Hi All,
Yiannis is now resting with my Mom.
I have no idea why the other dogs didn't wake up and go racing ut to help Yiannis. I've tried to think why they didn't hear him. I'm sure that if they had, they at least would have gone to investigate. Also, I didn't give my leg as second thought. I've had a few good days with it recently and after forcing my left knee to work a lot harder than usual in order to get downstairs and outside. I'm really paying for it now. But I agree - the other dogs shoudl have and normally would have got to him before me.
I know Buddy wouldn't as he spends most of his time under my computer chair and I have to coax him out just to go for a walk. Ellie harly ever barks unless there's something terribly wrong but I think this would've been the worst situation she'd have come across in all her 16 months so I don't see why she didn't respond.
And Zane is usually the first one off his backside to run outside. I agree - very out of character for them all and very odd.
Yes I do wish I'd taken Yiannis' collar off last night. I make a point of removing all collars every evening but there are a few occasions when I've forgotten to do it. But at the same time, what if his collars prevented any further damage around his neck? Maybe if he wasn't wearing them he wouldn't be here now. but I don't want tothink about that. He's going ot be OK so I'll work at getting him well again.
Also, maybe I shouldn't have to go to the expense of new fencing but I think it's worth it. The vet's fee has totalled £340 which isn't too bad I suppose - particularly with the number of injections and drugs he's had. The fee covers 3 follow up appointments and anything that goes along with treatment for this one set of injuries. He's insured so I'll get the money back but that's not important to me.
The vet said his wounds don't look anything like a dog or fox bite. The one on the side of his leg does but because of his other injuries the vet doesn't think it was an animal. I asked her if she thought he'd been stabbed and she said she couldn't say for sure (which is fair enough). She said it seemed as though someone had grabbed the scruff of his neck, pulled the skin up and "run him through with something". she couldn't say if it was a knife, scredriver, sharp piece of plastic, metal, wood etc. I suppose there culd be thousands of things that could be used to cause such injuries.
After having time to think a little more logically, I'm beginning to think that even though it's possible that my neughbours did this to Yiannis, that it's more likely to have been an opportunist. Maybe someone there who didn't realise Yiannis was going to go outside, hurt him and then hot-footed it over the fence. I have trellis fencing across the patio so whoever it was would have had foot holds all the way up and down. Either way, I think the fact that so many malicious complaints have been received by different agencies that it at least gives the police a starting point in terms of questioning.
Also, this may not be relevant but my back garden backs onto a primary schhol. Many times (usually over the summer/decent weather) there are people (maybe kids?) at the bottom of the gardens - mine and adjoining gardens. So access to the gardens is easy. I suppose I just never thought anyone would be stupid enough to approach a house with more dogs than people living there. Or maybe this is someone who knows my dogs better than I do (that's a very scary thought).
My Mom has suggested a different animal but couldn't suggest what exactly. She thought maybe a wild animal (as in escaped from a zoo) but if that were the case surely an animal would have made more noise about it. As far as I could tell, it was only Yiannis making any noise.
There will be cameras around my house covering almost every inch of my property. And none of the dogs will be allowed out onto the patio again if they're alone. They don't have the run of the garden and never have had. Because there's no decent fencing up I allow the dogs onto the grass and down the garden only when I'm with them. I'll just have to make sure the same rules apply for the patio.
My dogs will never get hurt again. I'm responsible for this as I failed in looking after Yiannis properly. I should have seen it coming. Although Yiannis' injuries are nasty there are a couple of places where on his legs it looked as though he was blleding but it must've been dried blood from the more severe wounds. So he doesn't have as many wounds as I first thought.
Right, here are some pictures. The funky white things sticking out of his neck are drains to take away all the excess fluid.
The good thing right now is that my Mom called about 20 minutes ago. I think the painkillers were wearing off as Yiannis got quite distressed when trying to lie down and kept trying to lie on the "bad" side. (RHS). He's OK now though. He's out like a light snoozing gently on my Mom's brand new duvet. I wouldn't be surprised if he stays there all night now. I have told my Mom though that shoudl anything happedn overnight she's not happy about, to call the emergency vet first to get them out to Yiannis and then call me after to let me know what's happening. I can't go anywhere as I have Oscar but if something happens I'd like to know about it.
I can't think about this anymore. It's upsetting me to much. maybe after a day or two I can be more logical and coherent in trying to determine how and why this happened.
Yiannis just after I picked him up from the vet's surgery.
Yiannis in the car just after being picked up.
These are the marks that I do think look like a bite.
Injury to back of right leg.
Chicken, rice and mashed potato for dinner. I was so pleased he ate something.
Neck injury.
Neck injury.
Neck injury.
PLease culd everyone pray that Yiannis isn't in pain for long and is back tohis normal, bouncy, mind-boggling, chaotic pup I love so much. I'd really appreciate it.
Laura xx