8 stitches later

I was taking Ella on her morning walk yesterday when she spotted a bunny in the neighbors yard. I unhooked her leash so she could go chase it -one of the funnest joys in her life. She stealthily crawled under the fence and then WHAM, booked it after that bunny like a greyhound on a race course track. She rounded a corner chasing her prey, after which I couldn't see her anymore. Minutes later she came bounding back, searching in the initial spot for the bunny.

We continued on our walk. Crap, Ella had cut her back paw. I kept staring at it, sort of in disbelief, sort of hoping it wasn't that bad. It looked pretty bad, a nice clean slice. I was hoping that after she got out of the water, at her favorite spot in the river, that it would be better. Ummm, no, it was worse. Good idea Andrea.

I was in a mild state of panic. Ella on the other hand couldn't care less. Her paw was gushing blood but hey, there were still birdies to chase and other dogs to play with!
I turned around and started running home. By this time I'm trying really hard not to look at her wound for fear of fainting. So I do the next logical thing- I knock on our neighbors door and have Emily look at her paw. How sad is that. I can't even look at my dogs hurt paw to decipher whether or not to take her to the vet.

Ella hates the vet. Especially the big black man who scares her so bad. And of course with our luck he was there to take care of her. So after four hours at the vet, sedation, IV's and 8 stitches, Ella is home and in good spirits. I just had to get her that duck to kill so she wouldn't hate me for taking her to that (in her opinion) big, scary man again.