Dog Attack

[UFO Pilot]

About 2 months ago we had to put our PBGV Marceau (SoSo) down due to a brain tumor or possibly a stroke. We had him for 12 1/2 years and he loved to travel with us in the MH. We had decided not to get another dog for a while but 1 month ago we found a little rescue dog that stole our hearts. She had had a rough life and was rescued from the Bakersfield shelter and relocated to Sonoma County. She is 1 1/2 to 2 years old and we believe her to be a Cairn Terrier mix. We named her Maggie and she soon had us wrapped up in our love for her.


Thursday December 1st while I was walking Maggie in the local park, we were attacked by a pit bull. It took 3 people to get the pit bull to let go of Maggie. After waiting for the police to arrive we took her to the local emergency vet clinic where the prognosis wasn't good. During 3 hours of surgery they found numerous wounds including a punctured diaphragm , a bruised liver and pat of the liver was chewed off. A large portion of the skin on her side was torn loose from the underlying muscle. A tooth had gone between 2 of her ribs separating them. I got about 10 bites on my fingers (none of them very serious) that I believe were from Maggie. I am on antibiotics for 7 days.

We finally got to visit Maggie last nite and talk with her surgeon. She had 2 drain tubes, 1 was removed yesterday and the other 1 should be removed today. The 2 IV's will also be removed today. She thinks Maggie will have a complete recovery and we may get to bring her home on Tuesday.

We are supposed to leave for an RV outing on Tuesday but will probably not make the trip. We will be at Indio in January.

[NLOVNIT]

I'm so sorry to hear about the attack. I hope both Maggie & you recover fully.

Lori-

[UFO Pilot]

I will be fine, both dogs are current on rabies vaccine. We visited Maggie again this afternoon. She wouldn't eat the beef jerky treats we always give her so we were concerned. Another dog owner had some fresh deer jerky that he told us to try and she gobbled it up. We fed her 2 pieces and she was begging for more so that was very encouraging. I know now why some parks ban certain breeds. I will never trust a another dog again unless I know it personally.

[Perry White]

I'm sorry to hear about the attack. I have two 5 lb poodles and my wife made a corset type coat to walk them and if something gets too close you can lift them up fast into your arms. Also walk with the Judge in my pocket for situations like yours. Good luck

[UFO Pilot]

The responding officer said if I had Maggie in my arms, the dog would probably have attacked me. I told him that if I would of had a gun, I would have shot the dog and he told me it would be legal. Carry permits are next to impossible to obtain in California.

[RVNeophytes2]

Originally Posted by UFO Pilot

We finally got to visit Maggie last nite and talk with her surgeon. She had 2 drain tubes, 1 was removed yesterday and the other 1 should be removed today. The 2 IV's will also be removed today. She thinks Maggie will have a complete recovery and we may get to bring her home on Tuesday.

We are supposed to leave for an RV outing on Tuesday but will probably not make the trip. We will be at Indio in January.

It makes my blood boil, to think that people are that irresponsible... I'm wondering if pepper spray would be a good thing to carry, when we walk our dogs.

So sorry Maggie has to endure that misery, all because of an ignorant owner. Our hearts are truly with you and her.

[W4RLR]

Sad to hear that your dog was attacked. But ANY dog, not just a pit bull terrier, could have attacked your dog. My son has a pit bull, and his dog is OWNED by my daughter's nine pound Chihuahua. Literally, the Chi beats up the pit bull. It's not nature, more nurture with the "problem breeds", sadly, many owners train their pits to be more of extensions of the owner's manhood than good pets.

My wife and I used to own a dog grooming business. I was more concerned with getting bit by a poodle or a cocker spaniel than getting bit by a pit bull, German Shepherd, or Belgian Malinois (we groomed police K-9s)

Hope your dog makes a full recovery, and that you seriously consider legal action against the owner of the pit bull.

[BarbRN]

Hate to hear this, poor little thing.

[UFO Pilot]

I will carry some kind of spray on our walks from now on. The dog is owned by a young girl and she had it on a leash. She couldn't control it when it decided to attack. She said it had never been aggressive before. The owners haven't contacted us since the attack so I have spoken to our attorney. He said if they don't have insurance or assets it will be hard to collect. As of today the Vet bill is $8300.

When I worked for the AT&T, the small dogs were always the biters.

[UFO Pilot]

Maggie was found running loose in Bakersfield. She was pregnant and eventually had 5 puppies. Two of the puppies survived and she and the 2 puppies were given to a foster Mom. When we adopted her she left her 11 week old pups and her foster Mom. Maggie has had way to many traumas in her short life.

People have asked us how we could spend that much money on a "mutt" that we have only had for 1 month. Some people just don't understand the value of a pet and the bond you have!

[jfran304]

Originally Posted by UFO Pilot

Maggie was found running loose in Bakersfield. She was pregnant and eventually had 5 puppies. Two of the puppies survived and she and the 2 puppies were given to a foster Mom. When we adopted her she left her 11 week old pups and her foster Mom. Maggie has had way to many traumas in her short life.

People have asked us how we could spend that much money on a "mutt" that we have only had for 1 month. Some people just don't understand the value of a pet and the bond you have!

Good to hear that Maggie is going to recover. We can relate to the bond you grow into with a pet.

My DW still hasn't decided on a name for the little female we found living in a culvert but we have already spent $238 on her at the vet.



Jon

[frankdamp]

Wayne:

We iunderstand very well how you can get committed to a dog for life regardless. We rescued an 8-month old female chocolate lab 14 years ago, to be a companion to our 1-year-old yellow male who was having terrible problems with separation anxiety.

At about 14 months, Cocoa was diagnosed with Addison's disease, a disease of the adrenal glands. She would need a shot every 25 days for the rest of her life. it started out at about $60, but by the time she made 12 it was up to about $120. She passed away in early September, just 6 weeks shy of her 14th birthday. With all the meds and operations she had, she was a $20,000 dog, but greatly loved and missed.

We never fretted over the cost, though it got a bit hard to handle after retirement, because we'd made a commitment to her as part of the family.

[TXiceman]

I pray that Maggie recovers. Is the jerk that owns the pit bull paying for the medical? You need to file in smallclaims court.

Ken

[UFO Pilot]

No contact from them yet. Our attorney will check to see if they have insurance or assets. No assets mean no chance for recovery, even if you win.