Never thought retirement would be like this
- Thread starter NancyNGA
- Start date
Pappy
Living the Dream
That really, really sucks big time. My first impulse would be shoot the damn dogs, but then they probably would press charges against you. So sorry, Nancy.
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
Very sad to hear about Dixie, I hope she is doing better this morning!
Please report this incident to your county animal control officer.
Please report this incident to your county animal control officer.
Shalimar
SF VIP
- Location
- Vancouver Island Canada
Oh Nancy, how heartbreaking. Wishing the best for Dixie and you as well.
Aww, Nancy, this just breaks my heart! These dogs are on your private property, so do what you have to! It makes me so mad! If these dogs are so vicious that they would attack a goat....then what else would they attack? Did your vet have any suggestions? I hope she is better tomorrow. Stay strong lady!
Just an update.
Another roller coaster ride. Several times today I thought for sure Dixie was dying. Then she would do something to change my mind. She even stood up several times. I don't know how she did it. There are so many wounds, all over her back end and neck. It must have been an awful experience, and terribly painful now.
I'll just say, when I left tonight, she was a little better (on average) than the same time yesterday, except she is not drinking enough now. That is bad if it continues. I could kick myself for not asking the vet for IV fluids, just in case. I know how to do them SubQ. And tomorrow is Sunday.
Vet is coming back Monday to assess the situation if she's still alive. There is one bad deep hole on her rear stomach with some tissue hanging out. Vet said she couldn't stitch it because there was no hide left around it, and it would just split out. If whatever is hanging out is part of some vital organ, or the hole never closes over, it's not good. Too much information?
I think it's true that you somehow gain extra strength in an emergency. Out in the woods I was able to get Dixie up into the floorboard area of the golf cart to bring her back from where I found her. She weighs about 160lbs. I decided at that minute it was a mistake to try to keep large animals just by myself. Not fair to them. There was no time to call someone for help.
Finally...Not only did I not see any dogs today, I didn't even hear any! Very odd. I wonder if it's not my closest next door neighbor's dogs, and he heard the ruckus Friday. The rabbit attack was on his property.
Another roller coaster ride. Several times today I thought for sure Dixie was dying. Then she would do something to change my mind. She even stood up several times. I don't know how she did it. There are so many wounds, all over her back end and neck. It must have been an awful experience, and terribly painful now.
I'll just say, when I left tonight, she was a little better (on average) than the same time yesterday, except she is not drinking enough now. That is bad if it continues. I could kick myself for not asking the vet for IV fluids, just in case. I know how to do them SubQ. And tomorrow is Sunday.
Vet is coming back Monday to assess the situation if she's still alive. There is one bad deep hole on her rear stomach with some tissue hanging out. Vet said she couldn't stitch it because there was no hide left around it, and it would just split out. If whatever is hanging out is part of some vital organ, or the hole never closes over, it's not good. Too much information?
I think it's true that you somehow gain extra strength in an emergency. Out in the woods I was able to get Dixie up into the floorboard area of the golf cart to bring her back from where I found her. She weighs about 160lbs. I decided at that minute it was a mistake to try to keep large animals just by myself. Not fair to them. There was no time to call someone for help.
Finally...Not only did I not see any dogs today, I didn't even hear any! Very odd. I wonder if it's not my closest next door neighbor's dogs, and he heard the ruckus Friday. The rabbit attack was on his property.
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Shalimar
SF VIP
- Location
- Vancouver Island Canada
Nancy, I truly hope sweet Dixie pulls through this. I am keeping you both in my thoughts, and sending positive energy your way.
Thanks everyone for the well wishes. I appreciate it. Update...
GOOD SIGNS:
1. Tried to take her temperature. She doesn't like that at all, so she got up on her feet, hobbled across her little sick bay pen---about 10 feet---and came back. I think that means the muscles in her back legs aren't torn. She also gets up every half hour or so and stands for a minute or two. Goats (and cows and horses, I think) that refuse to get up have usually given up, and the tendons in the legs get contracted if they stay down too long and then they can't get up. Instinct to get up, I guess.
