Dog bite, surgery and Rainbow Bridge this week :(

AnnieA

AnnieA

Well-known Member
Location
Down South
My increasingly grumpy 13 year old mutt bit my right (dominate) hand a week ago today. Sunday morning it looked okay, but by 3ish, the hand was livid red, quadrapuled in size and my temp was 102. Sent pics to my NP sister who said get to the ER and pack a bag. Thankfullly!!! it was a slow afternoon at the ER and I was admitted to a regular room by 7pm and on IV antibiotics.

The hand didn't improve over 24 hours, so Sunday afternoon, my doctor sent pics to the hand surgeon on staff and she scheduled emergency surgery for Memorial Day morning. Now instead of a small tooth puncture, I have four incision sites from palm to just below mid arm.

I was discharged Thursday night with a PICC line and two IV antiobiotics 5x per day for two weeks after it was determined I didn't need further surgery for more wound irrigation. Got in lots of love and snuggles with my precious girl before she was euthanized. She's been increasingly snippy over the past few months as hearing and sight have rapidly failed and arthritis has advanced. I'm glad she's no longer suffering but I miss her so much. 😭
 

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AnnieA said:
My increasingly sick and grumpy 13 year old mutt bit my right (dominate) hand a week ago today. Sunday morning it looked okay, but by 3ish, the hand was livid red, quadrapuled in size and my temp was 102. Sent pics to my NP sister who said get to the ER and pack a bag. Thankfullly!!! it was a slow afternoon at the ER and I was admitted to a regular room by 7pm and on IV antibiotics.

The hand didn't improve over 24 hours, so Sunday afternoon, my doctor sent pics to the hand surgeon on staff and she scheduled emergency surgery for Memorial Day morning. Now instead of a small tooth puncture, I have four incision sites from palm to just below mid arm.

I was discharged Thursday night with a PICC line and two IV antiobiotics 5x per day for two weeks after it was determined I didn't need further surgery for more wound irrigation. Got in lots of love and snuggles with my precious girl before she was euthanized. She's been increasingly snippy over the past few months as hearing and sight have rapidly failed and arthritis has advanced. I'm glad she's no longer suffering but I miss her so much. 😭
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Sorry about your loss. I have two pets and grew up with pets. Love them endlessly.


Sometimes pets in pain will bite their owners in a kind of attempt to communicate their suffering and ask for help.


There was a famous case of a lion tamer, mauled by his lion. After the incident, in examining the lion, they found he had profound dental problems and dental pain.

It's sad.

You do the best you can. What else can you do?

Take care.
 
AnnieA said:
My increasingly sick and grumpy 13 year old mutt bit my right (dominate) hand a week ago today. Sunday morning it looked okay, but by 3ish, the hand was livid red, quadrapuled in size and my temp was 102. Sent pics to my NP sister who said get to the ER and pack a bag. Thankfullly!!! it was a slow afternoon at the ER and I was admitted to a regular room by 7pm and on IV antibiotics.

The hand didn't improve over 24 hours, so Sunday afternoon, my doctor sent pics to the hand surgeon on staff and she scheduled emergency surgery for Memorial Day morning. Now instead of a small tooth puncture, I have four incision sites from palm to just below mid arm.

I was discharged Thursday night with a PICC line and two IV antiobiotics 5x per day for two weeks after it was determined I didn't need further surgery for more wound irrigation. Got in lots of love and snuggles with my precious girl before she was euthanized. She's been increasingly snippy over the past few months as hearing and sight have rapidly failed and arthritis has advanced. I'm glad she's no longer suffering but I miss her so much. 😭
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Oh my, I am so sorry! I hope your hand and your heart heal as quickly as possible. Your girl must have been in much pain.
 

The hardest part is that she was still much of the time full of play for 13 years old, ate and drank great and still went into raptures over her peanut butter kong. She was miffed at me ...ran into my parents' house where she knows she's not allowed and bit me when I picked her up to take her out. She's never liked that but I've always gotten a wide-eyed look of profound mistreatment in the past ...not a bite. She's been more short tempered over the past few months as her old age complaints progressed and nothing was going to get any better.
 
AnnieA said:
The hardest part is that she was still much of the time full of play for 13 years old, ate and drank great and still went into raptures over her peanut butter kong. She was miffed at me ...ran into my parents' house where she knows she's not allowed and bit me when I picked her up to take her out. She's never liked that but I've always gotten a wide-eyed look of profound mistreatment in the past ...not a bite. She's been more short tempered over the past few months as her old age complaints progressed and nothing was going to get any better.
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so sorry

you did your best.

You loved her for years.

