horrible accident i am desperate

[nini241]

I am ashamed to tell you about this but I am desperate and hope to read about similar experiences because I can't live with the uncertainty of what is going on right now and I'm going out of my mind.
We were on the golfcourse today. Our beautiful chihuahua enjoys himself there more than anywhere else. I go there because it's so good to see him having a good time. I realise the danger but we were always so careful and he was too, standing aside when we hit the ball. I didn't want to go today due to the bad weather but I wanted him to run and play so I went anyway. He always runs after the ball and grabs it when it's stopped. He's obsessed with playing with balls. But someone else wanted to come along today and took a shot and then the most terrible thing happened. As he was already on the fairway for the first ball, that ball hit him right on the head. I ran to him and he was on the ground shaking, blood running out of his nose. I thought he was dying but as he was still alive I rushed for the car drove like hell to the vet who luckily had night call. In the car his tongue went purple because of oxygen deficiency. The vet gave him cortisone, and later morphine and a solution. We just called as she is watching over him tonight and he is a little better, reacting while tilting his head up a little when she talks to him.
I don't know why this horrible thing happenend and I am going crazy with sadness. He is the most important in my life. I love him so much I do anything for him, anything to see him happy and healthy. I have been so stupid. Please don't judge me as I am being punished already with the greatest grieve. In the morning I go and see him if he will make it through the night, then we'll go to the animal hospital to take scans.
Does anyone know more about possible skull fractures with such small and vulnerable dogs? Is there any hope for his recovery? What are the possible consequences? Please, any stories, information or tips are welcome.
I can't stand the thought of my precious darling being in pain or fear...

[marksme]

Thanks for the positive update on Lewis. It looks like he is going to be fine.
I know he enjoys being with you and knows you will be there for him. He's could not be in better company. Take care,

Mark

[nini241]

Thank you all for your support. Lewis is almost again as we knew him before the accident, except for his weak legs but they improve everyday.
I would love to stay here on medhelp although I'm not much of an expert...
I put his picture as my profile picture so you can see him!
All the best you to you all,
Nini

[Ghilly]

Nini, you truly have something extra special to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!  I will also say a special prayer of thanks for your little Lewis making a miraculous recovery!  I hope that you will stay here and become part of our community.  We would love to have you, and your experience can benefit many who come here asking about head injuries.  I wish you MANY more happy years with your Lewis!  Oh, and I would LOVE to see a picture of him!  Big, happy hugs to you and Lewis,
Ghilly

[Misfits4Me]

What a Wonderful Thanksgiving Gift......Good going Lewis & keep it up.....We have all been pulling for you from this dog forum.....I'm delighted again at the positive news....Thanks for the update and blessings to you both....Karla

[Chrisdoc9270]

As a beloved dog owner of 3 wonderful mastiffs...I am so happy to hear this positive outcome.   Please give Lewis some extra treats and even a gentle pat on his head from us.  

[nini241]

How lucky are we?! Lewis had almost left us but fate took another turn... Sometimes people die of getting hit on the head with a golfball, and this little miracle of ours survived it!
He now walks already 10 meters on his own! I see his various facial expressions returning, which assures me he is on the road to recovery. The excitingness when he sees ducks or birds that he likes to chase away and be proud about it (although he can't actually chase them yet). Or his ears pointing when he hears the box of his treats or dogs barking.
As part of his recovery, we daily go to his two chihuahua friends of our neighbours. They used to play together a lot and be best mates. The two are very carefull with him and don't play their game of who-can-sit-up-highest on their boss. While they would normally compete for the best spot and the most attention, they now let him be the center of attention.
We might not even have to go to rehabilitation! But we'll see about that in a few days.
I shiver when I think of me asking the vet right after the accident if she would give him a shot to put him out of his misery, convinced that he wouldn't make it anyway. Luckily she still had a little faith it might turn out alright.
Well, I will go and continue to spoil him rotten :-)  He doesn't have that cheecky look yet in his eyes but I know he enjoys the extra attention and the visits!
There will be no more golf course for him sadly enough. I don't want to tempt faith now that we got off so lightly!
Marksme, I am so sorry to hear you living with that guilt, but please think about his good life that started the moment you rescued him! You gave him a loving home and care and a dignified life, no?
With the time I spent in the vet clinic the past four days I saw a lot of dogs and cats who had to be operated for diseases or accidents, not all of them making it through. Then what I thought about was that hopefully they at least were treated right and had a good life, however short it may have been.
Thanks you all for your blessings and hugs, which I will pass on to Lewis. I will give him another massage now to stimulate his blood circulation.
Take care,
Nini

