Dog injured by badger... very worried

Bishmilla · 29-02-2012 11:48PM #1

I was walking my dogs the other day and one of them ran into the bushes hunting. He was in there for at least half an hour and we couldn't get him out. When he finally emerged the poor little thing could barely walk and had to be carried home, he has been badly bitten around the nose and mouth and lost lots of teeth.

We took him to the vet and he said it was most likely a badger and prescribed pain killers and antibiotics, and said that the dog would be really sore for about a week, but would be fine.

I'm still very worried though as he does not seem to be responding at all and seems to be getting worse not better. He eats a little, and tonight seems very weak and down. I am so, so worried that he is going to die. It's breaking my heart to see him in so much pain. We are taking him back to the vet tomorrow first thing.

I just wanted to know whether anyone have any similar experiences or know whether its normal that a dog can be really drowsy and unresponsive from taking codeine and cephalexin? Or is it possible that a dog will not respond to the antibiotics at all?

wetdogsmell · 01-03-2012 12:05AM

i'm sure the vet knows their job, imagine how the poor badger feels without pain killers or antibiotics

Bookworm85 · 01-03-2012 01:17AM

Oh the poor thing

Years ago our family dog was attacked by something in our back garden, the vet also rekoned it was a badger. He had a big chunk taken out of his neck and was also given painkillers & antibiotics.

He was miserable for a few days afterwards, but he soon bounced back.

If your guy has been wounded in and around his mouth he is going to find eating painful, so that would probably be why he is eating so little. Is he managing to drink ok? No doubt he's just feeling miserable after such an encounter.

By all means take him back to the vets for another look, all he might need is some extra tlc while he recovers.

Whispered · 01-03-2012 04:44AM

Poor dog and poor badger - what type of dog is it? Hopefully the badger is ok too.

Painkillers and antibiotics can supress appetite, and if his mouth/ face is injured obviously this will effect him too. Maybe make something really tasty and blend it for him to see if he'll take that? How long has he not been eating?

Antibiotics can also make you feel tired and down in the dumps, as will pain! So I think you might be worring a bit unnecessarily, although I'm sure I'd be the same. Call your vet and describe what's going on. They might tell you it's to be expected, or they might ask for him to be brought back in.

Maybe you could look at classes to work on recall when he's back on his feet. It would be fun for him and would be a nice treat after his little ordeal.

Bishmilla · 01-03-2012 09:22AM

Thanks guys for your words of advise. He is a border terrier.

He drinks his water, and eats a tiny bit of food if hand fed. We have been feeding him chicken and other soft foods. He can't really get out of his bed he is so weak though.

I checked on him this morning, he is still very bad. He barely opens his eyes.
Taking him to the vet now.

IrishHomer · 01-03-2012 01:17PM

I'd reckon the badger is caught in a snare, did you check to see how the badger is?

Badgers don't attack unless they are in serious distress like being caught in a snare, the dog would also not have been able to get near the badger unless the badger is caught or badly restricted in some way.

What part of the country are you at this should really be checked immediately the badger could be diying a very slow cluel death.

Sending OP pm now

Bishmilla · 01-03-2012 01:28PM

Poor little guy didn't make it, i'm heartbroken.

Homer, didn't know such a horrible device even existed. Please pm me the number of your wildlife service contact and I'll contact them myself.

andreac · 01-03-2012 01:33PM

Omg thats terrible. Im so sorry for your little guy.

Did the vet say what it was that caused him to go downhill so quickly?

Bishmilla · 01-03-2012 01:38PM

His wounds were just not healing, he was in a lot of pain.

notsobusy · 01-03-2012 01:38PM

IrishHomer wrote: »

I'd reckon the badger is caught in a snare, did you check to see how the badger is?

Badgers don't attack unless they are in serious distress like being caught in a snare, the dog would also not have been able to get near the badger unless the badger is caught or badly restricted in some way.

What part of the country are you at this should really be checked immediately the badger could be diying a very slow cluel death.

