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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

When an injured dog bites a child...?

46 replies

lougle · 08/04/2015 14:29

First off, I am aware that I bear responsibility for this incident and, in hindsight, underestimated how hurt the dog was. I'm posting to try and unravel my thoughts to make a clear, fair and rational decision.

Last night: The dog had been running around in the garden, happily, all day. Lots of children (my own 3 plus 2-3 from a neighbour coming in and out). No issues. He looked exhausted in the evening, but at night time I noticed he was lame on his right front paw. He tends to sleep under the covers and as I straightened my leg he yelped and stood up.

This morning: He was obviously lame on the paw. He was resistant to putting any weight on it at first, but bore weight more as the morning progressed and was able to run when he wanted to, although was lying down for much of the morning (out of character).

1.30 pm - The doorbell rang. Child from next door. The dog jumped at the door (typical) but not his usual jump. I said to the child 'he's hurt his paw today, if he jumps just say no.' We're trying (successfully) to reduce his jumping and he's responded well to training.

As the child walked in (calmly), the dog jumped at her then suddenly grabbed her arm and started biting her. She was trying to push him off while turning away (no hysteria) and started crying. I was simultaneously trying to remove him from her arm.

Once I'd got him away and in a room with the door shut, I saw that her arm had clear teeth marks, already blue and turning purple. He had bitten her through a thick sweatshirt and I'm certain that he would have broken the skin were it not for that. He wasn't 'nipping', he was biting.

I took her straight back to her parents, explained what had happened and my thoughts that he must have put pressure on his lame paw when he jumped on her and somehow thought that she was hurting him. I apologised profusely and said that once she was calmed, if she still wanted to play I would shut him in a room to allow her no risk of contact.

What do I do? One part of me thinks 'dog bit = get rid'. Another part says 'injured dog = stupid owner, not the dog's fault'.

Clearly I underestimated his injury, but what's the right thing to do now?

OP posts:
triballeader · 17/04/2015 08:22

I am so sorry you had to make that tough decision. You made the right and best and most kindest decison for your much loved pet with advice from your vet.

moosemama · 17/04/2015 17:33

Lougle I am so sorry to hear this.

I remember chatting with you back when you were trying to work out whether or not the twitches were actually seizures. So sorry things turned out to be so much worse than the initial prognosis.

Such a difficult decision to make, but ultimately you did the right thing. His life may have been short, but it was full of love and laughter. Flowers

TheBakeryQueen · 17/04/2015 20:48

Sorry to hear such sad news Lougle.

You did your best for him x

Original poster
lougle · 18/04/2015 22:05

I miss him so much. He had such presence and it's all gone. A few people have said to get another dog asap. Is that OK? Would it be disrespectful to Patch if I just 'move on'? I know that I'll never replace him; he was one of a kind. But I miss having a dog. I've had dogs all my life and owned them myself for the last 11 years.

OP posts:
Gobbolinothewitchscat · 18/04/2015 22:11

lougle - this is so sad but I just wanted to say I think you have acted increadibly responsibly and unselfishly although the personal cost is so high.

Personally, I think you should do what feels right for you and your family re: timescales for getting another dog

villainousbroodmare · 18/04/2015 22:17

Good on you, you did the right thing. Sad for all concerned but definitely the right thing. I'm a vet and I'm interested to know how old he was and whether his epilepsy was being treated?

Original poster
lougle · 18/04/2015 22:35

He was 3½ years old. He hadn't had full seizures. Initially, it looked like he had a small stone or something in his mouth, that he was nibbling at. Then he got more twitchy in his face. Then he would have both of those and his muscles on the top of his head would twitch rhythmically, often symmetrically but sometimes alternately.

He always looked disturbed by it. He would walk over to where we were if it started happening and look at us with as if to say 'help'. We'd reassure him and wait for it to pass.

When we took him to the vet and described the symptoms, he said it was probably 'petit-mal' and that unless he was losing huge chunks of the day, the treatment is often more distressing than the epilepsy, so it was best to just watch and wait.

His personality change was quite subtle, he'd have periods when he seemed 'different' then he'd seem just as he always was, so I'd think I was being silly. Then he hurt his paw (although I think it was probably his shoulder more) and at that time he bit the child. But then, once his paw was better he went on to try and get through (over) the gate to a man (my mum was there and said the manner he behaved in was a 'shock' to her) and then he tried to bite a delivery man as he was leaving our drive.

If I was just here with my DH, I could possibly have managed with help of a behaviourist and assessment, etc. But with the children, they aren't of an age to comprehend the risk and they themselves could have been at risk. He didn't seem himself at times and I couldn't risk it.

