My dog's first injury

One of my favorite mottos since I've started teaching has been, "I hate everything." It sounds like an ultra negative motto, but really it helps me stop myself from putting my hands on a crazy student kicking walls and pretending to stab himself, or quitting. For some reason, saying it out loud allows me to express frustration, anger, etc. and then its gone. One thing though, that I never hate is my dog, Aurora. She is the sweetest little miniature dachshund and she has one of the best doggie-personalities I have ever encountered. This is why her first injury is more traumatizing for me than it has been for her. This morning I discovered that she has torn one of her footpads. I have no idea how it happened, but it looks horrific. I think the human equivalence to a footpad injury would be if you tore off a piece of finger skin down to the muscle. It is gross and sad at the same time. Of course I panicked and rushed to my computer to research these kinds of pet injuries. Thank you petmeds! I found out I am not supposed to let her lick the injury, but I also just can't bear to force her to wear one of those lampshades on her head. Instead, my pet-mommy skills took over and I constructed a leg cast out of an old pair of nylons that will let the injury breathe while at the same time preventing her from licking the injury. I am also staying home from work to nurse her back to health. Dramatic? Yes, but after all, she is the only thing that I don't hate. Well her and my boyfriend.