Walk Cut Short Today

Bandit and I were more than halfway through our walk when we passed by a house that has two golden retrievers.  If they're home and in the backyard, they bark at Bandit.  In turn, he barks back.  Today as we passed by, the retrievers were out and a bark-fest ensued.  I kept walking as I was telling Bandit to "leave it."  Next thing I knew Bandit was yelping bloody murder.  I turned and saw that he was stuck in a grate in the road.  I bent down and helped him remove his arm.  He yelped a few more times so I was afraid he was somehow badly injured.  I sat down with him on the sidewalk so I could check him out, and I noticed this cut on his arm.  It wasn't deep enough to draw blood but was deep enough that it separated his whole top layer of skin.

I called K on my cellphone and he came to pick us up.  We took Bandit home and checked him out really good.  Fortunately, he didn't break or sprain anything, and while I was on the phone with the vet's office he started tearing through the house like he usually does when he comes home from a walk - a very good sign!  The vet said I should try to clean it a bit but that it didn't sound like anything that necessitated a visit.  We got out the first aid kit, cleaned the wound with some antiseptic, and then wrapped it with gauze and tape. 

The little patient is doing just fine!