Bernie And I Got Attacked On Our Walk

[Hubcitypam]

When Poodle was attacked at the dog park one of the regulars who owned an Aussie ran after me as profusely bleeding Poodle and I went to the car. She said "Ma'am my dog started it" (which I later learned was not the first time it had done so) and I said "I'll talk to you tomorrow". Guess what? She was never seen at the dog park again and no one knew her last name - just her first and the dogs. All I wanted was for her to pay 1/2 as I assumed risk myself when I chose to put Poodle in close contact with all those other dogs.

 

I'm not the most law savvy person but do dog attack lawyers (excepting things like the Lexus Project - and I belive they do defense) take cases on contingency or do you have to pay for legal council? If it is the latter that might quickly eat up half of the bills...not to mention the stress.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Hubcitypam

[robinw]

I'm glad you're both doing better.

[PatricksMom]

What everyone else said. I'm glad Bernie's feeling better and your mom's there to help. I'm glad the police are on this guy's case.

 

You're entitled, imo, to both your medical bills, the value of your time off work, your time going back and forth to appointments, being at appointments, mileage expenses, etc. Will you get all that? Proably not, but half of the vet bills is completly unfair and suggests that this is somehow your fault, which it absolutely not, not even one tiny little bit.

[bradymom]

I am glad that you and Bernie are healing, but I think the other dog owner is liable for all your expenses.

[smurfette]

I have very good experiences with a soft laser therapy when my dogs have open wounds. It stimulates the skin and flesh to heal faster. When Andy had his last accident with a hole as big as the inside of my hand (a kind of triangle - caused by some piece of wood while running in the yard), we went to laser therapy three days a week. He healed a lot faster and his vet became a lot less scarier because he got half of their treaties every time we went.

The laser looked like a showerhead, only with light instead of water.

[Laurenbiz]

UPDATE!

Hi everyone. I know it's been a while since Bernie's skin debriding procedure back on 7/19/15 that he had to have because the dog bite caused an infection that killed the skin.

 

Because the leg wound was so large, and because the vet cut down to his muscle, he had to go to the vet twice a day for bandage changes for about a week after that. My mother (Bernie's grandma) was even kind enough to drive to Wisconsin from Missouri to help us with his vet appointments. Both Justin and I finally had a few normal days where we could go to work and actually do some laundry!

 

A few weeks after the skin debriding, his bandage changes were decreased to just once a day for the next month or so. Also, once a week at the least (sometimes twice a week), Bernie's vet was performing laser therapy to stimulate the growth of new granulation tissue (new tissue/skin) ... free of charge!

 

We got really excited around the middle of August when Dr. Collins decreased Bernie's bandage changes to every other day. The wound was healing well and thus not seeping as much stuff, so the bandage could stay on longer. A few weeks later, his bandage changes decreased to just a few times a week. He still needed the big bandage, though, to keep his whole leg free of dust and debris since the very middle of his wound didn't yet have the new granulation tissue.

 

Just a few weeks ago on September 5, our vet took his big bandage off, and — voila! — granulation tissue had formed in the very middle of the wound! And the big bandage changes were no more!

 

His wound is now just a pink sliver on his leg. And Dr. Collins is letting us go a whole TWO WEEKS without a vet visit! Actually, Bernie's next visit to the vet is scheduled because he is due for his annual shots in October.

 

This has been a truly horrible ordeal, but it seems to finally be coming to a close.

 

 

 

How about pictures?

 

Here was Bernie in the beginning after he got attacked on 7/12/15. He gravitated toward the office room at our house and then stayed there. This was odd since the office room isn't really his favorite spot when he is healthy. Justin and I even slept on the floor with Bernie for about the first week while he felt that he needed to stay in that room.

 

He was lethargic and was doped up on 3 painkillers and 2 antibiotics. We had to drain his grenade-style drain once a day. We shoved pills down his throat since he was not interested in any food or treats. He lost about 10 pounds in one week! The process of him laying down from being in a standing position took him at least an hours worth of attempts because his leg was so painful with bending.

 

 

 

Here was his leg a few days after they drained the abscess and inserted the tube drain into his leg. Unfortunately, even with antibiotics, draining the abscess and the new drain, the skin in that area had become black and died. (PS: And it smelled BAD!) So this was not too long before the skin debriding.

 

 

 

After skin debriding. Gruesome, yes, but necessary! At this point, he actually was acting like himself and was back to eating normally.

 

 

 

Bernie's big bandages came in all colors — sometimes pink! He also had red, purple, royal blue, baby blue, mint green, dark green, brown, gray, orange ... and I'm sure I'm missing a few.

 

 

 

His wound kept getting smaller and smaller — here it was on 8/8/15:

 

 

 

And here is his wound today!

 

 

 

Bernie is a happy boy!

Edited September 25, 2015 by Laurenbiz

[Laurenbiz]

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Edited September 25, 2015 by Laurenbiz

[JohnF]

What wonderful news! I'm so pleased for you and your dog.

[bradymom]

That is fabulous! Bernie you are looking good!

[tbhounds]

Holy crapperoni!! That was some wound and what an ordeal! Really looking greyt now-well done. What a good brave boy Bernie is <3

[NeylasMom]

Holy cow, what an ordeal. So glad he's doing so much better. If it were me, I'd give that poor guy's body a chance to rest and hold off on those vaccinations. At least do only rabies if he's do for that and hold off on the others. End unsolicited advice. Really glad he's pretty much healed up. That wound was horrific.

[MaryJane]

So happy that it's getting better. Both Bernie and you went through so much to get to this point.

[Batmom]

So glad he has healed well!

[ramonaghan]

Yikes! I can't believe what you've all been through the past couple of months. Glad life is getting back to normal. Kudos to everyone and for handsome Bernie.

[FiveRoooooers]

Well done, all of you. Yay Bernie!!

[schultzlc]

He's doing wonderful! Thanks for the update on your brave boy!

[Houndtime]

Glad to see that he is doing so well.

[greysmom]

Good for all fo you! {{{smooches}}} for Bernie!

[smurfette]

It's good to read that Bernie is doing so well.

[Charlies_Dad]

So glad to see Bernie healed up. That was a terrible injury.

[XTRAWLD]

A round of applause to you for taking care of him so well. It's so heartwarming when the hard work you are putting into them is showing these amazing healing results. Congrats in order, really. Good job Bernie.

[Guest FordRacingRon]

HOw is Bernie (and yourself) mentally? This looks a lot and sound s lot like what Leia went through when she was three (now 12 1/2) and it did seem to take forever to heal physically but mentally she was a wreck for months when it came to walks. It was perhaps 6 months before I could get her out to walk again without freezing up.

[robinw]

Wow, he look great! Thank you for the update. What an ordeal you've all been through.

[PrairieProf]

Oh wow, Lauren, that was so unbelievably gory and awful. Major congratulations to Bernie and all of you for getting through that! Hope he has a wonderful fall enjoying life again!

[Guest GreyOrchard]

Dreadful experience. Benie's puncture wounds are doing what puncture wounds often do: filling up with infection that needs to find a way out. Light walking will be good for his circulation and moving the infection up and out of the leg. Just a few very short walks a day are very good for keeping him flexible and not lying around thinking about his wounds all day. The other dog never should have been off a leash to begin with.

 

For future reference, generally when an attack is taking place, it is never ever a good idea to grab the offending dog by the collar. It is a guarantee that you will get a good bite. Rather, it is best to kick it away and roar at it. Sorry if this sounds so brutal, but if there is a choice between saving my own dog and "being nice" to the offending dog, my dog is more important.