HELPING YOUR BEST FRIEND
By Jim Foster
The morning was crisp and cold with only a slight breeze. The high grass and brush looked like just the place an old rooster pheasant would choose as a safe spot to spend the night – good cover and close to the grain field, just across a nearby fence. For the small group of orange-clad hunters it was only the second walk of the morning.
On this morning I was hunting with a young dog named Bob. I had held him in my hands only minutes after his birth and spent time neutering the pup, and later introducing him to upland game. One of his favorites was the ring-necked pheasant of the vast fields of North Texas.
As we entered the grassy fence line two-hen pheasant rose, leveled off, and glided into the grain several hundred yards away. The hens were followed closely by a young rooster, that collided with a string of birdshot and tumbled to ground.
Walking close to the fence in the high grass and trying to keep an eye on my dog I almost tripped over him standing his point. I quickly called “point” to the others. Taking one more step closer to Bob and the ground erupted when two very mature long tailed roosters crashed through the high grass and into the air.
One of my friends took the first bird with a dead kill and I fired at the second which rolled on its side before falling into the grain - not dead by any means.
Now Bob was on the move after the rooster only to be stopped momentarily by the tightly stretched barbed wire fence that threw him over backwards. He recovered quickly and was under the fence and trailing the bird.
At an opening in the grain I could see blood on the ground and a blood trail entering the field. My heart sank, seeing all that blood and thinking Bob had slashed his throat. After several seconds Bob returned with the rooster and stopped at the fence. Taking the bird he was coaxed through the fence where it was a relief to see that his ear was slashed and not his throat.
The bleeding wouldn’t stop. As luck would have it, were close to the working barns and found a can of blood stopping powder used when cows were dehorned. After what seemed for ever the bleeding was stopped.
Caring for your hunting buddy and best friend is the job of every hunting dog owner. Knowing what to do when something like what was describer above happens is very important.
Which brings me to the subject of this article - a book on canine first aid.
FIELD GUIDE TO DOG FIRST AID by Randy Acker, DVM is a book all dog owners should have and study. In this small book there are many helpful hints on keeping your dog healthy as well as field treatments of some injuries such as, bleeding, pests, collapse, and many other conditions and injuries that might be experienced.
FIELD GUIDE TO DOG FIRST AID also covers preventive methods, how to apply a bandage, snakebite, supplies needed in your hunting first aid kit, as well as a dosage chart for over the counter drugs and remedies. I keep mine in my dog supply bag in the truck.
FIELD GUIDE TO DOG FIRST AID by Randy Acker, DVM is published by Wilderness Adventures Press, and is sold at many dog supply stores or directly from the publisher.
Contact them at: 45 Buckskin Road, Belgrade, Montana 59714 or http://www.wildadvpress.com or http://www.wildadvpress.com/store/
If you have comments or news for Jim he may be contacted at, JimF06@gmail.com
