On innumerable occasions in my clinical practice, I have witnessed our canine companions incurring health problems stemming from dog parks. In doing regular emergency work (along with my house call acupuncture practice), I treat dog bites, acute onset lameness, blunt trauma, digestive issues from eating dirt or organism-contaminated water, and other ailments affecting companion animals. I recently found myself in the patient role when I sought treatment for an injury sustained at the hands of (actually, the head of) a familiar dog park attendee.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, while visiting my sister in Delaware, I incurred my own dog park trauma: a (slightly) broken nose.
Spencer, my sister’s Labrador Retriever, was leading a rambunctious game of chase with Cardiff (my dog) in hot pursuit. As I leaned over to remove the leash from my sister’s other (smaller) dog, Riley, I failed to notice the Spencer led doggy caravan sprinting in my direction. I turned to my right, then felt and heard a crunch as Spencer’s thick skull connected with my nose.
The reality of the incident quickly set in when my eyes began to profusely water and blood poured out of my nose. Additionally, the collision caused my sunglasses to cut the skin on the bridge of my nose, further contributing to my face’s bloody mess.
Being unable to ascertain the full extent of my trauma, we immediately pursued emergency care at Hockessin Walk-In Medical Care. Having participated in radiographs (xrays) on my animal patients many times in my years as a technician and veterinarian, I found comfort in the amusing irony of my situation; prostrate on the xray table.
The good news came when Dr. Vincent Shaller informed me that my septum lacked deviation and the majority of my nasal bone was intact. The bad news was that I had a small, non-displaced fracture to the tip of my nasal bone. Actually, the bad news was rather good, considering the likelihood the fracture would heal without surgical intervention.
I certainly never would have predicted that this kind trauma would have happened to me. I am thankful (being that this incident incurred on Thanksgiving eve) that nothing injurious happened to Cardiff, as his history of Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) adds complications to the management of many common conditions, including trauma (see Thanksgiving 2010- I Am So Thankful for the Health of My Dog).
I now feel compelled to warn others to employ caution in situations where dogs are given the opportunity to revert to their instinctual behaviors. Such behaviors can potentially lead to unforeseen trauma to pets or people (i.e. dog parks, etc), so keep your personal or pet’s medical insurance card and your wallet readily accessible.
Spencer, my sister’s Labrador Retriever, was leading a rambunctious game of chase with Cardiff (my dog) in hot pursuit. As I leaned over to remove the leash from my sister’s other (smaller) dog, Riley, I failed to notice the Spencer led doggy caravan sprinting in my direction. I turned to my right, then felt and heard a crunch as Spencer’s thick skull connected with my nose.
The reality of the incident quickly set in when my eyes began to profusely water and blood poured out of my nose. Additionally, the collision caused my sunglasses to cut the skin on the bridge of my nose, further contributing to my face’s bloody mess.
Being unable to ascertain the full extent of my trauma, we immediately pursued emergency care at Hockessin Walk-In Medical Care. Having participated in radiographs (xrays) on my animal patients many times in my years as a technician and veterinarian, I found comfort in the amusing irony of my situation; prostrate on the xray table.
The good news came when Dr. Vincent Shaller informed me that my septum lacked deviation and the majority of my nasal bone was intact. The bad news was that I had a small, non-displaced fracture to the tip of my nasal bone. Actually, the bad news was rather good, considering the likelihood the fracture would heal without surgical intervention.
I certainly never would have predicted that this kind trauma would have happened to me. I am thankful (being that this incident incurred on Thanksgiving eve) that nothing injurious happened to Cardiff, as his history of Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) adds complications to the management of many common conditions, including trauma (see Thanksgiving 2010- I Am So Thankful for the Health of My Dog).
I now feel compelled to warn others to employ caution in situations where dogs are given the opportunity to revert to their instinctual behaviors. Such behaviors can potentially lead to unforeseen trauma to pets or people (i.e. dog parks, etc), so keep your personal or pet’s medical insurance card and your wallet readily accessible.