share of cr*p to deal with in his 3 short years.  Mind you,  bad leg and all, he still manages to get up on our bed and monopolise 3/4 of it so he can't be that bad :rolleyes:

Dawn, if you do talk to Willie, make sure you say lots of lovely things....I'll pay ya :D :D  Did you see the photo of the *other* gorgeous Storm in Dog World week before last?...*sigh*

Depends how much you pay me my Dear!!!

Just remember dogs don't obsess about injuries like we do. They just think ouch and pick their leg up. He's not thinking "I wish dad had stepped in today". Don't beat yourself up. No matter how hard we try things will happen. Give him a cuddle and another 1/8 of the bed and he'll forgive you ;-)