Keep, re home or PTS a dog that bit?

[Puppalicious]

Our dog bit my dh yesterday, punctured the skin and its now infected. It was entirely my DH’s fault - she was lying under a bush, he lifted her to pull her out (she’s increasingly hard to get out from her “den”), she almost went upside down so he had her by the back legs. She has hip dysplasia, it must have been excruciating for her. I don’t know what he was thinking. However, I worry now she’s crossed a rubicon.

The problem is we have 3 small children, the smallest of whom’s face is low enough to get a bite there. The dog is 3 years old but in pain - we thought it might be one bad hip and get a referral to a vet hospital. However, she’s actually got something wrong in all 4 legs (hip dysplasia in back ones, a touch of arthritis and carpal hyperextension in the front). They recommended weight loss, librela and conservative management in the first instance, all of which we’ve done, and then consider surgery. But in all 4 legs? Is it fair to any dog to do that? She’s not improving. She’s terribly slow on walks.

Last night she looked at me and growled for no reason. My littlest just told me that she petted her this morning and she almost bit her (made no contact - I always thought she had good bite inhibition but maybe not following yesterday). I worry that my DH’s idiocy yesterday has made her even more reactive. I worry a dog in pain is maybe not safe with children in any event. She thinks she’s one of them and will often try to lie beside them - especially the little one - but that means its very easy for one of them to knock her.

She has a lovely sweet gentle nature (she was at the groomers last week and they commented on how friendly and good-natured she is) but I just can’t take any chances with my children. They’ve all been warned sternly this morning to take a lot of care. But is it safe? Should we look at rehoming her to somewhere with no children - but who would want a disabled dog who has bit, beautiful and sweet natured though she is? She would also miss us so much. Should we look into surgery, see if that would help - but all 4 legs?! Is that fair on any dog? I can’t really contemplate the last option in my title - but would that be the fairest thing for her, if she’s in pain?

I know the doghouse can be very rough so I’m expecting some abuse here, but at the same time I’m wondering what good dog-lovers would do.

Your husband picked the dog up by her back legs, caused her a lot of pain, and is surprised he got bitten? I hope this is a wind up because you seriously shouldn’t have a dog if you treat it like that! Any dog will bite if you pick it up by the back legs. Please rehome the poor creature to someone who’ll treat her with care and kindness.

In these circumstances I would have her put to sleep as she's clearly not happy or safe and would be so difficult to re-home. Better to not exist than suffer.

He’s not at all surprised he got bitten, he knows it’s entirely his fault.

However I'm not sure I could look at my husband in the same way again if he was responsible for this.

Your dog is in pain. Unlike humans they only live for the moment rather than the future. it will be like a never ending experience of pain and discomfort. A dog in pain will bite, they are miserable and not enjoying life.

The vets can do so much but not always in the best interests of the dog. I would pts, it would be kinder.

Your husband deliberately hurt you dog! What an utter cunt. Poor dog. Rehome the poor thing where it won’t get abused.

I'm with PTS - the dog is obviously in pain and irritable which makes it unpredictable around the family. It sounds as though an operation will be impractical from the monetary pov so put your family and their safety first.

The problem is she's probably still in pain. Is she on any pain medication? He grabbed her by the back legs when she already has arthritis and other conditions. Most likely this has flared up and now she's sore and bad tempered as a result.

I do think this level of problem with a dog's four legs at this age is potentially something that is cruel to keep her for. But I'd speak to the vet.

I suspect she’s in a lot of pain - hence trying to hide in ‘dens’. Poor girl. Discuss with your vet, but kindest perhaps to put to sleep, especially since your husband is so unkind. I’d be rehoming him.

Your husband is an utter idiot, poor dog.
Your dog must be in so much pain and now even more suffering thanks to him 🤬
You need to seriously consider putting the poor creature out of its misery; clearly your husband can’t be trusted around it.

For a dog that is only 3 years old, and is terribly slow on walks she must be in a lot of pain, I would probably pts unless you are going down the surgery route. (And that's completely ignoring the bite as that sounds like it's all down to pain.)

You don't mention breed but she potentially has another 10+ years so if surgery on all legs fixes her and then she is pain free and happy that's great - but if it's just a sticking plaster and actually she is going to be in pain again or need multiple surgeries, I don't think I'd put her through it.

When you then factor in the biting and young children in the house, I unfortunately think pts would be the kindest option. Don't rehome as that's just extending her misery and passing a problem (financially and others) on.

Why the hell did he pull the dog by its back legs knowing it has hip dysplasia? What breed is the dog? I’d be taking the vet advice first but if she’s living in excruciating pain then PTS. I couldn’t look at my DH if he’d done that to a dog, he’s a disgusting excuse for a human being.

Sounds like you're all a bit like it for keeping the dog around even though she's in agony

But why would he pick her up by the back legs knowing she has existing pain and leg problems??

Yeah, I haven’t got nuclear on him because he knows himself. He says she wriggled and slipped though his hands - madness. He wasn’t going to tell anyone but I saw the bandage on his arm. I think I’m more worried in a way than him, I think he was just going to push on through knowing it was entirely his fault - but I’m worried now about the children, I honestly can’t take any risks.

Our first thought was just to take more care (obviously), then starting to go there in our heads re rehoming - but we would have to disclose the bite which would rule her out of homes with children probably - and then with the disabled legs too…

I haven’t mentioned to him the final option but it has been in the back of my head since we got the news about the 4 legs, and even more so when conservative management is showing no improvement.

Jesus. Rehome your dog. You cannot PTS for this - but you certainly cannot and should not keep the dog after this. The dog will never trust you or your family again. The damage your DH has done is 100% irreversible and he should never be allowed to live with another animal IMO.

There are no words to describe your husband that won't get me banned tbh. He held her upside down!? What the hell is wrong with him? Disgusting. And he wasn't going to tell anyone? Gods. An animal abuser and a liar.

What a charmer.

For a dog that's only 3, I can't see how she's going to have much quality of live. My collie is getting on for 13, has arthritis and is a lot slower and a bit fatter now, the question of when has crossed my mind recently but he still has so much love for life, lives for his walks, and although slower down, is not slow.

What breed is she?

The bite was expected. I have debilitating RA. I'd bite someone who hurt my joints, so I would totally expect it of a dog.

Just to say - he was lifting her by putting his hands under her belly - she wriggled forward which is how he ended up with his hands on her legs. He didn’t deliberately grab her legs. The bite was deserved - but what does it mean going forward, that’s the problem. We have a very busy house, maybe she would be happier and safer somewhere quieter.

Who would take on a dog who might need surgery on 4 legs. I assume they won’t get insurance for any treatment, meds etc as pre existing conditions. Sounds like the poor dog is in pain and hard as it is I would probably go down the PTS route, as I can’t see the leg issues going completely away even with surgery

Just to say she’s insured, so we should hopefully be covered for the surgeries.

She’s a rough collie.

Will your pet insurance cover the surgery? If so I'd have as full and frank a conversation as you can with someone looking to make money from you. What are the odds surgery would be successful? will she have ongoing problems? If your insurance covers this I'd get her the surgery and then maybe consider rehoming.

@Puppalicious you are insured but any future owner wouldn’t be covered for these issues

Please have the creature rehomed or put to sleep.
By 'creature' I mean you mr awful husband who manhandled and hurt your dog.

What a nasty thing to do!