2. Got her to eat some shredded beat pulp, soaked in water, then she started refusing it.
3. She started chewing on the 10 year old hay I put down for bedding. I raced to the garage, tore open a bale of peanut hay, pulled out the leafy parts, and she gobble up a lot of that.
BAD SIGNS:
1. Still not drinking enough water. I got her to drink a little by lacing it with sugar-free cherry flavored Crush/Koolaid containing (gasp!) aspartame. Sugar will give them an acid stomach.
2. Need to see her start chewing cud. The food will build up in her stomach with nowhere to go otherwise. Could be the wounds on her neck make it painful to regurgitate.
3. In between all the promising episodes she crashes and moans like she is dying.
I cautiously say better today than yesterday. The vet will be out tomorrow afternoon. She will survive until then I think, but you never know. Sometimes they have sort of a "swan song" moment, so I'm not letting myself get too optimistic.
ETA: Just dawned on me: I could stop by the vet first thing in the morning, pick up IV fluids, and start her on that long before the vet arrives (if Dixie will let me do it, that is).
GOOD SIGNS:
1. Tried to take her temperature. She doesn't like that at all, so she got up on her feet, hobbled across her little sick bay pen---about 10 feet---and came back. I think that means the muscles in her back legs aren't torn. She also gets up every half hour or so and stands for a minute or two. Goats (and cows and horses, I think) that refuse to get up have usually given up, and the tendons in the legs get contracted if they stay down too long and then they can't get up. Instinct to get up, I guess.
2. Got her to eat some shredded beat pulp, soaked in water, then she started refusing it.
3. She started chewing on the 10 year old hay I put down for bedding. I raced to the garage, tore open a bale of peanut hay, pulled out the leafy parts, and she gobble up a lot of that.
BAD SIGNS:
1. Still not drinking enough water. I got her to drink a little by lacing it with sugar-free cherry flavored Crush/Koolaid containing (gasp!) aspartame. Sugar will give them an acid stomach.
2. Need to see her start chewing cud. The food will build up in her stomach with nowhere to go otherwise. Could be the wounds on her neck make it painful to regurgitate.
3. In between all the promising episodes she crashes and moans like she is dying.
I cautiously say better today than yesterday. The vet will be out tomorrow afternoon. She will survive until then I think, but you never know. Sometimes they have sort of a "swan song" moment, so I'm not letting myself get too optimistic.
ETA: Just dawned on me: I could stop by the vet first thing in the morning, pick up IV fluids, and start her on that long before the vet arrives (if Dixie will let me do it, that is).
Callie
Member
- Location
- California
NancyNGA, I think goats are wonderful. My son gave me one for my birthday years ago. I named him Pogo, except for one day when he got a new name.
When Pogo was fully grown, I returned home from work one day and Pogo wasn't on his chain, nor in his little house. (We didn't have the field gate yet and no enclosed fencing). I started calling him and looked and looked. Finally went around to rear of my house and the back door was opened. I ran up the stairs and into the house shouting POGO! POGO!
A rocking chair and potted plants were turned over, plus other stuff. No Pogo... Oh NO! I ran down the hallway looking into other rooms and no Pogo. Got to my bedroom and there was Pogo, standing on my bed. I shouted Pogo!! NOOOO.. just as he let out a mighty stream of urine! That's when he got a new name..
As Pogo was leaping off the bed, I was ripping the bedspread away and ran out the French doors to toss it onto the deck. Thankfully, it was one of those heavy 70's velour type and it held all the urine from getting the bed wet.
Hubby was a truck driver and when he came back home, I told him to put up fencing.. Which he did, an 80X40 nice sized pen for Pogo with his house that I could close up at night to keep him safe from predators. I still loved that silly goat and he never was called by that new name again.
When Pogo was fully grown, I returned home from work one day and Pogo wasn't on his chain, nor in his little house. (We didn't have the field gate yet and no enclosed fencing). I started calling him and looked and looked. Finally went around to rear of my house and the back door was opened. I ran up the stairs and into the house shouting POGO! POGO!
