Cody Got Bit By A Rottie

[Guest Che_mar_Cody]

Well my heart hit bottom when my baby went into surgery, with exposed muscles and tendons. Didn't get a before pic - just wanted him to the vet.

 

We really don't know why it happened. The older gentleman had his dog on a short lead, and Cody was on lead in my front yard which touches the street. He was trying to get home due to this...which is another long story.

 

http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_213130822.html

 

http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_213171642.html

 

 

Next thing you know a loud growl from my boy. A quick look and I didn't see blood. So the man left. I started walking Cody and noticed his shoulder. The canine tooth of the rottie and dug in, pulled the tendon and the blood was seaping down into his shoulder, swelling it with blood.

 

My DS tried to go find the guy, to no avail. To the vet I go.

He came through like a champ, but is really sore. Lots of pain meds and antibodics.

I did find the man who paid for the total vet bill, after showing him PA Dog Laws and pictures of Cody.

 

The wife wants to have the dog put down, but I disagree. The dog only bit once, not twice. The bottom teeth didn't even break Cody's skin.

The rottie follows the guy everywhere and was very affectionate with DS while talking to them regarding the bill. Plus the older guy walks her everyday.

Am I wrong for feeling like putting this dog down is not an option? I feel the Rottie does the older gentleman good both mentally and physically. She's 9 and this is the first time bitting.

 

Here's my pup - excuse the pictures they were taken with my camera phone - he's doing really well - How would you feel and what would you do?

 

 

[MarcR]

Ouch! But I'm glad to hear Cody is recovering. I hope he's good as new very soon.

 

If this is the first incident for the rottie and he has no history of aggression, I don't think he should be put down either. And the owner has certainly seemed to have stepped up.

Edited August 7, 2007 by MarcR

[grey14me]

Just because a dog is friendly to a person certainly doesn't mean it will be friendly to dogs...I'm only saying that because your son was saying how friendly it was. I don't believe the dog needs to be put down, but I do question whether an older guy can keep control of a large dog like that. I really think some precautions should be taken. I'm curious why the wife is so ready to put the dog down if it's never bitten before...maybe there is more going on than you know? Also, I would report this to animal control if you haven't already. It may or may not be true that the dog's never bitten. Holly was bitten by a Boston Terrier a few weeks ago and when I reported it, it was the first time for that dog. Dh found out later that the dog has bitten two neighbors...neither reported it. If they had, perhaps Holly wouldn't have been bitten.

[Guest ss556]

I'm so sorry to hear about this. It really angers me. Alan has been attacked three times, two of which required stitches. I still can't get over it. He did better than I did I think. Sending lots of hugs and scritches your way and wishes for a speedy healing process for all of you.

[Guest SusanP]

I'd hate to think of that dog being put down, but I hope the man is aware that he will have to keep his distance from other dogs while he is out walking with his rottie. They sound like such concientous people--maybe if they know you don't feel their dog should be put down, they will listen. They are probably just so horrified by what he did.

 

PS: I'm so glad your baby is going to be ok!

[Guest greybookends]

I am glad Cody is well.

 

I also agree with you about the rottie. It may be that if the gentleman was feeling any anxiety over the fire and was trying to get home some of the anxiety was making the rottie feel nervous or confused and she bite Cody as a result of this. Our our anxieties and fears do transmit to our dogs and they react to it. Hounds have thin skin and it doesn't take much to do damage so a sudden lunge could easily do damage. If this is her first offence at her age most likely she was reacting to his anxiety.

[Guest greytexplorer]

I agree with SusanP and greybookends.

 

I bet the wife doesn't even like the dog, which is why she's ready for PTS.

And the husband obviously loves the dog, and vice versa.

 

Just say no to PTS, and he'll have to be much more vigilant with the rottie from here on.

 

I'm hurtin for Cody! But glad to know he's alright. What about YOU?

[Burpdog]

Poor Cody Do you know if this is a first bite? Is the man big enough to control the rot if he decides to go?

[Guest GiJenn51]

I'm glad that Cody is OK. I don't think that ALL dog bites should equate to the dog being put down. A vicious dog is a different thing. Dogs will be dogs. Trouble has bitten another dog that she had warned many times. Does that mean that she should be put down? No.

 

[Guest TBSFlame]

I don't think the dog should be put down but I do think you should call AC and report it. Unless you report it how would you know if the dog is really a bad problem. Maybe the old man should just keep the dog at home. Our dogs do have such thin skin and what might be nothing to a hairy dog turns into something bad for our babies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest PhillyPups]

First of all to you as it is very stressful.

 

I read and re-read this many times. The growl, from what I understand, came from Cody, and we do not know if Cody bit at all or was bitten first, but a growl is a growl in dog language, spoken from one dog to another. Somehow I do not see this as one dog attacking, or even a loose dog attack. There was an explosion in the area, people were stressed, the dogs feel our stress, and poof one dog (a greyhound with very thin skin) gets sutures, had it been a lab or another rottie, probably just be a puncture with nothing more. Could be the rottie also has a puncture that is un-noticed, then should Cody be reported also?

