# Worst Thanksgiving i've ever had.



## snobiller22 (Sep 25, 2007)

Well things started out great, first thing had ducks set into the dekes and downed 3 of them with my dad and my buddy. From there down hill, no birds were workin so we decided to pack it up and go get ready for the feast.

On our way back in is when it happened, i almost lost my buddy. My dog, Bailey, was riding up on the bow of the boat and we were trying to find our way through the reeds and had to take a pretty sharp turn. She was thrown overboard and got sucked back under the boat. I was driving and felt her hit the motor and the prop . At first i didn't realize what it was i thought i had just hit a rock or something like that because i didn't see her go in. When i looked back i saw her covered in blood and the water around her was also covered in blood.

So i imediatly jumped in and ran over to her as she was struggling and coughing up blood. The prop had hit her right inbetween the eyes more close to her left eye. I could see the whole side of her eye. So we jumped in the boat and headed in to hopefully make it to the ER. I half expected to feel her pass as i held her, but she held strong. I was all tore up about it....

We got her in an the ER was only able to take care of the laserations. They determined that she had broken her upper jaw and that it would need to be wired back together. So we took her home, and she was whimpering the whole way home, for the night and got her to the vet first thing in the morning. He kept her all day and night repairing her.

After all is said and done, it collapsed her nasal canal, has about a 5 inch laserations grazing her eye, another laseration on her nose, broken jaw ( broke just above the roots of her canine and 3 teeth back), had to pull her canine and 2 mullors that were cut in half, the jaw had to be wired back to her skull, 3 laserations on her left leg, the prop took a blunt force chunk out of her elbow that will heal itself and amazingly didn't break the bone.

She is one tough dog, we got her home and she was walking inside by herself and saw a tennis ball. Believe it or not she went and picked it up and dropped it at my feet. She truly loves the game or retrieve. Of coarse it was killing me not to throw it, but doc said no physical activities for at least 2 weeks.

The vet said he really doesn't know how she survived this, and for how bad it is, she really is lucky to be here.

I can't tell you how happy, but sad i am about this whole accident. I am so glad that she made it and i'll be able to do all the great stuff we do together but at the same time i am mad at myself for the stupiddity of letting her ride on the bow. Never do that again. And word to the wise, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DON'T LET YOUR DOG RIDE ON THE FRONT OF THE BOAT. I never want anybody to go through what i had to. It emotionally drained me.

Anyway, here are some photos.


----------



## cwp (Nov 25, 2007)

WOW! sorry to hear about your dog. sounds like a really long day. It is amazing that she is still alive. good luck to the both of you. Keep us posted in the upcoming days!
Cory


----------



## OKEE (Jan 3, 2008)

Sorry about your dog that was a bad day. You still have her thats the best news. I hope everything goes well for your dog.


----------



## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Man, that almost made me tear up to read. Dog's are like kids, they are so innocent, and it makes you feel bad when they get hurt. But as you said, they are tough creatures. Give her a scratch behind the ears for me, she deserves it.


----------



## Guns and Flies (Nov 7, 2007)

Poor little girl, hope she recovers quickly.


----------



## vdogs (Sep 22, 2007)

Man, that is a tough deal! Sorry you and and the pup had to go through this. Dogs are very resilient! Your dog will amaze you with her recuperative powers. 

Good lesson for all of us to be more careful at all times.

Rick


----------



## Texscala (Sep 8, 2007)

What a survivor! Hope that everything works out.

If you don't mind sharing how much did that vet bill run?


----------



## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

My heck she really has some spirit !! Pick up a tennis ball after all of that !! :shock: 

Your a good person to jump in after her and rush her to the doc's !! I would bet you were feeling a lot pain and agony, just not the same as she was...

I hope everything works out for her !! and you.....


----------



## bigdaddyx4 (Jan 11, 2008)

I am very sorry to hear about your dog. Sounds like she is a trooper though. You will have to keep us posted on her progress! 

I was just talking to my wife about dogs and their relationship with humans. It is amazing after all we put them through, they are still so eager to please us and they are the first one to meet us when we come through the door, with every part of their body wiggling all over the place! (For the most part, they also listen better than the kids do!!!)


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Poor girl!

I hope she makes a full recovery.


----------



## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

:shock: Them dogs is tuffer than I woulld ever be. Good luck with her. Take good care of your best friend.


----------



## Travis R. Bullock (Jul 25, 2008)

That is horrible, but what an incredible animal! I am so glad she is doing well and will make a full recovery.


----------



## snobiller22 (Sep 25, 2007)

Texscala said:


> What a survivor! Hope that everything works out.
> 
> If you don't mind sharing how much did that vet bill run?


Well so far, just under 1400. We have a couple more check up appointments, meds to fill, and final stitches being removed before all is said and done.

