Advice need to help dog after being attacked

Lobsterlady

My beautiful, quiet Cavachon was attacked today by a Greyhound, as we were leaving the gate of our property. We live in a rural area, and the next door neighbour up the laneway keeps greyhounds. This is the second time this has happened, however, this time it was only 1 greyhound and it was unmuzzled and has been very traumatic.

It was a vicious blindsided attack, I didn't see the dog until it was upon us. i really don't know how I saved her, as the dog had her by the back in her mouth. All a blur. Owner knows, vowed this won't happen again and will pay vet bill (I took her straight to out of hours vet, injections, wounds check etc)

She's been whacked out all day, won't move, eat, drink...just no reactions which I guess is the meds partly and also shock. Skin wasn't broken but red raw. She got really lucky.

So my main question and worry is what can I do to help her gain her confidence again, feel safe etc. and get back to normal. Do I take her somewhere tomorrow for a very gently walk/sniff, drive off to a quiet place with no other dogs? Or do I do my normal morning routine and head out the gate down our normal route? Or do I just leave her inside for a few days?

DBB

Ah no op, that's awful... poor wee mite
You're absolutely right to ponder upon what to do now to minimise the damage. Good for you!
As a general rule, dogs tend to bounce back remarkably well from a one-off attack like this. But, I think how you manage the next few days will be helpful in helping this to happen. I'd be inclined to go somewhere quiet-ish, if possible. Somewhere that you can see other dogs, but keep a bit of a distance. Just sit there with her, let her watch other dogs from a distance, and make all sorts of silly, happy noises when they come into view. Offer her treats if she'll take them. Play a game with her favourite toy.
Has she any dog pals that she knows and trusts? If so, get her mixing with them, again, making really light of everything when she with them.
If you feel she's unperturbed after a couple of days, then try her within your more usual routine... obviously you'll need to be very, very watchful for the neighbour's dogs being out and about. Would calling him in advance to ensure the dogs are in be a runner at all?
Again, make light of the whole situation on your own routine, using treats, toys, silliness.
If she's nervous or angsty at any point, don't push it. Let us know how you get on, and if you have a problem, get back to us here... hopefully you won't have to, but hopefully we can help you to cross that bridge if need be.
Best of luck... it's an absolute nightmare situation, and it sounds like she got off relatively lightly to what could have been. I hope she recovers quickly, both physically and mentally.

Suckit

That's awful Lobsterlady.
Years ago we had a Bichon Frise that used to be fairly confident, bark/growl at everything that he passed.
Short version was that he was attacked by another dog and had a couple of holes punctured in his back. He was unable to move for a fairly long time (I think about a month at least.), and he just lay there, sometimes shaking. We were convinced he was a gonner, or never would go out again.
I was a teenager, and few things have stuck with me, but this did.
The vet told us to just continue as normal when he was better. We did, and he bounced back. Maybe a bit too much. I can remember him on the windowsill one day snarling at a dog walking by, we knew he was better..
They do bounce back fairly quick.

Lobsterlady

Thank you for replies. She slept in the hall last night, she always normally sleeps on someones bed. She wanted to go outside this morning to do her business but just stood by the door, scared to go out, I had to really coax her on to the grass. She just stood there after, like frozen. It's heartbreaking to see. She went back to the hall and curled up, wouldn't take her morning treat....it's as if she doesn't want to see 'the outside' as we have windows every where facing the back fields where she normally sees the greyhounds being walked.
I think she is very bruised and sore also, it was a hell of an attack and she was dragged backwards by the dog while I was trying to get her out of the dogs mouth. Must have been so painful.

I will go about my morning as normal like you said, make light of it, chit chat to her and I'll bring my daughter and we'll go for a drive somewhere quiet...to walk her for short walk. I don't think I'll get her out of our gate yet for our normal walk, she'll freeze. Our normal walk has lots of friendly dogs, most behind gates, that she knows and sniffs and gets on with. One or two snarly dogs too that she knows can't get at her. I might give that a few days. Normally she sits on the back of the sofa waiting for magpies to bark at, or rabbits, or the tractor....we use to give out to her for barking at them....I won't ever again, I just want to hear that she's back to her old self. It'll take time. Thanks for the advice. I'll keep you posted.

Graces7

I have little experience compared to others here but I saw with my wee dog that when critters are hurting etc they have the sense to STOP. To withdraw, total rest. No "soldiering on" as we humans tend to do.

She once rolled down outdoor concrete steps ( OUCH!) and scared me silly by curling up, withdrawing totally. Refused food even. When I realised she was simply allowing healing I wrapped her in a blanket on a soft chair and let her come out when she wanted.

So yes, just carry on as usual. She knows you are there and that is what matters.

bertiebomber

let her rest and dont force her out at all she is in shock keep her warm and encourage her to eat nice things like chicken etc for your next walk take her in you car to your walking place.

random_banter

OP, my Lab was viciously attacked by an uncontrolled Staffie many moons ago, with puncture wounds in his chest just near his lungs. He was quite traumatised, particularly because the treatment was to have a major operation to remove the tissue and muscle around the wound which was very painful and required a long recovery time. He was on morphine and generally lying, shaking and tripped out for a couple of weeks. It was awful to watch and experience.

But he bounced back when healed - I think I was the one who carried the trauma with me! I don't think he remembered the incident or the dog after a while, where as I did and have a nervousness around many dogs (when I have a dog with me) now that I never had before.

Let your poor pupper rest and have any meds that are required, and I'm sure she will bounce back when she is feeling a bit better

Lobsterlady

So a quick update. Bella still wasn't improving much since the attack on Sunday. Sleeping away from everyone, can't climb the stairs, very quiet and walked so slowly if taken out for a brief sniff. I thought it was shock and depression. So I took her to the vet today as I noticed her side has started to swell and I freaked out about it immediately, wondering how long she'd had it, did I miss it yesterday etc. She has an infection and the vet has given her an antibiotic injection, with a course to follow. I was distraught for hours today as I waiting for the appointment (he was in surgery all day). All sorts of things were running around my head. He also gave her a pain injection and she is home with us now. She is definitely more perky since the visit (prob pain meds) and started barking at the cows......the joy in my heart. Just hope the antibiotics can manage to clear the infection - back in on Monday for a check up, and my vet is the on-call emergency vet all weekend so he said not to hesitate to call him etc. Thanks for all replies previously from you all.x