 

Under the circumstances, I don't feel either dog should be "PTS" but then I don't agree with a lot of the reasons people "PTS" or bounce dogs, just me.

 

 

 

I am not making light of the trauma we go through everytime

[Guest Stretchy]

I don't have an opinion on the rottie, but want to send some healing thoughts to poor Cody.

 

 

 

[Guest Scouts_mom]

I agree that the dog should not be put to sleep. It sounds like a series of unusual circumstances--the explosion, the man probably feeling stressed and maybe Cody got too close at the wrong time. If the rottie was really vicious, much more damage would have been done. The dog may have been feeling protective of his person because of the strange events and interpreted Cody's growl as danger to the man. Rotties do have strong guard instincts.

 

The man is now aware that this can happen and should (hopefully) be much more careful in the future.

Edited August 7, 2007 by Scouts_mom

[grey14me]

Maybe Cody growled after he was bitten. The dog did bite and really should be reported.

[turbotaina]

Cody's injury looks almost exactly like Turbo's from a dog attack a few years ago. The dog that attacked him, I later learned, had a history of attacking other dogs in the neighborhood. None of the attacks was so severe as Turbo's (thin greyhound skin), which narrowly missed (by a milimeter or two) the cephalic vein. I did not feel the dog should be put down, but I didn't feel he was in the right hands with his owner - although she professed a love of dogs, she was more concerned that I was cursing at her to pull her f'ing dog off mine than she was about the damage her dog inflicted. I encouraged her to get a basket muzzle for the dog if she had to walk him in public. She, of course, never did and every single time Turbo saw that dog, he would get all bent out of shape. Fortunately, she sold her house earlier this year and has moved out of the neighborhood.

 

All that to say, perhaps what the rottie needs is a basket muzzle while out. But I do agree with Diane - is the old fellow strong enough to contend with a rottie that's ready for action? I don't believe most young, in shape people are...

[grayladee]

Pharoah was attacked by a dog that was allowed to run loose by the neighbors next door, and I did report it to animal control. The neighbor did pay the vet bills and tied the dog up after that.

 

I don't think the Rottie should be PTS. The circumstances were such that it doesn't warrant such drastic measures if it was a first bite. I agree that the wife doesn't like the dog and would like to have it removed. It should be reported to animal control to be sure that such a thing doesn't happen again.

[Burpdog]

I'm going to ask again: is this the first bite? Everyone is assuming so. Perhaps there is a history and that is why the wife is saying what she is saying.

 

Must the rot be walked or do they have a secure fenced in area?

[Guest greytmonty]

Monty was bit at the off leash dog park when an owner was feeding her dog and Monty came for some treats.

We were furious at the owner but the dog seemed to be behaving like a normal dog.

I think the issue here is whether the owner can control his dog.

[gracegirl]

I'm going to ask again: is this the first bite? Everyone is assuming so. Perhaps there is a history and that is why the wife is saying what she is saying.

 

Must the rot be walked or do they have a secure fenced in area?

Regardless of whether they have a fenced yard or not, every dog should be walked!

 

ETA: Glad Cody is okay, sending healing thoughts for a speedy recovery.

Edited August 7, 2007 by gracegirl

[grey14me]

Regardless of whether they have a fenced yard or not, every dog should be walked!

 

well, maybe every dog should be exercised, but I know if I saw an old man walking a rottie that he couldn't control (for example), I sure as heck wouldn't be too happy to see them out on the street while I was walking my dog.

[Guest greyhound1]

So sorry Cody got bite!

[Burpdog]

Regardless of whether they have a fenced yard or not, every dog should be walked!

 

Really? Why? Will you come while I walk my dogs and make sure the strays don't attack them/me?

[Guest Che_mar_Cody]

Just so we get it clear, as far as we (owners) and myself know this if the first bit for the Rottie.

I made sure the owner checked out the Rottie really well the day of cody's surgery...no scrapes or anything.

 

The wife doesn't like the dog. She stated that while I was waiting for the gentleman and Shadow (the rottie to return from a walk) Yes Cody's growl did come after the bit. I never realized how well greys handle pain. he was extremely sore and hurt, but never whined..

 

I will report it to the AC...just so if it happens again to someone elses dog there is a record.

 

I too think it was stress and he should keep the dog away from other dogs while walking

 

Thanks for all the prays and thoughts. I haven't seen or talked to the guy so I don't know what they decided. The wife seems to "wear the pants" if you know what I mean. Glad your guys feel like me about the PTS. I feel a little more at ease now.

 

 

[Batmom]

Poor babe. What a miserable shock for everybody. Sending gentle scritchies and prayers for quick healing.

[Burpdog]

Just so we get it clear, as far as we (owners) and myself know this if the first bit for the Rottie.

I made sure the owner checked out the Rottie really well the day of cody's surgery...no scrapes or anything.

 

Then no, he shouldn't be put down. However, you have an aging dog, a powerful dog and the issues that may come up due to this need to be addressed. If this is a nice dog and nice people, perhaps you can help them.

 

I wonder if the woman is afraid of him "just because". Do you know how long they have owned him?