The snow is really beautiful this year! Lots and lots of it, piled high around trees and fences and at the foot of the driveway. So clean and white, it washes the whole world clean! But it also makes the fences not tall enough. And Sunday night (Dec. 30) two of my sled dogs decided to take themselves for a run.

Unfortunately, neither of them knows to stay on the side of the road. We knew immediately when they got loose. My husband hopped in the truck and tried to follow them. I grabbed a fanny pack filled with doggie treats, a couple of leashes, and took off on foot as I called to them.

They weren't even gone fifteen minutes! But it was long enough for Stargate to get hit. The driver stopped and carried her to the side of the road, where he waited for help to arrive. Our neighbor happened to be driving by and nearly hit the dog first, so he stopped to give assistence, and he called us - although we had already left the house to look for the dogs. My husband got there a few minutes later.

We managed to catch the second dog before she could be hurt. Then I called every vet in the phone book to try to find one that was open. Finally Dr. Burch would see her. Dr. Burch is a wonderful vet, very good with animals and people, but she doesn't have a lot of equipment in her small practice. She's very old, and nearing retirement. She just examined the dog without an x-ray, and didn't think the leg was broken. But she couldn't do much for her. She kept Stargate overnight, and I brought her home the next day.

Stargate is not whining or complaining, but she only walks on three legs. She isn't eating normally, and not doing other doggy body functions as she should. I'm afraid I'll have to take her to another vet tomorrow, and get her x-rayed. Lots of money. And both Stargate and I will miss this year of mushing together, I'm sure, even if the leg makes a full recovery.

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