Post by Midge on Sept 19, 2007 7:49:46 GMT -5
and the creature won.
Two days ago, in the morning, my daughter let the dogs out. Hector, the greyhound (lapdog in a big dog body), and Quincy the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (fierce protector who doesn’t realize he’s a midget).
So, they’re out in the backyard, each doing their own thing. I went downstairs to nab some laundry out and, on my way back up the stairs, I hear Hector screaming. You know, that “hair-stands-up-on-the-back-of-your-neck” in pain sound a greyhound can make? Clothes go flying and I dash outside. Both dogs were in the corner, coursing back and forth looking for something. Hector caught sight of me and ran over, upset and leaning on my legs. I was petting Hector and realized there was blood on my hands, then Quincy does a dash for the gate, Hector follows. Backyard’s well fenced, nothing non-climbing can get in or out except under the gate. I’m still not seeing anything. I finally nab Hector and drag him in, Quincy’s still doing his hunt and patrol thing but I nab him and get him inside.
My daughter checked Quincy over while I checked Hector. Quincy was fine. Hector had two very small punctures on his snout, one on top, one under his jaw. Also two punctures on his chest between his front legs and some scratches on one leg. I got him all cleaned up but figured a vet visit would be a fine idea because the bite on his chest didn’t look so great. Before piling everybody into the car, I did a quick scan of the backyard for a body, figuring Hector was pretty much bigger than anything he could tangle with out there, so there must be some kind of evidence (and yes, *gag*, I did check inside both dogs mouths, eww). But nope, nothing, not even a hair.
Vet gave me something to put on the bites and an anti-inflammatory shot because the bite had swollen quite a bit by then. Keeping an eye on it to make sure it heals. We were trying to figure out what kind of bite it was. No venomous snakes around. Wolf? Coyote? Raccoon? Neighbour’s cat? Nope, too small of a bite, only two punctures, top and bottom, and bruising suggesting a heck of a pinch. Not a carnivore, more of a rodent. Groundhog, rabbit or squirrel, well, two dogs, there would have been some “evidence” of it left behind. Rat would have taken a chunk (evil creatures). Maybe a mouse or a chipmunk, and yes, we’ve got quite a few of chipmunks with attitude around thanks to neighbours who believe they'll starve if they don't hand-feed them.
A chipmunk or a mouse? I mean, I feel sorry for the poor dog and all, but he got beat up by a dust mote with legs? Best we can figure is he was either lying there and it ran between his legs, thinking that space near his chest was a cool hidey-hole, or he cornered it and it ran between his legs. Either way there’s a $160.00 (vet bill) itty bitty rodent with a great story to tell his family strutting around the neighbourhood.
Weird thing is that we’ve had Hector for almost three months now, and so far, the two dogs haven’t really bonded at all. The best that can be said is that they sort of ignore each other. There was one incident shortly after Hector came home, Quincy put him in his place, and up until now they kind of give each other as wide a berth as possible. Since “that” morning, best buddies. Napping together, tail wags and greetings when they’ve been apart. Cave man, "bond through the hunt", sort of deal?
I’ve already done the paranoid call to the vet once already, and they’ve assured me that it all sounds normal to them, but….. Is it normal for bruising to come up a deep red about an inch out (circular) from the puncture site on his chest a day later? It seems to be fading in colour today, but not in size. Bothering me more than it is him, I suspect.
Yes, my poor wounded baby is being spoiled rotten. Poor thing, the bite's in his all-time favorite "scritchy-scratchy" spot.
Two days ago, in the morning, my daughter let the dogs out. Hector, the greyhound (lapdog in a big dog body), and Quincy the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (fierce protector who doesn’t realize he’s a midget).
So, they’re out in the backyard, each doing their own thing. I went downstairs to nab some laundry out and, on my way back up the stairs, I hear Hector screaming. You know, that “hair-stands-up-on-the-back-of-your-neck” in pain sound a greyhound can make? Clothes go flying and I dash outside. Both dogs were in the corner, coursing back and forth looking for something. Hector caught sight of me and ran over, upset and leaning on my legs. I was petting Hector and realized there was blood on my hands, then Quincy does a dash for the gate, Hector follows. Backyard’s well fenced, nothing non-climbing can get in or out except under the gate. I’m still not seeing anything. I finally nab Hector and drag him in, Quincy’s still doing his hunt and patrol thing but I nab him and get him inside.
My daughter checked Quincy over while I checked Hector. Quincy was fine. Hector had two very small punctures on his snout, one on top, one under his jaw. Also two punctures on his chest between his front legs and some scratches on one leg. I got him all cleaned up but figured a vet visit would be a fine idea because the bite on his chest didn’t look so great. Before piling everybody into the car, I did a quick scan of the backyard for a body, figuring Hector was pretty much bigger than anything he could tangle with out there, so there must be some kind of evidence (and yes, *gag*, I did check inside both dogs mouths, eww). But nope, nothing, not even a hair.
Vet gave me something to put on the bites and an anti-inflammatory shot because the bite had swollen quite a bit by then. Keeping an eye on it to make sure it heals. We were trying to figure out what kind of bite it was. No venomous snakes around. Wolf? Coyote? Raccoon? Neighbour’s cat? Nope, too small of a bite, only two punctures, top and bottom, and bruising suggesting a heck of a pinch. Not a carnivore, more of a rodent. Groundhog, rabbit or squirrel, well, two dogs, there would have been some “evidence” of it left behind. Rat would have taken a chunk (evil creatures). Maybe a mouse or a chipmunk, and yes, we’ve got quite a few of chipmunks with attitude around thanks to neighbours who believe they'll starve if they don't hand-feed them.
A chipmunk or a mouse? I mean, I feel sorry for the poor dog and all, but he got beat up by a dust mote with legs? Best we can figure is he was either lying there and it ran between his legs, thinking that space near his chest was a cool hidey-hole, or he cornered it and it ran between his legs. Either way there’s a $160.00 (vet bill) itty bitty rodent with a great story to tell his family strutting around the neighbourhood.
Weird thing is that we’ve had Hector for almost three months now, and so far, the two dogs haven’t really bonded at all. The best that can be said is that they sort of ignore each other. There was one incident shortly after Hector came home, Quincy put him in his place, and up until now they kind of give each other as wide a berth as possible. Since “that” morning, best buddies. Napping together, tail wags and greetings when they’ve been apart. Cave man, "bond through the hunt", sort of deal?
I’ve already done the paranoid call to the vet once already, and they’ve assured me that it all sounds normal to them, but….. Is it normal for bruising to come up a deep red about an inch out (circular) from the puncture site on his chest a day later? It seems to be fading in colour today, but not in size. Bothering me more than it is him, I suspect.
Yes, my poor wounded baby is being spoiled rotten. Poor thing, the bite's in his all-time favorite "scritchy-scratchy" spot.