Guest Anonymous Posted May 31, 2003 Posted May 31, 2003 my dog jumped out of the back of the truck...its a 6 month old golden retriever...he acts fine since it is saturday at 4:00 pm there are no vets open...but he's been acting fine and all...i was just needing some suggestions. Quote
courtnek Posted May 31, 2003 Posted May 31, 2003 was the truck moving at the time? or at a standstill? Check his paws, if he'll let you (a dog in pain may need to be muzzled to be examined - dont assume that because he is a golden he wont bite) If he is being good about it, just kinda squeeze lightly along his paws up til you get to his body, and have someone else there to hold his head with a towel. again, if in pain, they can bite, even mild-mannered goldens. If he has issues with this check, muzzle him, please! If you see him wince, or if he tries to break away from whoever is holding his head, then he is in pain and needs to see a vet asap. Dogs do not display pain the way we do. They can keep it all to themselves without you even noticing. If he is limping, or dragging, he is hurt. But if the pain is not severe, he may show no signs at all. That is why you need to check. He may be fine - they are a lot more athletic than we are, but you still need to make sure. good luck, and let us know how it goes :D Quote
courtnek Posted May 31, 2003 Posted May 31, 2003 I need to clarify this post If he will let you examine him, have someone sit on his right side behind his head, and wrap a towel around his muzzle. NOT TIGHT, just enough to have control Keep one hand on the end of the towel, holding it in place, and use the other arm to wrap around his head/neck to hold his muzzle in place. This is a safe alternative to a muzzle if the dog is gentle and willing to be examined, if NOT!! muzzle him immediately. This will keep his head in place so that if you hit a painful spot, he wont be able to bite. If you do hit a painful spot, he needs to see a vet. Quote
Sanvean Posted June 1, 2003 Posted June 1, 2003 I'm sure you've probably learned how scary and dangerous this can be, but in case anyone else here lets their dog ride in the back of the truck, PLEASE don't! Not only did I have a good friend in high school who was killed this way (another car hit their vehicle and she and two other girls were thrown out and killed), but a friend's wonderful golden died when the truck hit a huge bump and she fell out. I hope your baby is OK! Quote
Horsefeathers! Posted June 1, 2003 Posted June 1, 2003 Experience has taught me that it's better to be safe than sorry. Several years ago, my Black Lab, Tucker, was hit by a delivery truck that was rocketing through our community (Tucker was at the edge of our yard and the truck veered off the private drive and hit him). I saw it when it happened. The front bumper caught Tucker in a way that threw him away from the truck and he landed against a fence. He got up, shook it off, and kept right on running around, as if nothing were wrong. I looked him over, watched him move, checked him out and he seemed perfectly fine except for some scrapes and a mouthful of gravel. A year or so later, Tucker began limping. We had him examined and xrayed and it was discovered that he had some old healed injuries, including an improperly healed broken pelvis and femur, both on opposite sides. The improperly healed broken femur was set in such a way that it caused the hip to start backing out of its socket and Tucker was dysplastic. We have no way of knowing whether these injuries were the result of when Tucker was hit by that truck, or perhaps an injury that happened before we adopted him, but the vet said stranger things have happened. I don't see how Tucker could have just gotten up and ran around with those kinds of injuries, but the vet said it's possible(?). Anyway, Tucker had to have FHO surgery, costing plenty of $$$ and pain. If I had it to do over again, I would have made the emergency trip to the vet (was also on a Saturday afternoon) and had him examined. The vet would have known how to manipulate the legs and back end to know what he was looking for. At the very least, we wouldn't be having to live with the agony of wondering whether it was OUR irresponsibility (opting not to have him seen by a vet) that led to Tucker's pain. Had those bones been set and healed right, the FHO surgery could have been avoided. He will still likely be arthritic and have problems because some of the old healed injuries can't be fixed. Anyway, don't play around with bones and joints. I'd say make the trip and have an emergency vet on call look at your dog. Watching him move isn't enough because he may be injured and never limp. Quote
courtnek Posted June 1, 2003 Posted June 1, 2003 In most places in the states, riding in the back of a truck without seats or seatbelts is illegal. There are no laws covering dogs, but they should not be allowed to ride back there either, unless a harness can be provided to keep them safe. It's dangerous INSIDE the car without a harness, outside, there is nothing, no body of the car, to protect them if an accident occurs. Quote
Sanvean Posted June 1, 2003 Posted June 1, 2003 Surprisingly, Cortnek, a lot of states still allow people to ride in the back of the trucks because the farming lobby is dead-set on it. (Apparently, farmers transport their workers that way to the fields.) In Michigan, it's legal if all the seatbelts in the cab of the truck are in use. Of course, legal or not, it's never a good idea to have a dog or person back there. Quote
courtnek Posted June 1, 2003 Posted June 1, 2003 I agree Sanvean - sometimes the police, or the local laws, look the other way. It's still not safe tho... Is your web name french, and if so, what does it mean? It's really pretty.... Quote
Sanvean Posted June 1, 2003 Posted June 1, 2003 Thanks! It's the title of a song by Dead Can Dance. I think it's one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard. You can listen to it here: http://dayinthelife.org/mp3/ Quote
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