attacked and lucky to be alive

[asal]

friend walked out of her front door, locked it then before she could take a step her dog was attacked by two pb's, a dog and a bitch.

the male grabbed his face and throat, the female his side and they tried to drag him off.

Lucky he was on his lead and she had her walking stick and did try to drive them away but she is very disabled (aka, most are in a wheel chair with her disabilities.)

 

Fortunately she kept screaming for help and the owner of the male grabbed him and locked him in her car, then grabbed the female.

 

She has rope burns from holding the lead and other injuries.

Her dog has extensive injuries but not fatal unless infection gets away we hope.

 

 

 

there are many tooth holes leaking fluid but his trachea is intact and he can swallow.

 

I told her to ask the vet she went to to ask about pain medication as well as  anti anxiety medication to help him cope with the trauma, but the vet refused. Didn't even want to give antibiotic injection?  only willing to supply antibiotic tablets?

 

its week 2 now and he is a mental mess. Terrified to leave the house. terrified in the car the second he sees or hears dogs.

 

he is her support dog and goes everywhere with her, workplace included.

 

She cannot cope to leave him at home which is where he wants to stay now.

 

Has anyone had experience with how to proceed after an attack like this?

 

to get him coping with leaving the house and getting to the car. Or how to make it safer from a future attack?

 

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by asal

[_PL_]

Oh my god. 

 

I'm so sorry for your friend.

 

I do know people order 'coyote vests' from the U.S. in attack areas like when they go on the road travelling and there's dingo/X's and strays around camping areas. They are apparently very effective. They should be by the look of them! https://www.coyotevest.com/

 

The anxiety though, really needs a cooperative vet. 

[Kazm]

Oh my gosh, that’s so devastating for your friend and her dog. I’ve got no advice, I’d just like to send some get well wishes to her dog and hopefully with the right help they both will be ok. 

[asal]

1 hour ago, Powerlegs said:

Oh my god. 

 

I'm so sorry for your friend.

 

I do know people order 'coyote vests' from the U.S. in attack areas like when they go on the road travelling and there's dingo/X's and strays around camping areas. They are apparently very effective. They should be by the look of them! https://www.coyotevest.com/

 

The anxiety though, really needs a cooperative vet. 

 

 

thanks, I've sent her the link

 

[persephone]

That is just awful I am so sorry
She needs a new vet , and some good support, poor thing . That poor little dog only has a chance at recovering mentally with wise professional help .
What a terrible ordeal .

[Rascalmyshadow]

Jesus that’s horrific, your friend needs a new vet one that will listen and actually cares about her dogs future, I don’t think she’ll be able to make progress with her dog unless it’s put on medication for anxiety, this was about as traumatic experience as it gets and if not managed in the right way she could end up with a dog that’s completely shut down.

Edited August 31, 2023 by Rascalmyshadow

[Rebanne]

agree with the others, a new vet asap. I am so sorry this has happened to them both and you too as their friend. Please help your friend to report this.

 

Personally I'd get someone to carry the dog to the car and then drive to the work place and see if the dog is ok there. Out via the back door if possible. My experience with trauma was the dogs didn't want to go near where the trauma happened. One was a new foster who had a terrible accident in my back yard. Took weeks before he would go freely in there. Had to be toileted etc out the front yard, then on lead to walk down the opposite side to where the accident happened, then off lead. The other was attacked by a dog while out for a run and we couldn't go near that spot for some months.

[Dogsfevr]

AS this dog is a support dog then there needs to be a very grown up approach to the trauma this dog has gone through & the expectations on the dog at present being  unable to do its job  & that rushing to get a quick fix wont happen & may never happen .
Its trauma is more than just giving it medication especially if the dog is expected to continue its previous life .
Most vets are not qualified to give the moving forward advice that meds & a rehab plan needs .
The owner & those supporting als need to be on the same page of reality & not fantasy 
The antibiotic path is not as cut n dry & vets have so many different legal rules these days .
They may also have opted not to dispense behaviour meds at that moment due to the side effects it can cause & not knowing what is due to the attack & what is med related .
Everyone needs to apply a common sense head not a gun ho vet is an idiot shoulda,woulda,coulda approach .
If the vet cant help moving forward change if the owner is happy with the vet thats their business but the journey off reconditioning needs to be done by people with a smart head & correct non emotional advice ,those helping this person also need to use a non emotional approach in making sure info given is heard correctly or an ear of listening is a good one .
This is a situation regardless life wont be the same & a struggle for both .
Someone needs to advocate for the dog just as much for the human in creating a happy pathway moving forward.