Sending OP pm now

Badgers are fighting creatures and will have a go at dogs. My terrier was killed by a badger a few years ago. I was walking the dog and same sort of thing dog went into the bushes, there was a tremendous racket and I ran through to see what was happening and the badger had gotten my terrier by the neck and even though I tried to chase away the badger he/she kill my terrier.

Probably a female badger protecting her young or something. I was very upset but these things happen. It's nature.

IrishHomer · 01-03-2012 01:42PM

Bishmilla wrote: »

Poor little guy didn't make it, i'm heartbroken.

Homer, didn't know such a horrible device even existed. Please pm me the number of your wildlife service contact and I'll contact them myself.

Very sorry about your dog here is the link below:

http://www.irishwildlifematters.ie/animals/contacts.html#GO-NPWS

IrishHomer · 01-03-2012 01:46PM

notsobusy wrote: »

Badgers are fighting creatures and will have a go at dogs. My terrier was killed by a badger a few years ago. I was walking the dog and same sort of thing dog went into the bushes, there was a tremendous racket and I ran through to see what was happening and the badger had gotten my terrier by the neck and even though I tried to chase away the badger he/she kill my terrier.

Probably a female badger protecting her young or something. I was very upset but these things happen. It's nature.

A badger will only fight if it's cornered or tied to a spot, they are usually well able to run away from any threats, it will not fight just for the fun of it please don't start bashing the badger here. Don't forget the badger was on this island long before we were and we have persecuted them no end.

notsobusy · 01-03-2012 01:47PM

Bishmilla wrote: »

Poor little guy didn't make it, i'm heartbroken.

Homer, didn't know such a horrible device even existed. Please pm me the number of your wildlife service contact and I'll contact them myself.

I'm really sorry to hear about your dog

notsobusy · 01-03-2012 01:50PM

IrishHomer wrote: »

A badger will only fight if it's cornered or tied to a spot, they are usually well able to run away from any threats, it will not fight just for the fun of it please don't start bashing the badger here. Don't forget the badger was on this island long before we were and we have persecuted them no end.

I'm not badger bashing! I like badgers but it killed my dog seemingly unprovoked. It's a wild animal, they are unpredictable. As I said it was probably a female protecting her earth!

And walking on a neighbours farm recently I picked up a badger snare, unsnared and I told the farmer and he said he had picked up one a few weeks before that. I can't tolerate things like that at all. But do not tell me not to badger bash!!!!

Alun · 01-03-2012 01:53PM

We had a cat that got bitten on it's tummy which turned into a nasty abscess that also just wouldn't heal. All the tissue around the edge of the wound 'sloughed' away, and the poor thing ended up having a huge gaping hole in it's tummy. Eventually (long story) we got referred to the UCD vet clinic, and the poor cat unfortunately had to be put down, but the post-mortem and subsequent lab reports revealed that he was in fact suffering from bovine TB. Apparently this can also be transferred by bites and cause this kind of problem. Now we don't know to this day how he actually got bitten, but there were badgers living in the waste ground at the back of our house at the time.

The worst part was that I, my wife, and all the vet staff that had come into contact with the cat had to be tested for TB and as I tested positive I had to have two chest x-rays over the next 6 months.

tk123 · 01-03-2012 02:13PM

I was expecting to scroll down and see that he was ok! Poor dog and poor OP

jayteecork · 01-03-2012 02:25PM

I stumbled on this thread by accident and now I'm very sad for you and your dog

wetdogsmell · 01-03-2012 02:45PM

border terriers were originaly for hunting badgers and foxes. badgers will run if they can rather than stand and fight. as for snares, they irish goverment sets snares every year to control badgers and tb, a much crueler death than shooting them (which you would be jailed for) its just cheap and effective

tazwaz · 01-03-2012 03:27PM

Bishmilla wrote: »

Poor little guy didn't make it, i'm heartbroken.