Focus on that. It is what she would want you to do.

Take care...
 
AnnieA said:
My increasingly grumpy 13 year old mutt bit my right (dominate) hand a week ago today. Sunday morning it looked okay, but by 3ish, the hand was livid red, quadrapuled in size and my temp was 102. Sent pics to my NP sister who said get to the ER and pack a bag. Thankfullly!!! it was a slow afternoon at the ER and I was admitted to a regular room by 7pm and on IV antibiotics.

The hand didn't improve over 24 hours, so Sunday afternoon, my doctor sent pics to the hand surgeon on staff and she scheduled emergency surgery for Memorial Day morning. Now instead of a small tooth puncture, I have four incision sites from palm to just below mid arm.

I was discharged Thursday night with a PICC line and two IV antiobiotics 5x per day for two weeks after it was determined I didn't need further surgery for more wound irrigation. Got in lots of love and snuggles with my precious girl before she was euthanized. She's been increasingly snippy over the past few months as hearing and sight have rapidly failed and arthritis has advanced. I'm glad she's no longer suffering but I miss her so much. 😭
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by the way, you might want to do a deeper dive into why that bite caused such a reaction. By that, I mean, you know, staying up on all your medical check-ups, but specifically ask the doctor and test as to if your immune response is compromised for some reason.

Concerns could be strep, MRSA, etc.

take care.
 
JonSR77 said:
by the way, you might want to do a deeper dive into why that bite caused such a reaction. By that, I mean, you know, staying up on all your medical check-ups, but specifically ask the doctor and test as to if your immune response is compromised for some reason.

Concerns could be strep, MRSA, etc.

take care.
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I have several autoimmune diseases. Also, it was a puncture wound and they can get nasty quickly. If she'd taken a chunk of flesh and left a wound that bled a lot and could've been washed and irrigated immediately, I'd have likely been better off.
 
AnnieA said:
I have several autoimmune diseases. Also, it was a puncture wound and they can get nasty quickly. If she'd taken a chunk of flesh that bled a lot and could've been washed and irrigated immediately, I'd have likely been better off.
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If you have had several autoimmune diseases...I would absolutely report that incident and all the circumstances to the doctors working with you on those issues. The specific details might be important. For example, a wound that heals in 10 days indicates a certain type of issue. A wound that won't heal for 20 days could indicate a different type of issue.

sorry about the problems.

best of luck.

take care...
 
JonSR77 said:
If you have had several autoimmune diseases...I would absolutely report that incident and all the circumstances to the doctors working with you on those issues. The specific details might be important. For example, a wound that heals in 10 days indicates a certain type of issue. A wound that won't heal for 20 days could indicate a different type of issue.

sorry about the problems.

best of luck.

take care...
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LOL, believe me, they knew! I work in healthcare and took in several copies of a typed history since mine is complicated and so many people have to ask the same questions.
 
AnnieA said:
LOL, believe me, they knew! I work in healthcare and took in several copies of a typed history since mine is complicated and so many people have to ask the same questions.
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Ok, very good. That gives me some calm. Sounds like everyone is on the case, aware and taking care of everything.

have a nice weekend...
 
So sorry ((Annie))...it's so hard to lose your furbaby..... ours are 12 , 13 and 14, and the eldest has dementia .. and sleeps most of the day...

pet-loss-quotes-2.jpg
 
Gosh, that has been all very difficult for you. :(

I am sorry you lost your dear dog, and have been dealing with such difficult medical events, Annie.

Glad you got a chance to share about it, with us.
Now, do Take extra very-good care of yourself! 📬💌💌💌

❤️💜💚🧡💙❤️
 
I always keep Neosporin around & after playing with dogs or cats, if I see any scratches or cuts (regardless of how minor they are) I always wash my hands & apply it to any injured areas. Same with any injury from any source. It has probably saved me from infections.
 
Oh Annie, so sorry. Aching hand and aching heart at the same time.

My 13 year old dog had all her teeth pulled last winter. I saw one lump from one tooth that the vet said had to be pulled, under anesthesia she found that they all had to be pulled. She must have been in pain for quite awhile. If only our dogs could communicate with us a little easier.

Your girl was lucky to have such a wonderful life with you before she got too old and ill to enjoy anything.

Hope you hand is completely well soon.
 
So sorry for your loss of your pet. You did the right thing, no matter how difficult. She could have become miserable with your parents or a child.

Heal quickly - your heart and wounds.
 
So sorry, Annie, for the loss of your dog. Sorry too for the bite and massive infection. Happy to hear that you are out of the hospital and can continue your treatment that way. Sending good thoughts for a total recovery.
 

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