# Advice needed!  Dog Attack



## ThornyRidgeII (Sep 26, 2013)

My worst nightmare came true earlier this week, when 3 pit bull/mixes somehow got into my goat pen and killed 3 of my goats and horrifically injured the other 5.  My vet came literally right after it happened and immediately started them on heavy doses of twin pen and steroids.. last night I was able to switch from steroid to banamine for pain.  He wants the wounds to remain open and uncovered to drain.. the goats are confined to the barn and are in soooo much pain and shock. I would like to eventually clean the dried blood from the wounds but am so hesitant of any products that will burn.  Vet suggested only peroxide at this time if anything because he does want them to continue draining. All the wounds are on the faces/muzzles, necks and throats.  two have began nibbling some hay and pine branches.. 4 have been able to drink water but that is as far as we got. It really is a day by day nightmare for me and my babies.  I am still in shock/numb.  Have not slept or eaten since Monday night.  Because they are in such fragile shape and pain they do not want me even getting close to touching the wound areas.. they pull away if I even slowly make to get to a wound.  My large mini nubians face looks horrific.. all her injuries occurred around her muzzle,cheeks.. she was the bloodiest and has to be in such pain.. the swelling has subsided from yesterday but she has many large lacerations and wounds throughout her face.. the rest are neck, throat and some face..  I just heard from Victim assistance program and the woman who owns the dogs is being arraigned on 10/3.  I will be at all of the court hearings.  I can't get my babies back and from the looks and sounds of this woman I will not probably get restitution, but I will make sure that these dogs do not do this again!  Especially since I heard that the pit bull has harrassed and bit a woman several months ago in a Pizza Hut parking lot and was returned to the owner with a $25 fine and court costs.. sickening.. I am doing the best I can for my babies that are left.. spending as much time with them and continuing to coax some water and food.. I want to eventually get to tending the wounds when they are not so painful and raw and when they will let me without causing more stress.   I am stocked up on just about any and all supplies.. including the brand new bottle of banamine from the vet.  I am still continuing the long acting pen now just once per day per vets advice plus the banamine.. I attempted some probios gel on a cookie.. one ate it.. but two of the injured actually showed some interest in nibbling the hay and pine needles and were slowly eating a bit.  everyone is peeing and pooping but remains very critical.. asking for positive energy and good vibes for my remaining babies.
Thanks, Melissa


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 26, 2013)

What a horrible thing to go through.  

Sending positive thoughts, prayers and hopes for the best in your direction.


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## HoneyDreameMomma (Sep 26, 2013)

frustratedearthmother said:
			
		

> What a horrible thing to go through.
> 
> Sending positive thoughts, prayers and hopes for the best in your direction.


X2!   Hoping your remaining goats have a speedy recovery.


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## woodsie (Sep 26, 2013)

That's horrible! So sorry you have to be going through this...so terrible that there are such irresponsible people out there. Wishing you the best with your remaining goats.


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## Catahoula (Sep 26, 2013)

I am so sorry to hear about your loss and the ordeal you and you animals have to go though. It would be my worst nightmare also. Praying for their speedy recovery and healing as much as yours.


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## bj taylor (Sep 26, 2013)

what a really terrible thing!  horrible.  
my dog attacked one of my goats about 5 months ago & inflicted terrible flank wound.  she too suffered so much.  the wound ultimately became infected & there were actually maggots at one point.  the wound continued to eat flesh until she had a cavity in her backside just under her anus so deep it was the length of my finger & another wound on her flank that ultimately penetrated to just beside her little udder.  you could pour liquid in through the top wound & it would drain out the bottom near her udder.  we would tie her to the fence, give her goodie (I know, yours have facial injuries which are different).  then we would clean the wounds.  I used a 20cc syringe & would draw up water w/a bit of betadine and vinegar in it.  I would flush repeatedly.  I used women's large tampons (they're very clean - I don't know if they're sterile or not) to pack the wounds.  when these were removed, they would pull debris from the wound, dead flesh, and other nasty stuff.  I would put them in dry so they could soak up stuff.  you can't close off the wounds.
I had to treat her wounds for about a month.  as time passed, I was able to go to once a day, then every couple of days.  
today, she is healed and healthy.  she does have a heck of a scar.

