Bear update

[GmeMstr]

Folks,

Sorry I've been absent for a while, but with work and family life, I just haven't had a chance to sit down and write.

As of yesterday, Bear is still having difficulty keeping any food down. He revisited the vet and we got another prescription for Sucralfate and some nausea medicine, as well as more A/D food. The next step: his vet is referring him to an Internal Medicine vet in Memphis to do some more diagnosing. Our concern is, since things don't seem to be getting any better, that the esophagitis has developed into a stricture. Let's hope not. Also, the hip muscle is really not regenerating so we would also be getting him evaluated for the hip replacement seurgery.

While we were adjusting to this news, my wife took Bear for a walk last night. While walking the street in the neighborhood, they were attacked by a black dog. The dog came from behind them out of a yard, giving my wife little to no time to do much at all. Bless his heart, Bear put himself between the attacker and my wife and sustained more crushing bites to the neck and his already injured right rear leg. Between my wife and neighbors, they were finally able to get this dog off of them and they limped back to the house.

I carried Bear up to the emergency vet to stop the bleeding and see how bad the damage was. While I was there, the police came by the house and Lynn explained the issue. We tabled the option to file charges, as we wanted to see how bad off Bear was and what we needed to do about it.

This morning, the Animal Control officer who had responded to the pit bull attack earlier came by. After speaking with him, I was dumbfounded when he told me this WAS THE SAME DOG THAT ATTACKED HIM BEFORE! I asked the officer why the dog was not euthanized as we were told, and I was informed that, since the owner had volunteered the dog, and the neighbor who was bitten did not press charges, the pit bull owner's had to right to pick their dog up from Animal Control. Which, obviously, they did.

Everyone send good thoughts this way. Not only will Bear eventually need hip surgery, he now has to heal back up from more punctures and lacerations, and there is a possibility that the area on the top of his neck where the second attack occurred is necroctic and tissue will have to be removed. Add to all of this, he still can't eat, due to the regurgitation issues with possible strictures.

...it's been a long couple of months...

[mrstu]

The Black dog is the same pit that attacked him before? They are not doing anythign about the Pit now? For the time being, I would keep bear in the yard where he is safe so that he can heal. It is a good thing that your wife did not get bitten in the attack as well. People need to be responsible for their dogs and whoever owns this Pit should be sent to jail at this point. This is crazy!

Good wishes and may prayers for Bear!

[CoraP.]

I am so sorry to hear Bear has been attacked again!! The same dog being able to be off leash and unattended is inexcusable!! I am so in hopes Bear will be able to recover from all this... it must be very discouraging for you. It probably is for him too. I continue to wish you and Bear the best and hope things will turn around.

[Babs64]

If it was the same dog, then it is time for you to press charges. I know that sounds harsh, but Bear has been very badly hurt twice now. If he hadn't have been with your wife, she might have been badly hurt. Bear has been very brave and I pray that he will heal.

[Victory]

By the Gods! Are they waiting until they have a headline worthy incident to do something about this pit? Another Pit Bull attacks child story perhaps. I am tolerant and tend to take the dogs side in these cases, but this is twice now this dog has gone after something, first your Bear and in doing so bit a person and this time he went after your wife and Bear got in the way.

Like someone else said I'd keep Bear in for a bit and I'd really see about some serious legal action against that Pit bull and his/her owner, the pit needs to be contained at the very least or only out with a muzzle.

Best wishes to poor Bear..,.a true brave soul.

[Jeff&Peks]

Is everyone just going to wait untill Bear is finely killed and then say oh gee we should have done something, At least take a differant route on your walks and this time around the people should be paying something.

[GmeMstr]

Is everyone just going to wait untill Bear is finely killed and then say oh gee we should have done something, At least take a differant route on your walks and this time around the people should be paying something.

A lot of assumptions in this statement.

First of all, I don't believe we are waiting around to see if he gets killed. We were informed the dog was euthanized. Obviously, this was not the case. With the first incident, we had no cause to press charges or ask for remuneration, since as much as the pit wasn't on a leash, neither was Bear. While WE know Bear was in no way at fault, that don't cut it when it comes to the law. THIS time, they are definatley at fault and there will be a course of action. If I reacted to the situation, I'd grab my shotgun and take care of it myself. However, I live in this thing called SOCIETY, so I will use other courses of action. It's pretty arrogant to assume we are not doing anything.

Secondly, we live in a circular community. The choices are right or left. As I wrote earlier, the pit came out of a yard from BEHIND my wife. She and Bear were walking on the street. To intimate they were purposefully walking into the Jaws of Hell is ignorant.

[Laura]

Well I too was wondering if you were planning on pressing any charges or doing anything at this point. Your first post didn't say. I am never in favor of getting a dog pts...I blame owners in most cases. I'm not advocating fighting to have the dog put down but I am certainly hoping that something is done to/with the owners. One incident can be an accident...he escaped or whatever...but repeated incidents are unforgiveable.
Personally I would keep Bear in my house and yard until he fully recovered but that is just my personal and unsolicited opinion so please don't take offense as none is intended. I worry every time we leave the house that an unleashed dog will attack us and my two are perfectly healthy. We have pits who live a few streets down and I never go that way and there is always some loose dog be it a Pom or a Lab that is off leash or has escaped. I would also worry that the ticked off pit owners would be out for revenge if you do file charges of some sort and keep an eye on Bear even in the yard.