[ginger899]

Yes, big hugs from me too! I'm glad he seems to be pulling through this. Of course he might seem a little "down". That's to be expected in these early stages of his recovery. Part of it will be sheer tiredness, part of it could be that he has been at the vet's for a couple of days (that always makes them feel strange) and he may have been mildly sedated too?
Anyway, he is back with you, and at home. I hope he will continue to do well. Bless him.

[Ghilly]

Between Leo's great update and now this, well this is just one great day for good news!!!  :D

Nini, I told you!  One of the most important parts of any individual's recovery is the will to live, and the bond you have with your little one is so strong that he obviously has a VERY strong will to live!

I would expect him to be quiet for a while yet.  He probably has a boomer of a headache after what happened and he might have one for a while.  Headaches might come and go for him, he might have quiet days for months to come,  But the fact remains that he made it!!  And he is home with you!!  Please continue to update us on his miraculous progress!  And give him and yourself a big hug from me!

Ghilly

[Misfits4Me]

Nini...I believe in miracles......I have witnessed one w/a dog, also....I believe you have witnessed one, too! Thank you so much for the encouraging update.....Although I have not posted, I think about you & your guy daily.....

Like yours, my three's favorite place in the world, is also the golf course.....They get to run freely and my husband follows on a golf cart......We have been doing this for years.....Freak Accidents DO happen, but this was no way your fault.....

You might try to incorporate a Holistic Vet in your plan....IMO, Acupuncture would help his healing process tremendously! Just a thought......I will be looking for future updates & I'm praying for a complete recovery......Take care, Karla

[marksme]

You are so lucky and smart to get your dog to the vet so quickly.
Little dogs need help so quickly.
My dog Jack (yorkie) was sick so long, I became complacent.
It was not until he got to the vet I realized it
was too late for him. You are a good owner and your reaction saved
your little dog. I still full of guilt for not being aware of how serious
Jack was until it was too late. He had liver shunt, which we were
treating with medication. He also had allergies, and possible stones
in his gal bladder. I rescued the dog with little information about him,
but loved him as one of my kids. I never had such a shock in me life.
Death is never easy to accept, especially when the only one they depend
on for everything is you. I messed up, but you didn't.
May God Bless You.
Mark

[nini241]

Miracles do happen!
When I saw him right after the accident, considering his condition, I expected him to pass away any second. Even the vet said there was only a small change he would make it. Now three days later our sweetheart is home with us!! After his tests last night the vet suggested we take him to the yard in front of the clinic, where he miraculously did a poo took a few steps! Very wobbly and then he fell over, but they were steps! Apparently, as you said Ghilly, the mind is strong, the fresh air and being out of the clinic cage gave him the courage and strength to try to walk.
Now we know he is not completely paralysed, what a relief! She suggested to take him home immediately to speed up his recovery. We will see a neurologist soon and decide where to send him for rehabilitation. I hear they do wonders with those treadmills in water.
He is in his basket all day and doesn't react to much. He looks sad, maybe it's the tiredness. I hope he will find the strength to get better and not let himself slide into depression.
I wanted to let you know this good news, it might give others hope in a seemingly hopeless situation.
x
nini

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

prayers are with that fur-baby .

[Ghilly]

Nini, it was good to get a mostly positive update from you when I signed on tonight!  I was very relieved to see it, but I know it doesn't compare to your own relief that he is doing better.  In a situation such as this, edema is perfectly normal and that's exactly what I was referring to yesterday when I posted about it actually being in his favor here if his molera had not grown closed.  

