For most dog owners, a casual hike is a time for exploration and bonding. But for Molly Bare and her beloved four-year-old dog, Jag, what started as an adventurous day turned into a life-threatening ordeal. On April 13, 2024, Jag fell over a frozen waterfall, plummeting almost 10 metres (35 feet) onto the ice-covered rocks below. What followed was a harrowing journey of survival and perseverance.
The Accident: A Moment of Horror
Molly and Jag were on a trail they had never explored before, searching for a waterfall. The path led them to the top, where a small creek trickled over the cliff’s edge, its surface deceptively frozen. Jag, curious and alert, likely heard the water running beneath the ice and wandered too close. In an instant, he slipped, disappearing over the edge.
“It happened so fast I couldn’t even react,” Molly recalled. “I didn’t even know how far down it was—I hadn’t looked yet.”
Scrambling to reach her dog, Molly found Jag lying motionless on the ice below. He was bleeding freely from his rectum, his urine was leaking uncontrollably, and he could not move. In that moment, she thought she was losing him. She sat with him on the ice, gently stroking his head and recounting all her favorite memories with him. But Jag kept looking at her with the same expectant gaze he gave when he wanted to go outside or get in the truck.
Realizing he was not ready to give up, Molly made the decision to carry him out.
A Desperate Rescue
Determined not to leave him behind, Molly gathered Jag in her arms and began the arduous climb back up. The journey took nearly an hour and a half, with every step carrying the weight of uncertainty and fear. Meanwhile, her husband used satellite view on Google Maps to get their SUV as close to the trailhead as possible.
Once they reached their vehicle, they rushed Jag to the nearest veterinary clinic. Jag’s worsening symptoms and loss of mobility in his hind legs indicated the devastating truth—a severe spinal injury. Jag needed immediate specialist care, which meant a long drive from Quesnel to Vancouver to reach Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital.
Specialized Care: The Role of Dr. Peter Gordon
Upon arrival at Boundary Bay, Jag was assessed by Dr. Peter Gordon, a board-certified neurologist and neurosurgeon with over 24 years of experience. Dr. Gordon recalls the critical condition Jag was in upon arrival:
“By the time I met Jag, there was still pain sensation, but no movement in the pelvic limbs. We were immediately concerned about an injury to the lower back, which the CT scan later confirmed—he had a fracture and luxation, meaning his spine was unstable.”
What made Jag’s case even more complicated was a disc that had ruptured from the trauma, invading the spinal canal and compressing the spinal cord. Dr. Gordon explained, “Not only did we have instability in the spine, but we also had severe compression. Before stabilizing the injury, we had to relieve the pressure.”
An MRI scan helped Dr. Gordon determine the precise approach for surgery. “We needed to remove the compression but also stabilize the spine using as much intact bone as possible,” he said.
The Critical Surgery
Jag underwent surgery on April 20, just one week after his fall. Dr. Gordon performed a hemi-laminectomy, a procedure that involved removing part of the vertebra to access and remove the herniated disc material that was pressing against the spinal cord. He then stabilized the spine using surgical implants and bone cement.
One of the primary challenges was that the trauma had compromised much of the surrounding bone structure. Dr. Gordon explained, “Typically, when you have an instability, your goal is to use as much bone as possible to anchor implants to stabilize the system, but when there’s compression, you have to remove some of that bone to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord. The challenge is that the more bone you remove, the less you have left to work with for stabilization. In this case, we had to strike a balance between decompressing the cord and maintaining enough bone to support the implants.”
With the procedure successfully completed, the next phase of Jag’s recovery would be just as critical. His post-operative care and rehabilitation would determine how well he could regain mobility and function.
A Long Road to Recovery
After five days in the hospital, Jag was discharged with a detailed care plan. Molly’s dedication to his rehabilitation was unwavering. “The aftercare was intense,” she admitted. “I had to keep him lying down for about five weeks unless he was going outside to the bathroom. He had 26 or 27 staples along his back, developed a seroma that required warm compresses multiple times a day, and had to go through extensive physiotherapy.”
Dr. Gordon praised Molly’s commitment, acknowledging that her perseverance played a major role in Jag’s recovery. “She was highly motivated, and so was Jag. That’s what makes a real difference in cases like this—you need both the owner and the pet to have the will to recover.”
A Miraculous Outcome
Thanks to Molly’s determination and the specialized care of the team at Boundary Bay, Jag made a stunning recovery. Videos shared by Molly show him walking, running, and even playing in the snow as if nothing had ever happened.
“I’m not 100% clear on what Dr. Gordon did in there,” Molly said, “but it sure worked!”
For Dr. Gordon, Jag’s case was a testament to the advancements in veterinary medicine and the power of human-animal bonds. “What we do isn’t just about the surgery—it’s about restoring quality of life. Jag is proof that with the right medical care, a little luck, and a lot of love, even the most devastating injuries can have a happy ending.”
A Lesson in Resilience
Today, Jag is back on the trails, his adventurous spirit intact. For Molly, every hike with Jag is a reminder of the extraordinary journey they’ve been through together.
“If Boundary Bay didn’t exist, my best friend wouldn’t be here today,” she said. “They didn’t just save Jag’s life—they gave him back the life he loves.”
Jag’s journey serves as an inspiration to pet owners everywhere—a testament to the unwavering bond between humans and their four-legged companions, and a reminder that sometimes, miracles happen in the form of dedicated veterinarians and a dog’s unbreakable spirit.