 

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by Dogsfevr

[asal]

On 01/09/2023 at 6:33 PM, Dogsfevr said:

AS this dog is a support dog then there needs to be a very grown up approach to the trauma this dog has gone through & the expectations on the dog at present being  unable to do its job  & that rushing to get a quick fix wont happen & may never happen .
Its trauma is more than just giving it medication especially if the dog is expected to continue its previous life .
Most vets are not qualified to give the moving forward advice that meds & a rehab plan needs .
The owner & those supporting als need to be on the same page of reality & not fantasy 
The antibiotic path is not as cut n dry & vets have so many different legal rules these days .
They may also have opted not to dispense behaviour meds at that moment due to the side effects it can cause & not knowing what is due to the attack & what is med related .
Everyone needs to apply a common sense head not a gun ho vet is an idiot shoulda,woulda,coulda approach .
If the vet cant help moving forward change if the owner is happy with the vet thats their business but the journey off reconditioning needs to be done by people with a smart head & correct non emotional advice ,those helping this person also need to use a non emotional approach in making sure info given is heard correctly or an ear of listening is a good one .
This is a situation regardless life wont be the same & a struggle for both .
Someone needs to advocate for the dog just as much for the human in creating a happy pathway moving forward.


 

 

 

 

which is exactly what I tried to do. but unfortunately I now know she is as traumatised if not more than her dog. which I didn't realise she was incapable of understanding how important it was she get him help immediately.   Also she didn't tell me how injured she was from trying to hold him and prevent them dragging him away. She still hasn't taken herself to a doctor.

 

didn't go to another vet or seek the help I told her he needed now to help him immediately.

 

I now know she just did not absorb how important it was, she act immediately. Because she could not see how badly he was bitten because his fur hid all the tooth holes she didn't believe me how injured he had to be underneath, out of her vision.

 

She didn't make the vet appointment until the next day and the throat began to weep. 

 

I did really try to make her understand how important immediate treatment was needed as all bites would become infected.  By the time the tablets the vet gave her began to work he was leaking fluid and pus like a sieve and she finally realised the extent of his injuries and skin began to die. I dont think even that vet did either.

 

she lives far away from me so could only give advice over the phone.

 

I deliberately did not tell her how close he was to being torn apart in front of her or the extent I suspect his injuries probably were as I didn't want to freak her out.   maybe i under played the importance? I dont know. I sure did expect any competent vet would have done a way better job of assessing his damage than that vet ?

 

Edited September 2, 2023 by asal

[asal]

think we all know its a darned miracle he didn't die over night

[Dogsfevr]

2 hours ago, asal said:

 

 

which is exactly what I tried to do. but unfortunately I now know she is as traumatised if not more than her dog. which I didn't realise she was incapable of understanding how important it was she get him help immediately.   Also she didn't tell me how injured she was from trying to hold him and prevent them dragging him away. She still hasn't taken herself to a doctor.

 

didn't go to another vet or seek the help I told her he needed now to help him immediately.

 

I now know she just did not absorb how important it was, she act immediately. Because she could not see how badly he was bitten because his fur hid all the tooth holes she didn't believe me how injured he had to be underneath, out of her vision.

 

She didn't make the vet appointment until the next day and the throat began to weep. 

 

I did really try to make her understand how important immediate treatment was needed as all bites would become infected.  By the time the tablets the vet gave her began to work he was leaking fluid and pus like a sieve and she finally realised the extent of his injuries and skin began to die. I dont think even that vet did either.

 

she lives far away from me so could only give advice over the phone.

 

I deliberately did not tell her how close he was to being torn apart in front of her or the extent I suspect his injuries probably were as I didn't want to freak her out.   maybe i under played the importance? I dont know. I sure did expect any competent vet would have done a way better job of assessing his damage than that vet ?

 

Sad situation for both & sounds like she needs  help .
Hard when your not close by & trying to be respectful of the language used but it may be time to slightly up the "importance" aspect .
Maybe if she is going to the vet again you may be able to do a phone chat whilst she is there to be the ears ,its atricky one one of not wanting the vet to think she is incompetent to look after but more stressing that she needs a level head to hear what is being said at the moment as it was such a stressful moment .

This dog will be sore even from bruising so even every day patting,touching ,picking up will impact all things