Puppy's First Stitches

Shadowfax the puppy got her first stitches on Tuesday.  This is an unfortunate coming of age benchmark and it's the first time we've had to get any of the dogs stitched up.  Most of the previous self-inflicted injuries the pups have have sustained consisted of scrapes, small punctures, and some small cuts - the kind of thing that we could treat at home with peroxide and Neosporin.

But on Monday night as puppy was in the midst of a high speed tear around session, Tito "The Moray Eel" lurched out from his hiding place under the dining room table like a moray eel and nipped her good.  I actually didn't notice for a few minutes since other than letting out a yelp (the loudest I've ever heard her yelp), there was no indication she was hurt, she just kept racing around and playing with Shaak Ti.

She wound up with a decent sized gash and 8 stitches.  While not life threatening, it was definitely beyond our first aid abilities so we took her first to the emergency vet (it was late evening) for staples, which didn't hold very well, and then the next day to the vet to get sewn up.  Between the emergency vet visit on Monday night and the follow up visit to get stitches, it was an expensive little incident and the cost is definitely coming out of Tito's allowance.  

After she came home, she just kept right on playing.  I don't think she even knew that she'd been injured.  At the vet, even though she had a gaping wound, she jumped right up on the counter.  Not front-paws-up-on-the-counter, but jump through the air onto the counter with all four feet so she could give the receptionist kisses. The receptionist commented "my she's s a busy dog isn't she".  Yes, yes she is. 

Here she is in her Comfy Cone chomping away at Triumph the Triceratops. We're big fans of the Comfy Cone, it's much less damaging to the shins (of the people, not the dogs) and and still keeps the pups from pulling her stitches out.

Here's the puppy napping in her Comfy Cone, cozy and comfy, but a little sad looking.  She's healing up quick and will be flying around the house before we know it.