my lovely little dog got badly attacked last week =(

[JessiTaylor]

 

I have the sweetest, loveliest schnauzer in the world. hes just a genuinely nice dog. He got horribly attacked by an unleashed dog that literally tried to rip his throat out. and now, aside from just seeming completely depressed, we have to take him to the vet every 2 days to check his progress/change his bandages etc...and now he just shakes like a leaf from the moment he sees the entrance of the vet's office. She told us that the medicine they inject burns a little and i can understand he hates having ointment (i think is antibiotic or antiseptic or something) applied to an open wound - but theres no way to explain to a dog that we arent trying to torture him, we just want him to get better

 

it just breaks my heart to see him miserable =( he has made incredible progress in the last week, i mean for the first time he was scratching at the door asking to go out (he cant right now, they removed the bandage for some open air healing and the risk of infection is too great)

 

the other thing...i dont want him to be afraid of dogs in the future, and now i find when i walk past big breed dogs i get nervous. i need to somehow stop thinking like this, as if he sees me afraid then he'll get afraid too

 

its just a horrible horrible situation. thanks for letting me vent!!

[tkuzma]

Poor puppy!!! Hope he recovers quickly, and that you do too

[JessiTaylor]

thankyou!  to be honest, animal care is one of the few things i dont like about mexico. my fiance thinks im crazily attentive of my dog!! even though he has been worried about him too it seems english people think of dogs as almost substitute children (well if you dont have any) and mexicans are so much more casual about it

 

in the UK (and i imagine US) if you encounter a vicious dog....then you call animal control. here, they are literally only for strays who you suspect of rabies. and plenty of people dont see the need to exercise dogs (for example big dalmatians in a tiny fenced off area) or dont think anything of going on holiday for a week and just leaving the dogs with no care but a bunch of food and water. and everyone thinks im silly for loving my dog so much. i cried at the vets office and people looked at me like i was a lunatic!

 

and i know, its not for a foreigner to go abroad and judge how they do things, but still!!

[emstypes]

Aww that's horrible!  But so glad he's getting better!  I know exactly what you mean, our Lab was a family member, not just a pet.  I wish him an even speedier recovery, than it is now.

[JessiTaylor]

 

actually today he seems *so* much happier. hes suddenly running around the house, and has even lined up his toys at my feet in the hope ill take him out to play! still not loving the applying ointment to open wound though! im dying to take him out properly when hes better though

[AllieH]

 

 

Originally Posted by JessiTaylor 

 

 

actually today he seems *so* much happier. hes suddenly running around the house, and has even lined up his toys at my feet in the hope ill take him out to play! still not loving the applying ointment to open wound though! im dying to take him out properly when hes better though

 

oh Jessi - I'm so sorry he was attacked!!!! that's awful. I'm glad he's starting to feel better, and hope he continues to heal. 

 

I don't have any tips for you about not being nervous about large dogs - you probably SHOULD be extra cautious about walking him where the dogs roam freely. there isn't much you can do if another dog decides to attack, and the only thing you can do is avoid it in the first place. 

 

as far as him being fearful of the vet - what does he value? does he love toys? scratches? treats? I would use whatever he values most as a reward when you go to the vet to start re-associating it with good things (treats! toys!) vs. the ointment and medication.