Hobbes and I wish you the happiest of holidays with family, friends, and snow! We enjoy our winter walks in the city and in the woods. Hobbes comes running to put on his winter jackets. With the huge snow storm and cold, Hobbes wears his dog booties or Musher's Secret. For dog coat and booties tips, please read the Animal Bridges' blog.

Before the major snow storm, Hobbes and I went to play in the woods with other dogs. He had a wonderful time, chasing, being chased, and running through the woods. We had a quiet walk home in the dark - it was after 5 pm. John usually take Hobbes for this walk but was out of town for the week.

When we got home, everything changed. As I stood outside and unhooked Hobbes leash, I saw huge areas of bright red blood (the size of my hand) on Hobbes' neck and on the top of his head. His coat collar was soaked with blood! I hadn't heard a dog fight. I couldn't find a wound. It was 5:30 pm and the blood kept coming from someplace.  I quickly called one vet - they were booked and said to go to the emergency clinic. I called another vet we know and they said come immediately.

I put a kitchen towel around Hobbes neck, put him in the passenger's front seat, and drove to the vet. As I drove, I did Tellington TTouch® Ear Slides to his left ear, and calmly told him we were okay. At the vet clinic, we went directly to the backroom - Hobbes was calm and I had blood on my hands and jacket. I told the vet I thought it was a dog fight but wasn't sure. The vet techs were working on another dog fight victim and the vet was prepping for Hobbes. I wiped Hobbes with paper towels to remove some blood. "I found it! He tore his ear!"  Hobbes ear was bleeding. In hindsight I realize he ran into something in the woods and removed a strip of ear about a ¼ inch wide - ouch! Okay everyone, please exhale! Hobbes is fine with stitches in his ear, a bandage for 5 days, and a cone for 14 days!

When we got home, I performed Healing Touch for Animals® (HTA) to help Hobbes relax and ease out of the sedation. The following days I did several HTA sessions to help the energetic healing of the wound. Hobbes sits quietly for TTouch® on his neck and body to relax the muscles from the weight of the cone.

I learned and remembered a lot in the few hours and days after Hobbes' accident. I hope these help you if you ever have an emergency:

• Know where you have the phone numbers of your veterinary clinic or emergency veterinary clinic! Put them in your cell phone or post at home.
•  Have a back-up vet you trust.
•  Know the exact directions to the vet clinic or emergency clinic. Now is not the time to figure out how to get there. Know the fastest way.
• Try to remain calm. Exhale slowly. As I drove, I exhaled many times as I told Hobbes he was okay.
• If you can find the wound, apply steady pressure to it with a clean cloth or gauze.
• Have the passenger do Tellington TTouch® Ear Slides to the pet to keep the pet out of shock. I was alone and used one hand to do the ear slides as I drove city streets.
• Hobbes loves his crate and ran to it when we got home from the vet. He couldn't get in because of the cone. I put the crate on the porch and took the crate pads in the exact spot of the crate. Now he sleeps there or goes to his "room" when he needs to be alone.
• In the middle of the night, I heard Hobbes drinking from his upstairs water dish. It is wide and deep. Daily I take the water dish downstairs for him.
• With the cone jewelry, Hobbes can eat out of his food dish with minor adjustments. I took the food dish out of the holder and put it on a telephone Yellow Pages (remember them) for the perfect height.
• When I leave, Hobbes gets treats. I found a deep plastic food container is the right height. I flip it over and put it on the rug by his crate area. The ridge on the food container holds the treats from falling on the floor. Be sure to break the treats up into bite size.
• Let the tears come when you know the dog is safe with the vet. The release feels good and helps calm you.
• Do a TTouch® Heart Hug™ to yourself.
• Give yourself some time to relax and rest after you settle in back home. Your body needs to calm down after the adrenaline rush.
• Explain to your pet what happened and everything is okay. 
•  Contact Own Your Pets Life in the Twin Cities to take Pet Tech PetSaver course on pet first aid and CPR. 
• Use hydrogen peroxide to remove blood from clothes, walls, stucco, etc.

I hope you never need to use these tips. A condensed list is given in Animal Bridges' Blog.

If you want to know more about Tellington TTouch®, Ear Slides, Heart Hug, and more, please send me an email or call me at 612-237-9580. If enough people are interested, I will teach a TTouch® class this winter. I'd love your input on the class length - 2 hours, half day or full day class.

Hobbes and I wish you a wonderful holiday season. May it be filled with joy and the awe we had as children.