Last Night's REAL Nightmare

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Usually Bexter (11 months old today) sleeps in his crate next to my bed.  There have been a couple of times where I have cuddled with him in my bed & fallen asleep & he has just slept with me & my husband & everything was fine.  Well...last night, I fell asleep with him in my bed.  This morning at 3:30 I woke up to Bexter either jumping or falling off my bed.  I am completely devastated.  When I went to examine him, he was holding his right front leg up and crying.  I (figuring the reason he got out of bed was that he had to go potty) carried him outside to let him go & GENTLY placed him in the grass.  What I saw was a nightmare.  He (maybe forgetting he was hurt or not realizing the extent) started to walk, cried out in pain, & hobbled to go potty.  I was absolutely horrified.  I called the emergency vet & we were on our way.  (Thankfully I do now have PetPlan for him...although I SERIOUSLY cannot believe I'd need it so soon).  Anyway, nothing's broken, but he's on pain meds and crate rest for 2 weeks.  There went the leash training I was excited to do!  Anyway, I'm happy nothing is broken, but he may have pulled a muscle or something.

 

Has this happened to anyone else?  I feel like an ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE mother right now.  I have been doing nothing but crying & beating myself up about how stupid I was for letting this happen.  I seriously adore & worship the ground Bexter walks on.

 

When is it safe for these dogs (Bexter's a mini) for get down from beds?  Ever? (Obviously I knew he was too young right now, but I need to know when you all are ok with this).  OR Do any of you have those stairs by your beds? 

[Linda and "Toby"]

Oh, Traci, I'm so sorry to hear about Baxter! Please don't beat yourself up over this! All of my dogs over the years have slept on the bed with us from the time they were young. If I recall, by the time they are around 4 or 5 months old they were able to jump off the bed safely.

He probably either rolled off at a weird angle or his foot got caught on a sheet or blanket, or maybe his foot had even fallen asleep and he landed on it weird. It's one of those fluke things that happens - just like with kids. He could have sprained or pulled a muscle in his foot/leg just as easily from jumping off a chair or the sofa and landing on it wrong. Trust me, HE will be a lot more cautious about getting down from places after this. 

Toby and I are sending lots of love and doodle-y "get well" kisses! :)

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

First of all...please don't blame yourself for this.  Nothing is broken, so that's a really good thing.  I do have stairs by the bed for Guinness to use to get on and off during the day. He's not on the bed at night.  He is a 22 lb mini.  He often does jump off the bed rather than use the stairs, and he's never hurt himself.  So,there is no guarantee that Baxter will use them, but I would definitely give them a try.  Feel better, little Baxter!

[Lindsey]

Don't beat yourself up!! Accidents happen...so many more accidents will happen in the future, it's nothing to get yourself worked up over. You're a good doodle mom, obviously, and puppies are like kids, they will be a little rough and tumbly...and do things that get them hurt, that you would never have thought they would do.
Now, try not to worry too much and I have a feeling Baxter will be better before you know it...I would even venture to say, he will surprise you and start running around like nothing is wrong...wayyyy before you've forgiven yourself :-)

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Peri's 25 pounds at 2 years and she doesn't have a problem jumping on and off the bed. 

What probably happened is that he just fell off and wasn't prepared (his body was mush) and it scared him.  I bet he is just fine, but it's good you have pet insurance and can get him checked out. 

Don't beat yourself up over this.

[Camus]

I am very sorry! 

Did you really mean 11 months? I thought Bexter was 11 weeks. Don't blame yourself. No one is guarantied from these accidents. Camus is 8 weeks old today. Last Saturday he couldn't get down from the bed and the couch, but on Sunday and yesterday he already jumped down. I know that this is very bad for him (his legs), the same as stairs (puppies shouldn't walk stairs specially down stairs). I shouldn't leave him on the bed or the couch alone. Moreover, my husband never had a dog before but had a cat, so he dropped Camus twice when helping him get down, because he was thinking that dogs can land like cats. He can't get used to the fact that dog and cats are creatures from different planets.

I hope everything will be ok with no consequences. Be careful next time.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Hoping Bexter heals quickly! Lots of cuddle time should help both of you feel better. 

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

OOPS!  Bexter is 11 WEEKS old...not months.  I am sooo tired & sick with worry I typed his age wrong!!!!  UGG!!!

Thanks for the kind words, everyone.  Yes, I am definitely carrying him everywhere and being extra gentle & careful.  I will feel alot better when he does start running around.  I can't wait.  I just might invest in those stairs to put next to the bed.  I really didn't think about that though, since although he's a mini, he'll get around 35-40 pounds according to the breeder.

[Angie, Hudson and Lily]

Don't beat yourself up. Accidents happen and he will be fine. I've already accidently pinched Lily's paw in the door when going out, not once- but twice! She is always underfoot and being black, can be hard to see at night. Both times I thought she was already out and right behind me, but she wasn't. Thankfully I didn't slam the door on it, but it was more of a pinch. She did cry out and limp for about 15 minutes ( a very scary, sick to my stomach 15 minutes for me), but then she was okay. Not only did I feel TERRIBLE about what had happened, Lily was then afraid to go out that door. It took a few days and some treats to get her over that.

[Lauria Orr]

Traci,  I am so sorry this happened to Baxter and to you. Like everyone else is saying, I truly believe this is not your fault.  It is within reason that you wouldn't expect that kind of fall or injury.  He did probably land wrong, and/or catch part of the sheet with his foot,etc. Some people don't allow dogs on the furniture at all, and that probably helps a lot with lowering the risk of injury.  That is not the case in our household and our dogs do have the option of sleeping with us. Short of that, just as with parenting, you can do your best to protect them, but accidents do happen.  Baxter will be fine after his recovery, and so will you!  Give yourselves time.  You are a good Mom!

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Traci,  I'm sorry to hear that Bexter had an accident but don't be too hard on yourself. These things do happen and luckily nothing is broken.  You will probably find that Bexter will be right as rain in no time at all.  We have put Riley on our bed in the morning after his first outing at 6am and I'm very conscious to put him right in the middle of our bed which is quite high off the ground.   He could still move though and potentially fall off.  I think in light of this I may just put him back in his crate.   Bexter may just have rolled off the bed.  The stairs would only work if he wants to get off the bed.  It wouldn't prevent him rolling in his sleep over the side.

Get well soon Bexter.

[BG and Gavin]

Don't be too hard on yourself, it was just an accident.  I was at the vet yesterday and they were carrying out a 9 month old boxer who had broken all four bones across the top of his paw.  Get this, he jumped a baby gate and got the paw caught on the way over.  You just never know.  Hopefully Bexter feels better soon and I am glad nothing is broken.

[Camus]

Traci, I have just come from Petco. They sell stairs to climb the bed for small dogs. I think that will help. Good luck!