Six o'clock Tuesday.

Cowboy has a mad minute.

T. hears a very loud metallic crash followed by Cowboy howling fiercely and then crying piteously.

6.01pm
She rushes out to find him on the ground whining. He has a cut on his left rear knee.

6.30pm
Cowboy's leg is all nicely bandaged up and Cowboy is sitting comfortably, like a cossetted child, on his double-thickness mattress, right there in our living room. Goldie is snoring on her tartan rug, ignoring him completely.

8pm
I arrive home and try to do a bit of detective work after T. tells me about the crashing noise. The problem with these greyhound limb injuries is that they can be minor or major, depending on what they hit. Our dear departed Billy used to whine and cry at the slightest bump and then be fine a minute later. I went into the back yard and decided it must have been one of the green outdoor chairs. They are really old and are made of solid iron instead of the aluminium they use these days. You can put your back out just looking at them. He must have run into one, hence the metallic crash. Ouch. Bone damage?

9pm
He's chewed his bandage off. I repack it after literally having to pick Cowboy up in order to put him outside for a wee before he goes to bed (inside). He doesn't know how to stand up using three legs (I can manage it with only two, don't know what his problem is) although once in position manages to stay upright.

10pm
Bed. Cowboy has trouble lying down (their back legs are such great levers) and he whines sporadically through the night.

6am Wednesday
I put him out for a wee, same routine picking him up. He chews his bandage off again while he's outside. The wound is bleeding slightly.

7am
Cowboy and Goldie have breakfast. Mmmm, chicken mince! Cowboy eats very well. That's a good sign.

9am
Cowboy tries to run for the door. That's a good sign. But he is not using his hurt leg at all.

Midday.
He's chewed his bandage off again. This time I leave it off. It's not bleeding. The sun and fresh will do him good.

3pm
Snack-time. A piece of cheese. He's looking freer but still favouring his leg, not using it. He gets very confused when coming inside. He has only just learned stairs in the last week and now's one leg short! Vet appointment made for tomorrow, couldn't get in today.