About two years ago, my beloved dog Charlee was hit by a car after sneaking out to play on the side of the highway early in the morning. I was reminded of this the other day as I was walking into the kitchen, I took a step over her, and she panicked. Usually, she’s very outgoing, like she thinks she’s some sorta super dog, not afraid of anything! However, every so often, it’s like she’s been transported back to that moment, and there’s nothing I can do.
-What do the the experts say?
The director of the animal behavior clinic at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Dr. Nicholas H. Dodman, says PTSD in dogs is more managed but never fully cured because “dogs never forget.”
-What actually happened?
When the incident happened, my mother and I were overseas visiting family. I received a text saying Charlee was missing. We were in a time zone twelve hours ahead, had minimal service, so communication was difficult! The house sitter says she let the dogs out that morning, distracted and not thinking straight due to an illness in her family she assumed that Charlee was in the yard, but the evening when she came home, the dog was nowhere to be seen.
A friend of the family says he had seen a dog hit on the highway in the early morning. Being late for work and noticing other cars had pulled off, he carried on, not realizing it was Charlee. Later that evening, when word got out that she was missing, he and his family went back to search the ditch. It took them about an hour of scanning the area until finally, they found her and rushed her to the Vet. Badly broken, her leg protruding through the skin needed to be put back in place as soon as possible! But the accidents had also damaged her heart! Her heart rate was too weak for the vets to operate. It was at least a week before she could finally have her surgery and begin healing that leg.
-The Path to Recovery
It took six weeks for her leg to heal enough to bear weight and three months for it to be solid. She had to be restrained, locked in doggy jail; pain killers only do so much, but the real torture is boredom and the frustration of not being allowed to do anything. That’s when the depression set in! She was skinny, food didn’t appeal to her anymore, and her crying was difficult to bear. Life sucked for a while! As she healed, we started training her to search for a particular scent. This activity was a great way to stimulate her mind and fight off depression. Eventually, she got stronger; the more she could go out for walks and regain her strength, the happier she became. It took at least a year for her to find confidence and run around playing with the other dogs with that typical golden retriever’s smile. She still won’t chase a ball if there is a competition but is always happy when I throw one, especially for her.
-What to expect if your dog has experienced similar events.
After going through such difficulties following her accident, it warms my heart to see her back to normal, enjoying her life. If your beloved pet has gone through a similar tragedy, please know their incident will always stay with them! It’s hard, and it might just get more challenging, but eventually, it will get better! The best thing you can do is be patient and remember any little thing you can do with them to stimulate their minds goes a long way!
