When Your Dog’s Injury Recovery Turns Into a Comedy of Errors (and Vet Bills)

The Dreaded Diagnosis: Enforced Rest for an Active Dog

No matter how you phrase it, the prescription remains the same: two full weeks of complete rest for your injured pup.

Those were the veterinarian’s orders after multiple appointments, X-ray imaging, and numerous diagnostic tests—including an EKG that ultimately proved unnecessary.

How Did We Get Here? The Likely Culprit

Here’s my theory about the dog knee injury, though we can’t confirm it with certainty:

Several weeks back, a tornado swept through our neighborhood. Like many pet parents during severe weather, we gathered everyone in the basement—no small task when your animals refuse to descend those stairs voluntarily (except Newt, our brave one).

The Basement Incident

When my husband and I briefly ventured upstairs after thinking the tornado sirens had stopped, Stola apparently attempted to follow us.

Halfway up our treacherous open-sided staircase (complete with minimal railing and a concrete floor below), she panicked, jumped from the side, and landed awkwardly.

That’s probably when the injury occurred—though with Stola’s reckless personality, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly. This dog launches her compact, muscular frame through obstacles at breakneck speeds. I’ve witnessed her collide with swing sets, leap from decks, barrel into trees, and continue running without missing a beat.

The Classic Vet Visit Mystery

After several days of inconsistent dog limping, I scheduled a veterinary appointment.

Naturally, she pranced around the clinic completely limp-free.

The moment we returned home? Back to favoring that leg.

(Fellow dog owners, you know exactly what I’m talking about.)

I captured video evidence and emailed it to the vet, who immediately responded: “She definitely needs X-rays.”

The Diagnosis: Sprained Tendon and Inflammation

The imaging revealed no fractures or tears—just a sprained tendon surrounding her knee and significant joint inflammation.

Our veterinarian prescribed pain medication and strict rest. Unfortunately, the pain meds triggered severe gastrointestinal distress in dogs and completely suppressed her appetite.

You’d assume this would naturally calm her down.

It absolutely did not.

Managing Enforced Rest for High-Energy Dogs

After switching medications, her appetite returned, but digestive issues persisted. Another call to the vet yielded helpful suggestions, and we celebrated when her limping dramatically improved.

Keeping a Bored Dog Occupied During Recovery

To manage her restlessness, I implemented several strategies:

• Relaxation Protocol training sessions to promote calmness
• Interactive toy play (controlled movements only)
• Food puzzle enrichment activities
• Scent-based scavenger hunts throughout the house
• Brief, slow-paced walks around the block

We experienced a few setbacks, but we were managing the recovery period reasonably well.

The Casualty List: What Didn’t Survive

Meanwhile, Stola’s boredom-induced destructive behavior claimed numerous victims:

• All outdoor deck cushions
• Violet’s prescription glasses
• Violet’s sandals
• Astrid’s Cry Babies doll
• Replacement deck cushions (yes, she got those too)
• John’s favorite pillow
• Yet another library book
• Goggles and flippers from Astrid’s Sunny Swimmer doll

One momentary lapse in supervision, and something else disappeared into her jaws.

The Emergency Scare: When Recovery Gets Complicated

One morning after dropping the kids at camp, I released Stola from her crate and she immediately collapsed.

She recovered within seconds, shaking it off.

That’s concerning, I thought.

Then came the projectile vomiting.

Full panic mode activated.

Suspected Intestinal Blockage

My husband rushed her to the emergency vet. They performed comprehensive testing, including cardiac monitoring to rule out heart issues. Her abdomen showed tension, and given her extensive menu of consumed household items, the vet suspected an intestinal blockage in dogs.

However, the X-rays proved inconclusive.

They administered anti-nausea medication with strict instructions: any repeat vomiting meant a likely blockage requiring emergency surgery.

The Waiting Game

Fortunately, no additional vomiting occurred. By the following day, she appeared completely normal—eating regularly and keeping everything down.

We monitored her bowel movements closely (glamorous pet ownership at its finest). When she finally went, everything checked out normally.

Crisis averted. What actually happened? We still have no idea.

The Finish Line… Or Was It?

We successfully completed the two-week dog injury recovery period. Her gait looked excellent, and the veterinarian recommended gradually increasing exercise while continuing probiotics for ongoing digestive support.

We celebrated! We’d survived two weeks of restricted activity and mysterious stomach issues!

Then yesterday arrived.

The limping returned.

Someone please send reinforcements.

Have you struggled through injury recovery with an active dog? Share your survival stories in the comments below!