Lucy's Fall

It was the first cache of the holiday that we were on. We'd picked up Sara and Pippin from there camp site and headed off to Rough Tor for a different walk this time up to the old airfield and then back again. There's a wonderful dip to go down about half a mile from the car park, over a small bridge, done just right everyone's tummy in the car goes flip.... everyone's did.

We parked up and made our way along the path, both dogs running ahead. We started throwing stones for them to chase to see which one was fastest. I still maintain Lucy, since shedding her weight was faster. May not have quiet the acceleration of a wee jack russel but given a distance definitely. Just catching up to a stone she fell whimpering to the ground, unable to stand just squirming. We ran up and had a look. The first thing was her chin it was bleeding. She was using her front legs trying to stand but both back legs flayed. Trying to calm her I checked each one in turn. I couldn't find any obvious breaks or fractures as they both moved OK and she didn't squeal when I touched them. It must be dislocated.

Aaron was dispatched to the car to get a couple of blankets so we could carry her back between us. Thankfully the car was only about 1/2 a mile away. While we waited the cut on her chin dried. It was a classic case of what happens when you fall down as a child and forget to put your hands out to break your fall and graze your chin. I guess when you are running at full pelt possibly with all legs off the ground and they stop working I inevitably your chin would be the first thing to hit the ground.

Aaron came back and we lay her on the blankets and carried her back to the car. Gently lifting her into the boot we headed to the vets which was just the other side of Camelford. There we left her, to be x-rayed and if her leg was dislocated to be put back in.

As we were camping she stayed there for the rest of the holiday and we picked her up on the way home. Still unable to take her own weight a towel was used to support her rear end as she walked. When talking to the vet, she thought it must be something neurological as her hip wasn't dislocated. She did have really bad hip displasia though. And so she was transferred to SVCS a specialist animal orthopaedic clinic on the outskirts of Ringwood to be assessed and start her recuperation.