I would pull leaves & hand feed her.  I would put the fresh water right beside her so she didn't have to walk to it.  

I say all this to say, they sometimes survive such awful things.  this forum helped me immensely to know what to do.

you are sure going through an ordeal.  feel terrible for you.


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## elevan (Sep 26, 2013)

How horrible.  I am in tears for your goats and for you.  I pray that they make a speedy recovery and that justice is done.


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## bonbean01 (Sep 26, 2013)

X2!!!


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## RoeDylanda (Sep 26, 2013)

I'm sorry, Melissa, that is horrific.

My own dog went crazy and bit one of my goats-- went for her face right away and put holes in her lower jaw. It's GREAT that yours are eating. You might try a little warm molasses water to tempt them to drink. My girl would not touch plain water but drank the molasses water right up. 

I would advise you not to try the peroxide-- the goats are getting antibiotics for infection, and peroxide will kill any healthy new cells that are trying to grow in the wounds. Goats are really tough, and as bad as the wounds may look, the goats' own immune systems are working to heal them from the inside out. Mine had drains sutured into her jaw to let the pus out, and gross as it looked she actually healed up really well.

Hugs to you, and healing thoughts to your remaining goats.


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## bcnewe2 (Sep 26, 2013)

Vetracin is a wound spray that can be uses without causing any added pain.  You can even get it in eyes without burning.  Very liquid so should help to clean off the wounds.  Also you can get sterile saline as contact lense cleaner and flush the wounds with that. It wont hurt  either. As they start to heal I like wonder dust but it willl burn so I'd wait a while.  

So sorry your having to deal with this.  Hope they all pull through and your able to get the dogs off the streets.


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## violetsky888 (Sep 27, 2013)

Take lots of pictures for your court case.  I hope you got pictures of the dead goats as well.  People are really eager to defend vicious dogs but really have no idea what kind of horrific wounds they cause when they bite.
This could of just as easily have been a child.   I would do a document a daily log of the extra care and expense you are going through as well as a photo journal of the goat's suffering.   You might be able to save
a person or another animal from disfigurement or death.  I would blow up some photos and even post online.  There is a big movement protecting pitbulls but very little is going on to protect victims.  That lady is not going
to be sympathetic or responsible with her dogs,  considering biting a person minding their own business in a public place didn't faze her.  I would sue her in civil court and get as big a judgment as you can.   You may never
see any money but at least you can start garnishing whatever she has and she might re-think her policy of letting dogs run loose, as apparently a $25 dollar fine and an injury to an innocent passerby meant nothing to her.


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## junkprospector (Sep 27, 2013)

thats a good point. She should be laible for the undue expenses caused by her dogs. You can certainly get a judgement for the $ you are out through small claims court. The process is fairly easy (at least in Idaho) as long as the outlined steps are followed.


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## ThornyRidgeII (Sep 28, 2013)

Yes photo evidence has been gathered.. the Police Officer who came to remove the dogs who were actually trapped in the pasture after the carnage took lots of photos including the deceased goats. also got the remaining ones covered infresh blood.  I have taken some additional photos and video of them laying around, the facial trauma, the crying out in pain etc.  The city prosecutor is going after restitution.. however, despite the medical and burial expenses I have incurred, how do you put a value on your babies... my goats are priceless to me.. I have also missed 3.5 days of work ( I have the time to cover this through paid leave and vacation-however this is not a vacation!) due to providing around the clock care for them.  My employer has been great!  I am going to see if I can recoup my rate of pay during this time for the very least as stress!  I doubt I will truly get anything.  I received assistance from the local victim assistance program and have an assigned victim advocate. I have completed victim statement and paperwork that will be submitted to judge withmy recommendations for punishment/sentencing.  I asked the dogs be euthanized so that the next victim is not a child!  I also asked for full restitution and finally for the woman to not be permitted ownership of any dogs ever again.  Clearly she is incapable of providing care and responsibility so she should not have any ever!!!  I will keep all posted on outcomes.  I will also be posting a feedback for ongoing care topic.


