'Miracle dog' lives through injuries from hit-and-run

If it weren't for bad luck, Scott Seacrest would have no luck at all in the last couple of weeks. Seacrest was camping in the Hope Valley area. His van broke down, his trailer got a flat tire and his dog, Doucette, was the victim of a hit-and-run on the bridge crossing the west Carson River near Hope Valley Resort on Friday.

Seacrest was walking along the river with Doucette, a 4-year-old lab/chow mix. He had her two puppies, both two-years-old, on leashes but Doucette was running free.

"Something scared her," Seacrest said. "As I was walking under the bridge, the rumbling of the vehicles overhead on the bridge must have startled her because she bolted and the next thing I knew, I heard her bark. She didn't yelp, she barked and that was it. The car never even stopped when it hit her."

When Seacrest reached her he was horrified at what he saw. The whole side of her head was ripped open but she was still alive.

"No one stopped to help me," Seacrest said. "The few who did see what was happening just stopped and stared. I scooped her up in my arms and carried her to the resort," he said.

An "angel" at the resort, Fred Wolf, didn't stop to question the situation, but immediately got Seacrest and Doucette in his truck and took them to Carson Valley Veterinary Hospital.

According to Allison Webb, a receptionist at the hospital, "You could see her jugular vein pulsing, you could see her spine and everything. I had never seen anything quite so graphic," she said.

Dr. Laura Thiel, seeing the extent of the injuries, thought Doucette was a pretty lucky dog to still be alive.

"She was alert and responsive even though she was stressed out," Thiel said.

When they got into the surgery Dr. Thiel discovered her ear canal had been severed and her other concern was the loss of facial nerve function including possible inability to blink. She wanted to send Doucette to Reno, but given the circumstances, that wasn't an option, so she pitched right in. Six hours of surgery and more than 400 stitches later a groggy Doucette trotted down the hall and into the waiting arms of her owner.

"It appears she is going to recover very well and she has her age on her side." Dr. Thiel said.

Seacrest, who was visiting the Hope Valley area from Santa Cruz, Calif., was still waiting for his van to be repaired and with the help of a good friend, Auburn resident Cathy Hastie who helped Seacrest get to Gardnerville, he is staying close to Doucette who was released from the hospital Tuesday afternoon.

"She is a miracle dog," Seacrest said. "To go through what she went through and survive and do as well as she did. I am not sure how I am going to pay for all of this, I know the bill is going to be out-of-sight."

The bill came to a little more than $1,500 but Seacrest still looks at the bright side.

"It amazes me that when something happens that is so bad that the good also happens. She is alive and I have met some of the nicest people because of all of this," Seacrest said.

If anyone would be willing to help Seacrest, he can be reached c/o Cathy Hastie, 10555 Wise Rd., Auburn, CA 95603. Phone number is (530) 823-3875. Seacrest will be staying at that address for a couple of weeks to let Doucette recuperate before he takes her home to Santa Cruz. Seacrest would like to thank Joyce at the Hope Valley Resort, Fred Wolf who gave him the ride, and most of all Dr. Laura Thiel and her staff whose dedication went beyond the call of duty in saving Doucette's life.