Paws for thought

 A rule of smallholding often tested at Rock HQ is that any animal if it can hurt itself, will do so at any opportunity, however unlikely or bizarre. Which is why yours truly was found taking Elf, mother of many very handsome Berners, to the V E T with an unexplained limp acquired after a night in her purpose built quarters in the Swiss Chalet style kennel block.

 No I wasn't expecting good news from the V E T and quite frankly fully expected to be making yet another financial donation to their off shore banking, but the news delivered was quite simply about the worst that could be given. Elf has somehow managed to snap or sever both tendons in her left back leg, she has a small but deep cut on the inside of this leg. At a loss how to explain the cause of the injury I listened intently as the V E T went on the explain the options. Either we operate and screw the tendons back in place, put a cast on her leg, change it weekly and after 8 to 12 weeks cage rest, ie complete rest, the hopefully the tendons will have reattached and we can begin physio. If its doesn't work then the other option, or the one we could opt for thus by passing all the above is amputation right up to the hip and a three legged life for Elf. That's fine until she hurts the other leg. Option 3 wasn't worth considering as that is death by injection. I did ask if there were any other options like permanently setting the leg in place like the surgeon planned to with my left arm if they couldn't have rebuilt it. No. Either way Elf needed to go under the knife. Tomorrow.

So the rest of the day we have been preparing for tomorrow when our lovely quadra-ped becomes a tri-paw. But as I was driving along pondering life as a tri paw amongst the clan I did wonder about the amputation option and whether a less drastic chop could be done and blade effort fixed to her leg like the runners have. A quick look at Google and it seems like that is not such a stupid idea so I have asked the V E T to wait a few days while more research is done.