There are a few things that you need to keep in mind here.  First of all, this was NOT your fault.  In your original post you are beating yourself up over it and you should not do that.  It was an accident, and accidents can happen ANYWHERE.   Another thing I want you to remember is that, as corny as it may sound, love conquers all.  It sounds like you have a very special relationship with your little Chi, and because of that, I think you might end up being very pleasantly surprised with how things turn out once he is out of the woods.  The brain is a marvelous organ, and it can do all kinds of things that we would never think it could do.  There are many documented cases of people and animals who never should have been able to walk or speak or do any number of things again leading perfectly normal lives because their brains basically re-programmed themselves when they healed from their accidents.  As long as you show him love and support, he can overcome a lot of adversity.  PLEASE keep us posted as to his progress and remember we are all thinking of you.

Ghilly

[nini241]

Dear Ghilly and Ginger,
thank you for your posts. Your words were comforting for me this morning when I read them while waiting to go see him. He was already lying on his belly this morning and clearly relieved to see us. He can't sit up though. They took photos and he has no skull fracture! He got molidan to get rid of the oedeem which is causing pressure on his head and more morphine today. The vet tested him and we were glad to see he has reflex to pain. But he has no reflex on bending his paws, which is sign of possible paralysis. His left membranes are much worse than those on the right, so I guess there is some brain damage. All we can do now is wait  and see how he evolves and maybe in two days we can take an MRI, though he will have to be put to sleep for that, which isn't very good in his situation.
I try hard to stay positive, especially around him as he needs our support. He looked so sad and fragile, not understanding what is going on and why. It's horrible for him not to have any control over his body. Even if he makes it through, he will probably never be the same happy, smart, social and playfull dog. He is so popular, everybody in town likes his spontaneity and enthousiasm and tourists take photos of him when he sits in his basket on my bike. He is truly amazing and unique.
I appreciate vets for doing a great job, but the clinic is so sad for some. Pets who die and owners coming to say goodbye to them, brutal injuries caused by accidents,... it made me contemplate about how much animals mean to us. We communicate profoundly with them and they rely on us to take good care of them. I wish to dedicate my life to helping animals but I just can't stand to see their pain, it cuts through me like a knife.
I'm glad to be able to write this down here after this long day.
Goodnight!
nini

[Ghilly]

Chihuahuas are probably the breed that is most susceptible to head injuries because like human babies, they have a molera, an opening that is the equivalent of the fontanelle, or the open spot in the skull.  Most of the time it closes up, however, in some individuals it remains open for the life of the dog.  If your dog's molera was one of the ones that remains open, it could account for the severity of his injury, HOWEVER, it could also help to save his life since, if there is any intracranial swelling connected with the injury, it will have somewhere to go because of the opening.

Ginger is correct when she says that he is in the best possible place right now.  That was good thinking on your part to scoop him right up and race him to the vet.  Sometimes it's not easy to think straight in the face of a crisis, but you did well.  She is also correct when she says that accidents happen, and while everyone has 20/20 hindsight, the odds of him getting hit as such a small target were so small that I really can't say that I think you were in any way careless by taking him along with you.  The odds would be just as great of him getting hit with something thrown at a local park, which is a place where millions of people take their dogs every day.  I hope that everything works out well and that your little guy comes safely home to you.  Please keep us posted as to his condition.  You and he are in my thoughts.

Ghilly

[ginger899]

I am sorry I don't have any personal experiences with head injuries. But he certainly is in the best place right now, and receiving the emergency care he needs -that you got him quickly. I don't think you can do better than that right now. You will have to hang on, see how he responds to treatment and medication.

Look -accidents do happen. If we all had hindsight, there are many things we would not do. But we haven't. With a dog, one can play the same game for years, and all is well, then one day, fate takes a different course, or the sequence of events conspire and the outcome is not the same.

You will have to trust now in the care he is receiving, and I hope he makes it through ok. It is a very good sign that there is some improvement already, and that he is conscious, and responsive.
Hopefully someone else will reply who has some personal experience of head injuries.