My dog was attacked by an off leash dog :(

[Stella]

I went hiking yesterday with my two doodles. One of my doods (Chase) can be dog reactive so I only hike on trails where dogs have to be leashed, this gives me time to get off the trail if I see someone coming the other way with a dog. I have worked for a long time with Chase and as long as I can give him enough space he is fine.

My friend was holding my boys while I stepped off the trail for a bathroom break - we hadn't seen anyone on the whole hike so I figured this would be ok. While I was gone they were approached by an off leash mastiff / bulldog type dog which ended up with one of my dogs (Hartley, who is the most dog and people friendly dog ever)) being attacked. I heard the noise and ran, when I got there Hartley was curled into a ball while the other dog stood over him. The other owner pulled his dog off while I was yelling at him about not having his dog leashed.

We checked Hartley over and found a puncture on one of his legs, at this point I realised the other owner was a vet from my town (how ironic is that?). He figured that it would heal on its own and to call the clinic if I was worried. We finished our hike and when I got home and checked him again I wasn't happy with how it looked and called my vet clinic (that he owns). There a vet and I checked him more throughly and found several more punctures which they flushed out. So today he had surgery to clean everything out again and for stitches, they thought he might need a drain putting in but luckily they didn't have to do that. Now he is on painkillers for the next few days and antibiotics for two weeks.

Because of the location of the wounds we can't keep a dressing on and he has to wear the cone of shame. He can't drink with the cone on, so now I have to try and approach my boss to let me bring him to work because I need to keep an eye on him.

The vet covered all the bills, and accepted full responsibility. But then pissed me off by saying, well dogs will be dogs. He apologized for what happened to my dog, but never apologized for having his dog off leash where he wasn't supposed to. My poor friend feels terrible, she's not used to dogs and didn't know what to do.....so that is on me, I could have taken my boys with me on my 'bathroom break'.

I live in a very small town, so don't want to make trouble and take things any further. He covered the bills which I am happy about. Hopefully he won't be walking his dog off leash there again, but that is the last time I take my dogs hiking in that park.

[BG and Gavin]

This just sucks! I hope Hartley recovers quickly. I am not happy about the vet's cavalier attitude. He should have offered to take him in for a thorough exam. And "dogs will be dogs" are you fricken kidding me??

[Stella]

It does suck. I made it through three hours on pure adrenaline and spent the rest of the night crying!! I'd like compensation for my mental anguish too!

At one point he said he could tell that my dog wasn't injured and that nothing had happened to my dog, but Hartley kept looking at his elbow and fussing around it, which is when we found the first puncture. We were half way around a six km hike around a lake (no shortcuts back to the car) so had to finish the hike and I had to give my friend a ride home. Luckily on the drive home I noticed that the vet clinic was open and after checking him I called and asked if he could be seen that day. I told them right away whose dog (the clinic owners) had done it and they told me to come right away!! Thank dog I did, because it was when the vet tech and I were checking him that we found the other injuries.

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

I'm so sorry this happened to you and your dogs. It is always scary to me when I see an unleashed dog. You never know their temperament. We had a similar episode a few weeks ago. Both my dogs were on leash (as the sign clearly stated). But another dog owner couldn't read the signs, so her dog proceeded to go after Maci who is already reactive to dogs.

It is so frustrating when you try to do the right thing and others are not responsible dog owners.
Hope everything turns out well for Hartley and Chase.

[Stella]

I have put years and thousands of dollars into working with Chases reactivity, it p***** me off that one off leash dog could undo all that work. It also p***** me off that my ridiculously friendly and laid back dog has had to go through this shitty experience. The places I feel comfortable walking my dogs are getting fewer and fewer :(

[Adina P]

Oh man...that is totally awful and I'm so sorry.  I still can't believe the vet took it so lightly.

[Stella]

I'm just glad he covered the bill without me having to fight for it.

[Carol and Banjo]

I'm so sorry to hear you had to go through this.    It's maddening that a Vet of all people would be stupid enough to have his dog off leash when clearly the dog could not be counted on to behave.     I do hope Hartley suffers no psychological trauma from this horrible incident.     Don't beat yourself up about this.    It seems to me you had a handle on the whole situation.    The supposed "expert" did not! 

[Stella]

Hartley is my agility dog, and because of this I have had to withdraw him from our next agility trial. It is being held locally so I am going to take him for a walk around there so he can see some friendly, familiar dogs and make sure he isn't bothered by being around other dogs.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Stella, This whole story makes me nauseated. What a horrible, horrible thing to happen. I hope Your sweet Harley heals completely both physically and emotionally. This is so terrifying. I am sorry for all of you. 

[Stella]

Thanks. I got to take him to work with me today - put his X-pen in the staff room and he got to hang out! He is wearing a cone when I can't watch him and it is so big that he can't drink with it on. So I pleaded with my boss to let me take him to work!

[Bonnie and Kona]

I'm grateful you can have him with you.