by FlexibleFlier » Thu Jul 12, 2018 4:14 pm
Animals can be crazy wonderful about injury and pain.
We adopted a Lab/something mix about 10 years ago, estimated age 4. Joyful, playful and full of energy, she tore her left Achilles tendon playing catch one afternoon but never uttered a sound. The only way we knew about it was that she was walking on that toe instead of the bottom pad. Took her to the vet, got a new tendon and walking cast and brought her home. Well, it's now winter with plenty of snow so the walks were uncomfortable but not too challenging. Again, not a peep out of her.
The following week, to the day, she tore the other Achilles tendon without a single sound of complaint. Again, we only noticed her walking on the toe. So, back to the vet, another replacement tendon and walking cast. Both back legs now but not a single sound of complaint. The walks became a bit more arduous but she was so willing to improve. Six weeks of snow booties and careful walks with never a peep from her.
In the end, she was stronger than ever and enjoyed years of leaping fences and jumping into snow banks. She's much more sedate now but still likes being outdoors if it's not too hot. My only worry is that I won't know if she's sick because she simply never complains.
My wife reminds me that I need to take a lesson from this.