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## verkagj (Sep 28, 2013)

So Sorry. I know how tragic and stressful this is for you. I had one goat attacked by a pit bull years ago in Arkansas. I was a basket case for weeks. And that was only one animal. The dog crushed her jaw and shattered the roof of her mouth. I tube fed her for months. She lived, healed and learned to lap up her food just fine.
Give them large doses of Vit C. It has amazing healing powers as well as help prevent infections. Since they don't want to be touched and who can blame them, maybe try putting a mixture of water, tea tree oil and spray it on.  put Organic Apple Cider Vinegar in the drinking water. 

I used coconut oil and honey on a necrotizing spider bite on my best milker's udder. Healed up perfectly. 

Keep us posted on their recovery.


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## babsbag (Sep 30, 2013)

What a horrible experience and I am sorry you are dealing with this and that you lost some of your goats, that is heartbreaking.

As far as restitution and value, I would figure out how old they were, how much it cost to feed them for all those years, and how much it will cost to replace them and raise the new goats up to a productive age. If they were does that you sell kids from or milk then you can count the price of the kids that would have been produced for the remainder of that goats life and how much milk you will have lost. If they were bucks then you would estimate how many kids they would have sired in their remaining life and the money you would have received for those kids. If they were pet wethers then it is more difficult to put a price on their future productivity. 

I know this won't replace them, put this will hopefully make sure that no one else has to suffer because of these dogs and their owner. You need to shoot high, make it hurt, and expect nothing.

Good luck.


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## equinecpa (Oct 9, 2013)

My small flock of sheep were attacked this past weekend-not as badly as your goats as I didn't have any deaths at the time. I still may have casualties as I'm trying to keep infection at bay-I'm cleaning wounds daily and administering penicillin but I saw one had developed an infection in her jowl yesterday-today I'll have to drain that. Not looking forward to that task.

How are your goats making out?


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## bj taylor (Oct 9, 2013)

ohh, draining a wound.  not a task I would relish either.  Verkagji has a good point about the honey.  i'm not familiar w/coconut oil as a treatment, honey has been know for thousands of years.  it's a natural antibiotic for wounds, which seems weird to me because of all the sugar in it, I would think the bacteria would flourish.


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## SkyWarrior (Oct 10, 2013)

Sorry to hear about this.    Here's hoping everyone has a speedy recovery.


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## ThornyRidgeII (Oct 10, 2013)

My goats have been on long acting penicillin-combi pen ( 5 cc dose) since this happened.. recently I have went to every other day on the ones still brewing infection in wounds.. it is absolutely important to let the wounds drain.. you don't want to put anything that will prevent this..  my vet gave me a spray (granulex) that aids in removing dead flesh and healing the wounds fast.. I have been now using that daily on the wounds.  my girls have made tremendous progress and just battling the wound issues now.  My mini nubian who sustained significant facial trauma had a large chunk (literally golf ball size) of nectrotic/dead tissue/skin come out today leaving a large gaping but nicely red/pink area on the side of her face.  No infectious odor either.. will be stepping up her antibiotic shots again for a bit and keeping wound sprayed with the granulex.  I am amazed at how well and far they have come since the horror of that day.  nothing could prepare me for what I came home to and have had to doctor on my babies but they are all eating and drinking well, and up moving like normal goats.. just was suprised tonight at the gaping hole.. kinda gasped but then took deep breath and watched her frolic around and knew that she will continu to heal!  Hugs to you and be diligent!


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