One of the worst feelings in the world must be helplessness. That feeling would only be made worse when you’re watching your best friend suffer. Feelings of fear, isolation and despair would all pervade and like a snare they would only grow tighter the more you fought to figure out what to do.
A story posted on Good News Network by CRNunamaker described these exact feelings.
Their dog, Nunuk, had collapsed just outside their home
following a difficult surgery to remove some tumors from his leg.
“He collapsed getting out of the car. He lay on the ground and wouldn’t move, just staring in front of him.”
Nunuks leg had given way as he was taking the two steps it took to get out of the car, still too sore and delicate from the surgery.
Except it wasn’t as simple as lifting Nunuk and helping him inside.
“At 65 pounds and with with two fresh 5-inch long incisions, it was clearly impossible for me to lift safely on my own. And there was nobody home and nobody coming home to help, a decided down-side of living alone.”
CRNunamaker made the right call here, even if it was incredibly difficult.
There are more ways to lift a dog wrong than there are ways to do it correctly. Proud Dog Mom writes in an article that the correct way to lift a medium or large sized dog is to
“Put your dominant arm behind his back legs and wrap your other arm around the front of his chest. Hold your dog closely against your chest as you rise up.
“Don’t Pick Your Dog Up By Their Legs Or Underarms. There are a few things wrong with this type of lifting. First of all, it can be painful and put a strain on your dog’s muscles and ligaments. Plus, there’s a high risk of dropping your dog.”
For especially large dogs, she notes you will almost definitely need another family member to help lift them properly.
And this isn’t even with taking the fresh incisions into account.
“Finding a warm blanket to cover Nunuk, I sat next to him hoping he would recover enough to walk the few steps into the house. With no improvement after 20 minutes, an emergency vet helpline suggested giving him additional painkillers.
“We sat quietly, waiting for those painkillers to take effect.
“Hoping against hope they would work and he would be able to walk inside, in truth I felt unsure and worried.”
It goes without saying that this would be an incredibly difficult situation to be in with a dog you care so much about,
one that you’ve raised from being a puppy.
Except… something incredible happened.
“And then, out of the silence of the early evening, my neighbor and his wife wordlessly appeared.
“With a bare minimum of words, we quickly formed a plan to scootch the blanket under the dog, each person taking one or two corners, and then carry him inside. The usually-reactive Nunuk did not protest beyond a few quizzical looks, and within seconds he was inside, warm and safe.
“The neighbors disappeared as silently and wordlessly as they had appeared.
“It was as if two angels had appeared, completed their good deed for a being in great need, and then vanished.”
Now where can I find neighbors like that?
I’m extremely relieved to hear that Nunuk is safe!
That must have been scary for both pet and pet owner but now the healing can begin and Nunuk can improve!
CRNunamaker and Nunuk both are lucky to have such amazing neighbors that are willing to help when the situation is so dire, let alone neighbors that will do it without looking for even so much as a thank you! They got the job done and went about their way!
Sadly, cancer is more likely to develop in Collies because of their long lifespans.
However, that does not mean it is necessarily fatal!
The Freeport Veterinary Hospital writes on the subject:
“Your Collie will likely live longer than many other breeds and therefore is more prone to get cancer in his golden years. Many cancers are curable by surgical removal, and some types are treatable with chemotherapy. Early detection is critical!”‘
So Nunuk is actually extremely likely to recover!
He was understandably sore and tired after such an invasive surgery, but that does not mean that he is in any danger necessarily!
Capping off the story, CRNunamaker expresses the utmost gratitude to their quiet, humble neighbors who came through when they were needed most!
“Nunuk did not move for three hours, and then took only two staggering steps to his sleeping place.
“I can only count my lucky stars that those two angels appeared in that hour of need. It was a beautiful reminder of the threads of connection that weave together a community, a neighborhood, and individuals.”
Powerful words born from a deeply impactful situation.
We got but a single image posted of Nunuk who was resting peacefully after an arduous day.
People were of course touched by the story (who wasn’t!?) and had some positive vibes to share.
“Beautiful story; Huge thanks to your Angel neighbors for turning their compassion into action and helping your precious dog. People who aid, protect and rescue animals in need are the salt of the earth❣❣❣❣💖” -dogmom7
“What wonderful neighbours you have. It must have been very frustrating and frightening to see this happen and be unable to do anything on your own. No matter what people say the average person is kind and generous to a fault. We see it all the time in our own lives but it never seems to make the media. Thank you so much for sharing.” -Kate Sarginson
We’re hoping Nunuk can return to his usual self soon and get back to adventuring like we imagine he must have!
And hopefully CRNunamaker doesn’t have to go through something as scary as this again anytime soon.
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