As bad as it sucks, i would have paid double if i had to. Plus now my wife doesn't need to get me a gift for christmas and my birthday. Having her here is gift enough, oh and the bills that came with it. :mrgreen:


----------



## snobiller22 (Sep 25, 2007)

Chaser said:


> Man, that almost made me tear up to read. Dog's are like kids, they are so innocent, and it makes you feel bad when they get hurt. But as you said, they are tough creatures. Give her a scratch behind the ears for me, she deserves it.


I couldn't stop tearing for the two days after, it was tough. It's amazing the attachment you build with a dog. I've had a couple of people say it doesn't get any easier when your own kid gets hurt. I wouldn't know because i don't have kids, but i consider her to one of my own like a child. I have raised her, spent endless hours with her, diciplined her, enjoyed her. Sounds like a kid to me, but i'm just glad she's still here.


----------



## girlsfishtoo (Feb 5, 2008)

Wow what a crapy thanksgiving. Good thing shes going to pull through. Good luck to both of you on the recovery from this accident.


----------



## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Were those pictures from before or after the surgery?


----------



## snobiller22 (Sep 25, 2007)

The picture with her in the dog crate is just after the ER, all they did there was stitches. The picture with her on the counter, is the next day before the surgery. I'll get a new pic of her up on here.


----------



## snobiller22 (Sep 25, 2007)

Well i took her into the vet yesterday for a check up, and she is doing great. Doc says she is recovering very fast. Still has concerns for her tear duct, but worst cast scenerio is i will have to give her eyedrops once a day. He also pushed on the piece of jaw that had to be wired and he said it was almost solid. He could barley move it, so that's healing well. 

THe stitches come out next thursday, and looking at her you wouldn't think this happened only a week ago i will try to get a pic up soon.


----------



## snobiller22 (Sep 25, 2007)

Well i took bailey in to get her stitches removed and her cone taken off. And she has healed amazingly fast and well. She looks great, plus the vet said i can get her in water, play some retrieving games and training and best of all..............TAKE HER HUNTING!!!!!! I can't believe how fast she has healed. While i would love to get her out tommorrow, i'm still a little hesitent to get her out hunting and have her latch onto a wounded bird or something and loosen the break in her jaw. So i may just ease into it.

Here are a few pics, I also had her out doin some training today. A little out at at lee kay as i was on my way back from tooele from a job and some at the park by my house. Had her runnin some senior type tests. Little rusty, that's ok though. At least we can still do it. Anyway here she is............


















Look No TEETH!!!!!


































Here's the pup watching a training video with me (thought i'd throw this in here) she loves to watch TV


----------



## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

I am glad the dog is ok.Hats off to you for taking care of her.


----------



## one hunting fool (Sep 17, 2007)

man that is a horrible day! I can only imagine how hard that was for you. I am truely sorry and glad that she made it. My dog hit a steal irrigation pipe while hunting one year and pealed the top of her skull open just above her eye. (nothing compared to your damage) my wife would not let me take the dog out hunting again for a year because she was worried she would get hurt again.


----------



## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

wow. I hope she doing better. I let me dog ride up there. not no more she will be in the back by me. my wife always had a fit about it. now i know why. hope every thing is going good for you and her. the bills are well worth it to have them at home with you and back in the marsh next year. So did any of it hurt her eye?


----------



## Artoxx (Nov 12, 2008)

When I built my boat I had the bright idea to mount an eye bolt on the front deck back near the box. My intention was to use this to tether the dog to with a sort leash, about as long as he is from the deck to his collar. I did this to keep him ON the front deck and help me keep the water out of the box. I don't have a motor yet, so he would not be any danger from that at this point, but I can see how my idea might be helpful when and if I DO get a motor.

I would be screwed if something like that happened as my finances would not cover anything like that much damage.  

Congratulations on her recovery. I hope you have many good years hunting together after this. Have you had her back out?


----------



## snobiller22 (Sep 25, 2007)

dkhntrdstn said:


> wow. I hope she doing better. I let me dog ride up there. not no more she will be in the back by me. my wife always had a fit about it. now i know why. hope every thing is going good for you and her. the bills are well worth it to have them at home with you and back in the marsh next year. So did any of it hurt her eye?


Her eye faired very well. The eye lids will only open about 90% of what they did before, but it doesn't block any of her vision.

As for the vision, she seems to be fine. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

She must have some cat in her, she only has 8 lives left :mrgreen: :mrgreen: . Nah just kiddin around. I am truly blessed to still have her, she's a sweetheart.


----------



## Artoxx (Nov 12, 2008)

Just curious as to how the dog is doing? Any noticeable after effects? Had her out hunting? 
Hope ya'll are doing good.


----------