[jacqui]

I am sorry to hear about the 2nd attack to Bear and your poor wife.how is he doing today.that poor guy can't get a break
please pursue this.I understand you are busy with work and Bear but this dog is going to kill someone.I hope Animal Control
finally does something now.
Bear is very brave and is fighting for his life.please keep us posted.I will keep Bear in my prayers.

[GmeMstr]

Thanks for all your well wishes.

Ever since the first attack, Bear does not leave the house unless he is on a leash. We have no fenced yard, so he will not leave the house without an escort. Thank God for my wife, since Bear will never go to the bathroom on a leash when I walk him!

We will be taking some action. I do not want to engage these people until I know the extent of these new damages and I have not talked to the Doc yet today.

As always, we will keep you all informed.

Thanks again.

[ChowLady]

My well wishes for Bear and he is in my thoughts and prayers. I would have been a nasty shock for your wife and Bear to have this pit bull come out of the yard and them once again, thinking that way was safe and the dog was gone. I would sue them to the max, for all Bears treatment and meds etc. Also I hope that this dog is destroyed this time, as it seems to be a very dangerous dog indeed. I do not usually like to see animals put down, but in this case it would be much safer. It also makes one wonder what type of animal owners these people are, if this dog has already done this before, you would think that they would make sure the pit bull is kept in their yard and not allowed out to attack again.
Kathy

[Jeff&Peks]

I wouldn't be so fast with everyone wanting the black dog put down there are many other alternatives like getting the dog away from those people to start. killing the dog solves nothing because next week they will have another breed attacking everything that walks by. No dog is mean or aggressive until it is placed with the wrong people, no matter how bad a dog has become if placed in the right home with the right people it will turn around in no time. The dog is most likely guarding its home just like a Chow or any other breed would but ifs up to the owners to control it and keep him from leaving the property.

[mrstu]

My feeling is that the owners should be in trouble. They own a breed that is known to do this type of damage and with this ownership comes responsibility. These people cannot seem to contain this dangerous dog -- I am sorry to hear that poor Bear got hurt again but thank god it was not the human. It is not the dog's fault but rather the people that own it. These folks should pay every last cent of Bear's bills and also have to place the picture of poor little bear so hurt with all his open wounds on their refrigerator blown up in 11x 14 size so that they see every minute of every day what their negligence has done. I have no patience for this -- I guard Sophia because I am not entirely sure how she will be with strangers and she is a little tiny baby -- I just make sure I do not put her in these type situations - these folks should do the same thing.

In the meantime, I will continue to pray for BEAR -- poor little guy -- he is fighter and I am sure he will make it through, he just should not have had to gone through the attack a second time due to stupid owners.

[Chow Chow Mama]

I wouldn't be so fast with everyone wanting the black dog put down

Sorry Jeff, but I have to disagree with you here. If it were Holden who had been severely attacked not once, but TWICE by the same dog, and both unprovoked, I would want that down PTS ASAP. We don't need unbalanced dogs like that out there. I'd hunt that dog down and drive him to animal control myself!

[Jeff&Peks]

I wouldn't be so fast with everyone wanting the black dog put down

Sorry Jeff, but I have to disagree with you here. If it were Holden who had been severely attacked not once, but TWICE by the same dog, and both unprovoked, I would want that down PTS ASAP. We don't need unbalanced dogs like that out there. I'd hunt that dog down and drive him to animal control myself!

I guess if it were Holden that attacked another dog or nipped a kid it might be a differant story, dogs like that are brought on by people like that. Can't blame the dog becouse of stupid people. Onyx attaked a small dog in the park, Lukely she droped it when I jerked the leash but she was going for the kill, it wasn't Onyx's fault it was mine for allowing her that close to a small dog.

[Chow Chow Mama]

If this were just a little scruffle between the two and Bear wasn't injured like he was, no, that would be different. Dogs aren't going to get along with all other dogs all the time. That's life. The thing is that this dog has full out attacked Bear on two occasions almost killing him. To have such an unbalanced and aggressive dog running around? Nope, he needs picked up.

[GmeMstr]

Bear is dead.

He was taken to the hospital yesterday to do another endoscope to see if the esophagitis had gotten worse, sine he was unable to keep anything down. While under anethesia, the doctors saw that he indeed have a sever stricture that was not responding to the ballooning. There was no way he would be able to eat for himself.

It was the hardest decision I had to make, to let him go.

Thank you all for your support over these past few months.

[carolyn dewrance]

Oh my God, This is not the news I wanted to hear, I am so sorry, there are tears runing down my face for you, But you did the best thing for him, and may he run in peace over the rainbow bridge, God Bless you your family and Bear,
Carolyn

[TJordan]

OH, I am so sorry to hear about Bear, he was a fighter. This breaks my heart, I am sorry for you and your family, you have lost a true friend.

[Laura]

Wow...that hit like a ton of bricks. We were all rooting for you and Bear and I am so very sorry for your loss. You did everything you could to save him. Bless his heart. RIP Bear.

[KathrynH]

OMG! I can't tell you how sorry I am, he WAS such a fighter, my heart just breaks for you and your wife.

[scrpbk1]

I've checked this forum everyday to see how Bear is doing with hopes that he would be OK. I am so sorry for your loss. Run free little Bear.

Shelly

[Jeff&Peks]

I think we all have been keeping up with Bear and hoping for recovering, I didn't expect this. Sorry to hear the news.

[LEO's mum]

We are so sorry.

Leonora & mum

[Igor]

That is a terrible news. Recently I did not have much time to spent in this forum, but almost every day I tried to check how Bear is doing.
You did everything possible to save his life. Let memory of him be with you and us.