Homer, didn't know such a horrible device even existed. Please pm me the number of your wildlife service contact and I'll contact them myself.

oh god that's awful news. you poor thing, it must have been an awful shock to you.

barbiegirl · 01-03-2012 04:49PM

Really sorry for you and your family OP. I'll be keeping a good eye on my two for this when we're out off leash

Darkginger · 01-03-2012 06:26PM

So sorry to hear the news. I can only imagine how awful you're feeling right now, and know there's not much anyone can say to make that any better - but just wanted to offer a virtual hug.

Birdnuts · 01-03-2012 09:44PM

wetdogsmell wrote: »

border terriers were originaly for hunting badgers and foxes. badgers will run if they can rather than stand and fight. as for snares, they irish goverment sets snares every year to control badgers and tb, a much crueler death than shooting them (which you would be jailed for) its just cheap and effective

Yes - TB culls are carried out by government licenced persons. Otherwise the species is fully protected.

200yrolecrank · 01-03-2012 09:52PM

Very sorry to hear about your poor dog passing,it's not easy when you lose a pet.
My sincere good wishes for you during such a crap time.

Traonach · 01-03-2012 10:03PM

wetdogsmell wrote: »

border terriers were originaly for hunting badgers and foxes. badgers will run if they can rather than stand and fight. as for snares, they irish goverment sets snares every year to control badgers and tb, a much crueler death than shooting them (which you would be jailed for) its just cheap and effective

A badger in a snare is a terrible sight. They basically tear themselves apart trying to get free. I saw one in a snare beside a ditch, they had the ditch dug out around the snare.:(

wetdogsmell · 02-03-2012 12:15AM

Traonach wrote: »

A badger in a snare is a terrible sight. They basically tear themselves apart trying to get free. I saw one in a snare beside a ditch, they had the ditch dug out around the snare.:(

that was my point, it could take days to die, theirs kinder ways of culling them, but none as cheap, thats why there used

callmekenneth · 02-03-2012 04:40PM

ah that's a shame sorry to hear it

Solair · 03-03-2012 03:04PM

notsobusy wrote: »

I'm not badger bashing! I like badgers but it killed my dog seemingly unprovoked. It's a wild animal, they are unpredictable. As I said it was probably a female protecting her earth!

And walking on a neighbours farm recently I picked up a badger snare, unsnared and I told the farmer and he said he had picked up one a few weeks before that. I can't tolerate things like that at all. But do not tell me not to badger bash!!!!

Eh, your dog was hunting... (as stated in your first post).
Those are the hazards of hunting!

I'd say your dog should pull through though if he/she gets the correct treatment, which it sounds like he/she is!

Discodog · 03-03-2012 03:57PM

I have rescued a lot of injured Badgers & been with them in the wild. I have spent many hours, during the night, close to Badger sets even when young are around. They never attacked unless provoked. Even then their standard defence is to charge at whatever is threatening them. Whenever this happened with my own dogs it wasn't a problem because the dog ran away. However if the dog is of a breed with a hunting instinct or has been encouraged to hunt then it may hold it's ground & seek a confrontation that it will lose.

It is dreadful that we deem snaring to be a cruel death & then justify it on the grounds that it is cheaper than vaccination.

Noopti · 03-03-2012 04:04PM

Solair wrote: »

Eh, your dog was hunting... (as stated in your first post).
Those are the hazards of hunting!

I'd say your dog should pull through though if he/she gets the correct treatment, which it sounds like he/she is!

A. The person you are responding to is not the OP
B. The OP's dog actually didn't pull through in the end.

Bishmilla · 04-03-2012 01:47AM

Thanks for all your kind words. Miss the little guy so much, I just can't believe he is gone. Feeling so sad and horribly guilty about the whole thing.

Daftendirekt · 04-03-2012 02:22AM

Sorry to hear he didn't make it, OP. It's a horrible feeling alright. Try not to let yourself feel guilty about it though, sometimes these things just happen and there really isn't anything you can do. I'm sure you did your best and made his last days as comfortable as possible.

Condolences anyway.

Dog injured by badger... very worried

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