Berna Update

I finally figured out that I could back the quad up to my (huge) van, and roll Berna into the van. I managed to get a vet appointment for Saturday, so Bear got to snooze on a bed of straw in the back of the van overnight.

She checked out pretty well at the vets; her blood levels are all good, but she has a urinary infection. She was able to get out of the van on her own, and back in with just a little help from the vet tech and me. Oh, and it turns out she weighs 90 lbs. Good thing I didn't know that yesterday, or I might not have been able to get her out of the creek. I consider 80 lbs as my lifting limit (and that doesn't include lifting out of muddy creeks!).

When I got back from the vets I got a couple nice beds set up for her, but she refuses to get out of the van. She is now being served meals in her very own mobile home.

Berna's Adventure

Interesting morning. I woke up to unusual dog sounds - they'd escaped the yard. I wasn't too worried, the BC comes instantly when called, and Berna, the elderly Anatolian, wouldn't go far.

Berna wasn't back by the time I got dressed and out, but I still wasn't worried. I drove to the upper house, and around her favorite areas - no Berna. I drove out to the road, my biggest fear. No Berna. Then I went up the old railroad bed. A few years back Charlie the Pyr got himself stuck there.

As I drove in I saw a light blob in the ditch ahead. Berna had gone in, obviously not realizing how deep and cold the spring-fed ditch is. At least she chose a wider and less steep spot than Charlie had, but her old-dog hips were frozen up, and she was shaking with cold. 

It took some time to haul this 80 lb dog out of that muddy ditch, and then more time and ingenuity to get her up on the quad. She did realize I was helping her and didn't fight me, although she couldn't do much to help.

We made it back to the house, where we are still sitting in the sunshine, waiting for her to warm up and for me to figure out how I'm now going to get her off the quad.

I'm not good at selfies - I was trying to show my totally black, soaked lower legs, but you get the idea. After drying Berna the best I could I went in and changed clothes.

I think she's beginning to like her bed with a view. I'm so grateful it's a somewhat sunny, warm day.

Now, how does one get a big dog with bad hips off the back of a quad?