A rocking chair and potted plants were turned over, plus other stuff. No Pogo... Oh NO! I ran down the hallway looking into other rooms and no Pogo. Got to my bedroom and there was Pogo, standing on my bed. I shouted Pogo!! NOOOO.. just as he let out a mighty stream of urine! That's when he got a new name..
As Pogo was leaping off the bed, I was ripping the bedspread away and ran out the French doors to toss it onto the deck. Thankfully, it was one of those heavy 70's velour type and it held all the urine from getting the bed wet.
Hubby was a truck driver and when he came back home, I told him to put up fencing.. Which he did, an 80X40 nice sized pen for Pogo with his house that I could close up at night to keep him safe from predators. I still loved that silly goat and he never was called by that new name again.
Callie
Member
- Location
- California
OMGosh, I hadn't read the terrible news about Dixie before I posted my little story. I am so very sorry about her and hope for the best... oh my... I hate it when one of our furry friends are hurt..especially by being attacked.. Healing thoughts go out to her and comforting thoughts to you...
What a great story Callie. I can certainly picture it, because goats have to get into, and especially UP ON TOP OF, everything. It's like they are always compelled to be at the highest point wherever they are. You were lucky to catch him in time. Thanks.
Callie, I enjoyed your story. Am feeling a little more positive today.
A side note about today...
I'm sitting quietly in the barn watching Dixie, and a not quite adult rabbit comes slowly walking through the overhang part---in one side and out the other. He was gray. I may have to rethink what animal that dog was shaking now. It looked brown to me and much bigger.
This part's for you, maggiemae. I walked around to see where the rabbit went, and found this right outside. Those are 8"x16" blocks, so he looks like at least 4 feet. He looked kind of rippled. I left him alone. (That white thing is a cotton ball.)
I'm sitting quietly in the barn watching Dixie, and a not quite adult rabbit comes slowly walking through the overhang part---in one side and out the other. He was gray. I may have to rethink what animal that dog was shaking now. It looked brown to me and much bigger.
This part's for you, maggiemae. I walked around to see where the rabbit went, and found this right outside. Those are 8"x16" blocks, so he looks like at least 4 feet. He looked kind of rippled.
I left him alone. (That white thing is a cotton ball.)
Callie
Member
- Location
- California
What kind of snake is THAT? You're right, it IS rippled.A side note about today...
This part's for you, maggiemae. I walked around to see where the rabbit went, and found this right outside. Those are 8"x16" blocks, so he looks like at least 4 feet. He looked kind of rippled.
I read about the bunny and then was looking for the rippled bunny hiding in the hay in the photo. LOL..THEN I finally realized that was a snake and NOT a twig.. By the way, I first thought that mound of hay next to the "twig" was the bunny and thought the cotton ball was so appropriate being at the tail end..
I'm babbling..lolol...
:lol: Callie, that ball of hay happens to be a bird's nest from last year. The house wrens keep building in the barn rafters. I was cleaning up a little in the barn today. I probably should have explained things better.
ps. I think it's called a black rat snake. Harmless. And I just Googled it, and apparently they do that with their bodies when they are frightened, if you believe what you find on the internet. Probably the rabbit just hopped over the snake and scared him (or her).
I know, I promised, no more snake cartoons, but gee whiz, when a real one shows up right on your doorstep, you just have to take a picture of it.
No improvement. Vet showed up at 4pm. Will update some details of what he said a little later.
Tabitha, I don't know who the dogs belong to. It could be my next door neighbor. That is rental property. Only one tenant has ever stayed there more than a year. Too much brush around the house to even see if he has dogs. I used to hear barking over there, but none for the last 3 days.
Vet says they don't report dog attacks, even though they get a lot of calls from them. Seems silly not to at least report them to some official, just to keep track of the numbers if nothing else.
Vet says they don't report dog attacks, even though they get a lot of calls from them. Seems silly not to at least report them to some official, just to keep track of the numbers if nothing else.