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Playground Equipment and a Scare

2K views 18 replies 18 participants last post by  MeadowCat 
#1 · (Edited)
If I am walking my dogs around a playground and no one is around, I often take each dog up on the equipment--the newer type where everything is plastic coated, with gentle steps, a couple of platforms, a swinging bridge (swinging in theory) and maybe a yellow plastic slide or two. We climb the stairs, bounce lightly on the bridge (checking first for the possibility of pinched toes), and go from platform to platform--I've even been down a slide or two with Capri if it looks doable. Every playground is built just a little bit differently with different materials and different designs, and I figure it teaches them to be adaptable on new surfaces.

Never had a problem, though Capri did unexpectedly go DOWN a climbing wall once (no impulse control is her middle name).

BUT--
The last one I went on had the usual plastic coated metal platforms, but the platforms and steps had regular little holes, each perhaps a little larger than 1/2 inch in diameter (maybe even 3/4 inch), all over. I didn't even notice really; Capri and I just went right on up.

On the way down, she charged down the steps and one of her toes got STUCK in one of the holes--the whole nail and pad of her front foot's outside toe squeezed through the hole and the sides of the hole gripped the thinner part of the toe above that like a vise. The part of her toe that had slid through the hole seemed bigger than the hole was!

She started screaming, and I almost did, but I grabbed her around her midriff and chest real fast to keep her from twisting and pulling, and--TG--my son was with me and went underneath the stairs to squeeze her toe back out of the hole. How I would have managed had I been alone doesn't even bear thinking about.

I was surpised to see, after all that screaming from the girl, that she was absolutely sound--not a trace of a limp or bruise.

I feel so stupid.
 
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#3 ·
I'm glad Capri is ok! I wouldn't have thought of those little holes catching toes!
Thanks for sharing this, and possibly preventing someone else's dog from sustaining serious injury! :)
 
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#4 ·
OMG, how scary!!! How awful for all of you as it surely freaked your son, too. So lucky he was with you.
We all make mistakes and learn from them, so try not to feel to bad. I'm really glad Capri is okay.
 
#6 ·
I had the same thing happen to my girl one night. My mom and I were walking and stopped to play in an empty playground. I never would have guessed that part of her paw would fit in the holes. She was just trotting along then stopped dead in her tracks. I could see her trying to walk off, but that something held her back. I thought she might have caught her collar on something. It was sort of dark and I was on the ground level. Once I got to the stairs, I could see what happened. When I realized what was wrong, I had to try hard not to panic. I had visions of her freaking out and ripping part of her foot off. Or flailing and falling off the side. A series of random scenes played out in my mind. Luckily she never stressed out. I held her collar, and told my mom to walk up calmly. I knew if I wasn't visibly upset, she wouldn't be either. I pinched and pulled. How the hell it fit but was too big to pull back through is beyond me. My mom was about to go underneath to push up on her pad. It just all of a sudden popped out just as easy as it went down. Kiska immediately started bouncing around like nothing happened and went down a slide. It shook us up way more than her!

I felt like a terrible owner, but it never crossed my mind a paw would get stuck. I thought I was being good encouraging her to walk on different surfaces and structures. Kiska just had a middle pad (no nail) stuck. We don't stop to play at the park anymore. Kiska is part mountain goat and doesn't like having to stay on the ground while all the exciting equipment is right in front of her.
 
#8 ·
You know you see those playgrounds and want to get your swing and slide on! :p That's adorable that you guys do that too. I can just picture the music as you and Capri are sliding down the slide together :)

That must have been so scary. I'm glad Capri's alright ... and you're alright! Thank goodness your son was there!

I know how you feel. ******* got her foot stuck between two logs once when she was checking it out at the park once. (Thank goodness she wasn't running) She screamed bloody murder. Of course, I literally almost dove into action to free her paw (it was barely wedged). As soon as it was free, she was galloping on the trail, not even a limp, scream, nothing. I felt so stupid, and yes ... I had tears in my eyes. It's scary hearing them whale like that. I then moved the logs apart so no other dog would do the same thing. I'm pretty sure my heart was racing the whole way home still too. Dobes can be so dramatic!
 
#9 ·
Something similar happened with me and Zira, feels like a lifetime ago. I remember hearing her scream(for all of a moment). If you can imagine, I was so worried I slung her around my shoulders and carried her all the way home, a 20+ minute walk. At 8 months, thank god she was a small bitch! As soon as I let her down, she jumped in a playbow, mom worried for nothing!
I'm so happy you and Capri are okay. Don't feel stupid - it was an accident and everyone is okay. I promise, you will laugh about this one day :)
 
#10 ·
Good to know! I also take Rams up on the playground equipment whenever we get chance. Thanks for sharing.

I would also like to caution those who have RVs. My mother's Bull Terrier lost a toe nail as she exited the camper last summer. Her toe fell between the small traction holes in the RV step. Her forward momentum kept her going but left her nail behind. Poor Izzie, everyone felt terrible. She ended up securing a rubber mat to the surface to prevent any more incidents.
 
#14 ·
When i read the part about the holes ...ugh
so SCARY!!!!
Don't beat yourself up- and thank you for sharing!!!
Khaz LOVES playground equipment- almost impossible to keep him off things.
I think subconsciously one would naturally assume equipment deigned safe for little kids -what would be the harm for dogs...bet few people would have drain holes on their radar!

Thanks again for the heads up.
 
#19 ·
Whew...glad she's fine. Sometimes you just can't predict how they will get themselves into trouble, though...don't beat yourself up about it.
 
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