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.

Although I'm a Crazy Cat Lady I still like dogs too.

I am amazed by the number of people who, having never met this dog and on the basis of some posts, are recommending euthanasia.

From what you've written, it is clear that your dog has been diagnosed with a number of issues. It is likely that it is experiencing pain. That said, it is also interesting that she was gentle and well behaved at the groomers. Might that be because the groomers are better trained in how to handle her? Is it a more relaxed environment? Could it be that your particular household – with young children – is making her anxious or alternatively over-stimulated, which is making the pain worse?

The only way forward is a further discussion with the vet (and maybe a second opinion). Are there further steps you can take that do not involve surgery? What surgical options are on the table?

If I were you I would be seeing what additional medical and/or surgical steps you can take. If there are further things you can (reasonably) do, I would do these and see whether they make a difference.

To me, euthanasia is jumping the gun without more information from the vet.

I can understand the concern about the dog biting. As an immediate measure it sounds like you need to not be doing anything to aggravate the dog - no pulling it out of dens, no getting in its face, etc. That may mean keeping your kids from the dog if they're too young to abide by this. With any luck the vet may be able to prescribe some new/better medicine to help tone down any pain and inflammation, which will also improve your dog's demeanour.

PTS
She sounds in a bad way

Lifted and pulled. Not dragged and beaten.

Nowhere does OP say that he dragged her. You can 'lift and pull' without 'dragging'.

But if dragging a dog, any distance, including by mistake, is 'abuse', what words do you have left for people who kick animals in the ribs? Starve them? Set them alight?

If her health is as bad as you say, I would be tempted to have her put to sleep - not because she's bitten but because it must be such a miserable existence for her to be in so much pain.

Dysplasia and pain in one leg is one thing, but in all four? That's a lot to deal with and she is so, so young.

What a low bar you have.

Hope you're not an animal owner.

On what grounds? It’s not illegal?

Get your poor dog the veterinary care she needs, surgery if necessary, she’s only a a baby at 3.

No wonder she is reacting to the appalling abuse by your husband. Shame on him.

I don't have a low bar at all. I'm such a horrid person that I phoned the RSPCA to come out and do a welfare check on an animal. Total waste of time. Spoke to the owner myself, politely, and got a gobful back.
Yeah, SUPER low bar.

And I have two very happy dogs, thanks.
They don't get 'dragged'. Though I note you haven't answered my question.

The RSPCA have extremely limited grounds to act. It’s so frustrating. There is no way this poster has “had” a dog removed in the manner they suggest.

Such a shame that this thread that was supposed to be helpful for OP has turned into this

I'd put the dog to sleep to end her suffering, not because of the bite.

Poor thing. Let her be pain free. And if you got her from a breeder, shame on them.

If a vet asks for a check and reports their concerns, a charity will act 😊It's really not unusual.

Just want to gently point out that the surgery involved for this dog with regard to hips would be very, very major surgery and need weeks (if not months) of TLC and re-hab. In a house with three young children I don't see how this could be done. Am partly speaking from experience - one of our girls needed surgery on a hind leg which was only to remove a lipoma but the aftercare was still significant because she wasn't allowed to run around, access stairs or jump into the car. I had to sleep on the sofa for about 10 nights to keep an eye on her and this was just lower leg, not hip. Sorry but I think this dog would need a much quieter environment if she was to be put through major surgery that would require round-the-clock post-operative care... Euthanasia may be kinder at this point given the severity of her issues.

I think you need to take rehoming off the table as an option, the insurance coverage is yours and won’t follow her and I think it is the worst option for her to be passed on whilst (as a best case scenario) having a significant operation.

Talk to your vet and be realistic. As a pp says, even if she has the op (if it can be done in one op) then it will be a long and potentially painful recovery in quite a young dog and you will need to be able to safely manage that.

To be honest, from what you’ve said, your dog sounds in incredible pain and I think overall it would be a kindness to give her some loving last days and PTS.

I have lots and lots of animals. And none are abused. I have lifted them and pulled them (dog) at times too! As I have with both my dc. Crazy ay.

Totally batshit

@Killingoffmyflowersonebyone

welfare checks for an owner picking up their dog??!

We had a situation where our dog bit my husband and our other dog one night- vet said it was likely related to her arthritic pain as they were playing, although nobody intentionally hurt her. She was put to sleep the next day, as per our vets advice as we had a 8 month old at the time.

Rehominh might be an option but it’s incredibly difficult if the dog has bitten someone.

So the neglectful owner (the threshold for neglect being lower than the OP - so who knows what circumstances those are) is now
approaching the vet 🫢 that’s not typical of neglectful owners - you don’t generally see those at the vets.

…and when you “act” on what basis? As I said what OP has set out is not illegal. So it would have to be a voluntary surrender of the animal which is a different matter entirely.

Dogs homes are overran - animal charities do not simply intervene because of minor incidents.

WE will never know what the Op's husband actually did to the dog, as he didn't even tell the Op until she spotted the bandage !!! 'He wasn’t going to tell anyone but I saw the bandage on his arm. '

for all we know maybe he did pick her up by her back legs and swung her around !!!
only HE knows what he did...

and the Op says ' 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 '

now suddenly out of the blue she is concerned about the pain the dog is in and apparently growled at the Op etc. etc etc.

' 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 '

Thanks everyone for your input.
He was trying to get her out to bring her for a walk, he was running late already so must have decided to lift her out, presumably because she wouldn’t come when called. I guess this is a bad sign too - usually the only time she wants to go for a walk these days is if our kids are going too - they were this time but even the prospect of being left alone didn’t bring her out of her den. It was a very busy household last week - visitors with small children so she was in her den a lot. They had left but she was probably still decompressing. It’s also nice and cool in her den. When the house is noisy she will often take herself off upstairs or outside, which is fine. Our kids don’t follow her (and we will reiterate they shouldn’t) My biggest concern is when she comes and lies in amongst them, in case an accident happens.
She is due a librela shot although its not having as much of an alleviating effect as it was even a few months ago.
Although she might prefer a quieter home, we can manage to give her space and if she can’t avail of our insurance who would take that on?
We are due to go back to the vet hospital. They asked us to watch out to see which leg is giving the most trouble but it is very hard to tell - we’re careful with her exercise and have her down to 16/17kg (she’s very much on the small end of breed standard) and so she isn’t limping, she just looks to be very gingerly walking. They seemed to be genuinely recommending up to 4 surgeries but I can’t see how that’s in her best interests. Maybe its worth trying operating on the leg that looks worst under x-ray.

Also we did tell the breeder at the time we found out who was horrified and offered another dog (which we didn’t want). I suspect if we gave her back they would just PTS.

God some of the replies are utterly insane. Its seems like your husband tried to lift her and she wiggled out of his grip. Its sounds like it was a nasty accident and your husband is very upset about it all. Unfortunately accidents happen.

I'm sorry to say but I think PTS is the only responsible option. You can't risk her biting one of your children which I would say is at an increased risk if she is in pain everyday. A prospect of 4 potential surgeries I think is just too much, she is a young animal and I think these issues are likely to get worse.

I think rehoming would be extremely irresponsible, even if you pass her to a reputable rescue you just cannot guarantee where she will end up in the future and if she will end up having contact with any other children.

I'm sorry this has happened, it must be so upsetting for you and your family xx

If you fix one leg, shes still going to have pain in her other 3.

I wouldn't be walking a dog that i knew had severe pain in all her legs, tbh.