I have a ramp for Sampson to use getting in and out of the car. I got it last year after his ACL surgery. When we first got it, I used it diligently and then I got lazy.
It was too much work setting it up.
It was bulky, awkward.
I had limited places to store it when the dogs were in the car.
It’s just as easy to have him put his front paws up and lift him.
These are some of the excuses I used to convince myself not to use the ramp.
Well flash back to last Saturday when I was going to pick up donuts (their Gluten Free, don’t judge) and decided to take Sampson with me.
He put his front paws up on the back of the car and I lifted him in like always. I made to close the hatch when he yipped.
My heart caught in my throat when I realized he’d gotten his toe stuck in the female part of the latch.
In all the years I’ve had that car, and all the times he’s jumped in that car, or been helped into the car, neither of the dogs have ever gotten anything stuck in that latch.
After I helped him get his toe out, I took a look at his foot and couldn’t see anything. So we headed out to the bakery. Sampson laid right down in the car, which isn’t all that unusual as he doesn’t stand as often as he used to.
When we got back home and Sampson went to get out of the car, I looked again and his toe was bleeding.
We took him inside and checked it out, I couldn’t really tell where the bleeding was coming from, it looked (to Hubby and my eyes) that he had cracked another nail, but width wise this time. You know how nails bleed, so it was hard to get a good look in there.
I called the vet and asked what they thought and they said I could put some Bacitracin on it and keep a sock on it to keep him from bothering it. They said to keep an eye on it and if I thought it needed to be seen over the weekend to take him to the emergency vet.
I cleaned it as best I could, put some Bacitracin on it and put his sock back on.
Not the correct foot, not the right sock, but you get the idea.
It didn’t really seem to bother him, although we did catch him licking at it a few times (he had the sock off in less than an hour) and told him to leave it, which he did.
His annual vet appointment was yesterday (more on that in a future post) and his injury had calmed down enough so Dr. Soutter could get a good look at it. Thankfully he didn’t crack the nail, but he did scrape the nail bed, which is what caused all the bleeding.
Lesson learned by me. Back to the ramp we go.
And as you can see, I’m currently too lazy to make new pictures for this post, I recycled old ones.
So really, how lazy is too lazy?
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Aww poor Sampson. I hope he is all better now. It is sometimes human to be lazy. *oops!*
Lazy is my go-to attitude. Isn’t it the best feeling in the world to be lazy? Well…. at least until something bad happens.
Love and licks,
Cupcake
That is one reason we never got a ramp, Mom would be too lazy to use it. We have all been lifted in and out since day one so we stick with it. Glad he is alright and didn’t really get hurt. When Katie was 11 weeks old Mom slammed the hatch down on one of her paws. It was nasty! I guess she screamed like forever and limped for about a week. It was only bruised, thankfully, but after that she started using a command before shutting the hatch. Scary stuff!
I have a ramp too! Corgis, due to their long backs and dwarfed legs, really, really, really should not be allowed to jump in and out of a high car. You are tempting fate…..So I eventually got a ramp when my back was complaining about picking up/down those heavy buggers. (Cardigans aren’t those light weight little Pemmies, Wilson weighs over 40 lbs!) In the beginning, I used it to load up and get out of the car. Then I would put it in the car to use at our destination……over time, I just used it at home, and now I only use it to un-load at home……So I totally get this post!
Hope Sampson’s toe feels better! Glad it was a scrape and not a break!
Oh, I’m guilty as well, I’ve gotten lazy about using the ramp lately. Thanks for the heads up that I’d better stop that! One of our blog friends, I think it’s SlimDoggy, uses stairs instead of a ramp. That almost seems like it might be easier, though they’d probably still have to step over that latch.
I use the excuse that I’m not lazy, just always pressed for time. 🙂
Aw, poor Sampson! I’m glad it was just a scrape! Hope it has healed by now! I’ve always just helped the girls up into and out of the back seat. A ramp would be awkward. And I usually carry Ducky to and from the car, especially if its raining. Thankfully, she only weighs 25 pounds.
Hmmm…does gluten-free mean fat-free? 😉 I don’t know how you can eat those – I tried some once and it was not a good experience. It’s kind of like eating sugar-free pie – what’s the point? But that’s just one woman’s opinion. 🙂
Don’t feel bad. I have that homemade step for Blueberry for getting in and out of the car and a year or so ago, I got too lazy to put it down for her and she ended up hurting herself and had to be on restricted movement and pain meds for a few days. So now I suck it up and put the step down for her every single time (well, except for maybe once or twice when I knew she was jumping down onto a more forgiving surface than asphalt). I may grumble and moan and groan while I do it – but at least it gets done! I think a ramp would be more difficult though. I had one of those a long time ago and ended up giving it away to someone. It was just so bulky. Hey! Maybe you can just kneel down on all fours and have Sampson use your back as a step to get into the vehicle! Sometimes brilliant ideas just come to me…
First I would never judge anyone for eating donuts 🙂 And lazy or laid back?? Lazy or chill?? You know, it’s all in how you look at it, lol. Sampson, I hope your paw gets better soon. In the meantime you can wear cool socks!!
Poor Sampson. They always look at you so accusingly too, when they get injured. I wish I could share pictures in the comments on blogs, because you should see Gwynn’s sock! He is equally uninterested in having socks on, and it was to protect stitches up his front leg, so I had a pair of suspenders wrapped around him and holding his full leg rainbow sock on. They’re happier with the socks than the cone of shame, though.
They always give the look that says, “I trusted you to take better care of me, you lazy lout,”
Hi Y’all!
Gee golly, poor Sampson! Glad it wasn’t more serious. As for lazy…no you’re just busy and in a hurry…not lazy.
Y’all come on by,
Hawk aka BrownDog
I am the laziest, so I wouldn’t judge! I also wouldn’t judge about going for donuts – even if they were the gluten-full kind! Mmmm. now i want a donut…. Anyway we had a ramp when we had 3-legged Abby. Used it once or twice and then it was just way too much trouble. I’d just pick her up to put in her/get her out – unless she beat me to it and jumped. Even on 3 legs she was no invalid!
Feel better, Sampson’s paw!! Well, we’re all human & some days are just meant to be lazier than others… 😉 We don’t have a ramp because the pups (Boxer Mixes) are only 4 years old and capable of jumping in and out of the car no problem. They do travel on the rear bench seat with travel harnesses that hook into the seatbelt latches, so we’re knocking on wood so far for not having had any paws stuck anywhere.
Oh Sampson you poor baby. We have that ramp too but never got toes stuck. Feel better sweets
Lily & Edward
Awwww Sampson & his everlasting sock legacy. Just looking at the ramp I can tell that I’d be the same way – I wouldn’t want to be lugging it around when it’s not needed anymore. And when it comes to recycling old pictures I did that a few weeks ago 🙂 It’s just a lazy sort of month I suppose.
Poor Sampson. I hope he is better by now. Freighter hurt his nail bed (jammed it) and he did not do it getting in the truck. Accidents happen. It is not your fault.
Glad he is ok, sometimes life just gets in the way and we try to do things the easy fast route. I do it all the time.