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Ernie came hobbling into our lives, a body racked with pain and soulful trusting eyes that seemed to say "you found me." The hobbled walk has evolved into a crazy ready for dinner dance that says "feed me, feed me I am hungry." But I am racing ahead of myself a hazard of hanging out with Greyhounds.
It all began with a call from AGR asking Jim and I if we would foster/care a hound who was badly injured at the track. The thinking was with having fostered nine dogs some of which had some fairly serious health issues we could probably take care of this new boy Ernie. We arrived at the vets to learn how to do the twice daily wound care and bandage changes. Even though we were told he was in pretty bad shape, neither one of us was prepared for the severity of his wounds. Warning if you're eating...stop!
A large palm sized wound on his right leg that looked like it had been sliced off with a chef's knife. There were tears under both legs where they meet the body each leg sloshed with fluid. Further he had a gut wrenching to see, wound on his left leg the flesh was torn from the top of his leg down over the joint which left exposed bone. We both looked at each other and our expressions mirrored real panic...was this more than we could handle? The vet techs assured us we could do it.
Then we looked at this stately red fawn beauty of a boy and how the calm essence of his eyes, belied the raw fury of his wounds. We watched in awe as he licked the hands and faces of the vet techs, his tail in a helicopter wag as they carefully pulled away the old bandages each turn revealing another horror and what had to be waves of pain. Yet he stood it all, showing his gratitude to these women, no make that angels, who he knew were there to help him. He kept looking at us as if to say, "Are you paying attention?" We were. He seemed to know.
When we left with him limping between us he had this smirk that only a teenager can give that seemed to say "well bro at least you didn't throw-up on me!"
It has been six weeks now and the palm sized wound is a finger nail sized scab and it ready to fall off. The left leg wound is taking a bit longer to heal but it all has fully granulated and is closing as well. He may be left with a bit of a limp the vet says but we think Ernie has other ideas.
So many AGR folks have come forward to help and support us in our efforts. We have been putting "Sangre de Drago" (an herbal tree sap remedy that was used by natives in the Amazon forests) which was sent to us by Michelle from Greyt Escape. Dr. Eagle has been impressed with the quick healing said to keep using it. Ernie gets Reiki treatments from angels Kate Eastwood & Tina Furtado and many thanks too to Cheryl Bennett for all the medical supplies.
And of course all the staff at Ina Road Animal Hospital have worked hard to help Ernie heal but they also have been so supportive to Jim and myself making our part so much easier. A BIG THANKS TO YOU ALL.
Aside from the dinner dance Ernie has discovered toys though he not sure what to do with them yet other than horde and tuck them into the folds of his comforter. Always a surprise when discovered under foot. He has been off all meds including pain for 10 days now and has gained 17 pounds now a big boy of 80 pounds, a far cry from his arrival skeletal days of 63 pounds. He has these short stubby Groucho Marx eyebrows and Egyptian eye liner combined with a smoke dusted muzzle and a white tipped nose all of which make him look exotically handsome. Think Omar Shariff as a Greyhound.
Ernie has become the perfect house hound. Easily house trained, responds well to “no” commands, truly loves our other dogs, and probably would do well with other medium to large dogs. He is eager to please but still independent. He is a joy to have around. He is not ready just yet for his forever home and when he is -- it will not be an easy let go, but we know he is going to be a real gift to whoever is lucky enough to make him their "furever fur buddy".
Oh, and Ernie loves to put his head on your lap and tuck his nose into your elbow (his version of a hug). He especially likes to lay his head on my ever increasing Santa belly. He looks up at me and seems to say, "You better cut back on that chocolate Papa." Notice he says "cut back" and not "give up"
...I love this hound.
Can you help?
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