Please help - my shetland pony was attacked by a dog

[Celeste]

My beloved shetland pony was attacked by a dog, a stray. I came out just in time to scare this dog away otherwise I'd hate to think what could have happened. My pony, Cherub, has been bitten on the thighs and has a couple of cuts on his mouth. I have cleaned the areas where he was bitten and used diluted iodine as a disinfectant. I have also given him a tetanus antitoxin. This has happened 3 days ago, he appears okay and is eating although he runs away from me now, I suppose he resented my applying the iodine but it is very upsetting that he is so scared now whereas prior to this attack he would follow me around everywhere.

I am so upset that I will be fencing his paddock with wire that won't allow for any dogs to get in.

Is there anything else that should be done for my pony in respect to the bites that he has suffered?

 

[Mini Mouse]

I am so sorry to hear about your pony. I just hate hearing things like this. I think I would call the vet and see if he might need some antibiotics. I would also call and report the stray dogs to see if I could get them picked up. It needs reported to who ever is in charge of stray animals in your area before it happens again to you or someone else. That is so sad.

 

[HaazeMinis]

I am so sorry to hear about your pony. I just hate hearing things like this. I think I would call the vet and see if he might need some antibiotics. I would also call and report the stray dogs to see if I could get them picked up. It needs reported to who ever is in charge of stray animals in your area before it happens again to you or someone else. That is so sad.

OH NO!!

I hope your pony is okay.

I agree with the above though! Please, if you have not already

...get the vet out ASAP....I would also call the Animal Control in your area like was suggested above.

I would hate for the dog/dogs to do this to another animal or human for that matter.

Good Luck!

Jeri

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Oh poor pony, follow up the ouchy help with lots of love and reassurance. A call to the vet asking about antibiotics maybe, has the pony had a rabies shot previous? I would also call you local sherriff/police and report this. Then (sorry folks) if it returns shoot it or have someone you trust do it. Once it has attacked it can or will again. I'm so sorry your baby was hurt but I have no patience with this type thing and am all for the 3 Ss. Shoot, shovel and shhhhh.

 

[New2Minis]

[SIZE=10pt]First of All I am glad your pony is OK and was not killed by the stray dog. [/SIZE]

6-8 weeks ago my 6 month old Mini Donkey was attacked by 2 stray dogs, luckily my husband heard the attack and got the dogs off her at 12:30 am or no telling what would have happened to her an her 5 other Mini pasture buddies. She was ripped up from head to toe! I have never seen anything like this before in my life. I loaded her up and took her to a close friends house that runs an animal preserve. We too gave her a Tetanus shot and soaked her with diluted iodine, then we put tricare ointment on her wounds. She had a HUGE hole ripped in her back leg which we packed and wrapped. I talked to the vet at 2:30 am and he told me that we did exactly what he would have done and to give her Pennicillin twice a day for at least 10 days. He came out to see her 2 days later and told us to just keep her wounds clean and spray with Scarlet Oil twice a day. He told me her back leg (the one with the big hole) would look awful in a couple of days because it would open up, HE WAS RIGHT! Her leg looked like a slab of raw meat. But now I am proud to announce that she is almost ALL healed up with only a few scars, they are amazingly tough creatures that is for sure. I would definately call your vet to make sure, but sounds like you are on the right track to heal up your baby! Keep us posted!

Oh I almost forgot, definately call Animal Control and the Sheriff's office. Our Animal Control officer and the Sherrifs office came out at 2 am to take a report and the Animal Control Officer told us to shoot the dogs if they came back! The next day Animal Control set a trap for the dogs and they were caught the following night. Of course no one claimed them so they were euthanized. BELIEVE me, the dog that attacked your Pony WILL be back!

 

[NoddalottaFarm]

I'm sorry to hear about your baby! I would follow the advice everyone has given.... call the vet. I would also call your local animal control or pound. We live in the country, so animal control can't handle all of the strays, although an attack is ALWAYS a priority pick up! You need to make sure that dog didn't have rabies! Hopefully, your baby has had his rabies vacs and you will be okay. We will pray for you and your Shetland. On the fencing topic, we used to have the white electric tape all over until the dog from down the road came into our yard and started chasing our Minis. We promptly spent the money to put up 'horse fence' and I rest better at night because I know the dog can't go through that like he could the tape. Good luck to you!

~Diane G.~

Noddalotta Farm

Illinois

 

[Reijel's Mom]

Make sure you are cleaning the wounds thoroughly - have to get all the way in there. If they are deeper, they often heal on the outside first, and that isn't what you want - you want them healing from the inside on out. Otherwise infection is more likely to occur.

 

[crponies]

I'm also glad that your boy seems to be doing ok. Cleaning his wounds thoroughly was a great thing to do. However, I just wanted to point out that they have now found out that iodine and hydrogen peroxide are not good choices for this as they both damage healthy tissue as well as kill the germs (that's why they hurt). I hope your boy heals up quickly and decides to trust you again soon.

 

[HGFarm]

You need to have your vet come out and take a look!!! I am sure they would prescribe antibiotics and keeping the wounds flushed and we do NOT use iodine as it seems to promote scar tissue!

And where is the dog? Able to come back again, or head from someone else's place? Did you recognize who might own it? Or did it have any ID?

Dog bites seem to get grossly infected and about the 3rd or 4th day or so, start to stink like death. It is really important to keep the wounds flushed with just clean water while they heal. I am sure your vet could suggest a few things to speed the healing with the least amount of problems possible.

So sorry to hear this happened!!

 

[Celeste]

Thank you everyone, I really appreciate your help. Luckily in Australia we don't have rabies so that is one less concern. The pony is stiff scared of me and runs away as I approach, I suppose that has to do with my cleaning his wounds daily. He is now safely in the backyard which is well fenced and nothing can get in or out. I just wish I had left him there all the time and this would not have happened. I have reported it to the local ranger. I will never put my pony in such a predicament again until I fence his yard in such a manner that no animal could ever find its way in again! I have never seen stray dogs around the area hence I thought it was safe to leave him out during the day! Thank God I didn't put my kid goat out there, he wouldn't be here if I had, he is only small and wouldn't have stood a chance.

 

[sassy1]

Celeste,

see if you can get hold of some Manuka Honey. It is great for healing all sorts of wounds.

 

[lilfolks]

I would definitely have him Vet checked and good luck to you.

Joyce L