I feel like I've let him down but I couldn't see another way. No rescue (even the no-kill rescues) in my area would take him. One of the advisors even said that PTS was all she could suggest.

OP posts:
Original poster
lougle · 18/04/2015 22:41

To be honest, and I will be honest, I am 99% sure he was from a puppy farm. He was supposedly a pure-bred staff. We stepped through the door and knew it wasn't from a reputable breeder - cramped house with 4 kids in the front room, mother in her dressing gown at 4pm, tv blaring, crusty old mop used to mop up wee.....but we couldn't leave him once we saw him.

We were told he was 8½ weeks old, but when I phoned the following day to ask his date of birth, it was clear that he was only 6½ weeks old.

We did see 'both parents'. Beautiful pure-breed staffs. Right size, right temperament, right colours, right build, etc., but as soon as I took him to see my SIL, she said 'goodness, his muzzle is long for a staff....' At our first vet check, the vet asked if we were sure his testicles descended, because they were so small.

He was nervous of everything. Leaves on the ground, snow, puddles, headlight reflections on windows, everything. Except people. He adored people.

OP posts:
TheoriginalLEM · 18/04/2015 22:45

my dog bit right through my dds foot. she had trodden on his foot and it turned out he had bone cancer in that leg.

why didn't you take your dog to the vet when he was first lame?

TheoriginalLEM · 18/04/2015 22:47

oh fucking fuckity fuck - i amSO Sorry i hadnt read the thread. sorry sorry Flowers

Original poster
lougle · 18/04/2015 22:54

It's alright LEM, you just said what I'd have been thinking if I hadn't read the thread Smile. I honestly wouldn't have had him PTS if I thought there was an alternative.

I'm sorry your dog had bone cancer. Did you treat or was it not viable?

OP posts:
villainousbroodmare · 18/04/2015 22:58

I wonder whether he might have had a variant form of distemper known as "old dog encephalitis". The chewing gum fitting, head twitching and transient distress sound very typical of distemper, and would fit with the history of a dubious start in life, followed by a period of normality, followed by worsening neurological signs. They don't sound at all typical of epilepsy.
In either case, you did the only possible thing. No shelter could possibly have taken him; he was your responsibility and he's at peace now, and he didn't really do much harm in the end anyway.

TheoriginalLEM · 18/04/2015 22:59

thanks lougle. but really should have rtft! Blush Sadly my dog's condition was too far advanced and he was pts. I had looked into rehoming due to the bite and the fact i had just had a baby i couldn't have taken the chance. I am just glad that he spent his last days with us. Im so sorry about your loss Flowers

LaurieFairyCake · 18/04/2015 23:00

So sorry lougle Flowers

Please comfort yourself that you did the right thing on the advice of the vet.

I tortured myself over the 'one more day' scenario when I put my dog down, revisited it in my mind over and over. And yet I know I did the right thing.

It's just so hard when you love them to actually let them go.

{{{hugs}}}

Original poster
lougle · 18/04/2015 23:05

I know, but you spend so long meeting their every need, that it just feels so wrong. I put him on that table, telling him it was all ok, when I knew that the moment that blue liquid entered his vein, he'd be gone. 5 seconds. He didn't even have time to feel sleepy enough to close his eyes.

villainousbroodmare that's interesting. We should have walked away. But seeing that crusty old mop, the blaring telly, and asking what he'd been eating, only to be told 'Oh 'e'll eat anything love, £200....', well, it melted my heart for him.

OP posts:
villainousbroodmare · 18/04/2015 23:09

Of course it did, and you were kind; probably not strictly sensible, but kind. And more than likely there was nothing to specifically tip you off to a health issue at that time. But you were on borrowed time once the chewing gum started.

Lyinginwait888 · 18/04/2015 23:11

Another voice of support here. What a horrid time for all of you Thanks

Original poster
lougle · 18/04/2015 23:18

Is the 'chewing gum seizure' sometimes as I describe? He didn't slap his jaws like I've seen on a youtube video. It was a more subtle nibbly movement with his jaws shut - it's hard to describe.

OP posts:
villainousbroodmare · 18/04/2015 23:19

As if he had something stuck between his molars and was trying slightly subtly to remove it with a chewing motion.

Original poster
lougle · 18/04/2015 23:24

Possibly. Thank you for your patience.

Either way, it's good to know that we did the right thing.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 18/04/2015 23:29

lougle you gave him a wonderful 3 years or so, he may not have ever had that otherwise Flowers

Always lots of staffies needing homes in rescues just because they're that breed - you could look?

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