You know how I blogged on monday about having a great day? Well… our Border Collie, Toto decided to do an impromptu tryout for the London Olympic Games (athletics). She started well with a run off the back of the toyota tray, hit the air, attempted a double twist with pike and unfortunately completed her routine on her nose. If you’ve never seen a dog suffer a ‘degloving mandibular injury’, let me tell you it’ s not a high point. I love all animals but particularly dogs and Toto’s injury, one in which the soft flesh peeled away from her beneath her lower jaw so that she looked as if she had a second mouth was very distressing. She was on my lap wrapped in a towel within minutes of it happening as David drove the 100 km to the vet in Goondiwindi. After three mobile calls we eventually located a vet who could operate immediately. It was a success! Despite having never seen such an injury before, the vet said it was fairly common, particularly among untethered dogs in the back of moving vehicles-rarely stationary ones. Normally working dogs are put down if injuries are severe. The decision is invariably made on the seriousness of the injury, distance to medical assistance and yes for working dogs cost is a factor. David and I have never spent what we call ‘city dollars’ on working dog animal treatment before, however with our last two collie pups killed by a King brown two years ago and a need to inject some new talent into the ‘dog’ fold the loss of Toto was not something we wanted to consider. I picked Toto up from the vet today and despite her injury the vet did a superb job of stitching her up. She’s good as new with antibiotics and soft food for the next week the hardest thing is getting her to calm down she’s so excited to be home. Love my dog!