Good idea. Thank you. I hadn't thought of that.

I used a halti with him when he was younger and althugh he's not ecstatic about wearing it (or never used to be) I'm sure he'll toelrate it to be able to go out.

Laura xx

That's the thing. I just don't know - intruder, someone he knows, malicious neighbours, etc. There's no way of telling but for now I'm trying to concentrate on Yiannis getting better.

The police and other agencies can deal with the offender. I jsut hope they find him/her before I do. I only need a name. They won't hurt any more animals.

I'm contacting the local newspapers and Central News today. I'malso printing off pictures of his wounds,stitches, drains etc and will post them up on lampposts, trees and put in local shops fo rthe shock factor. Someone somewhere must know somebody who would do this.

Laura xx

Good idea you never know it may jog someone's conscience then again if anyone can do this to an animal I doubt they have one. Xx

This is an horrendous story - poor boy - just wanted to send some healing vibes to your poor boy x

Hi,

I'm at my Mom's house and have been with Yiannis now for about 30-40 minutes. My other dogs are being watched by my borther so they can still go utside with him as it's anice day. It would be a shame to have to lock them up but it'll have to be done for their own safety.

Yiannis really isn't himself. Every dog I've ever had has tried to be their usual bouncy selves after injuries and/or surgery. Even when he was neutered he jumped on me. I don't expect him to do that but this morning I've given him his antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. From the vet he has Clindacyl, Nisamox and Carprodyl. Hopefully they'll start to work soon but he's now settled and lying down.

When I first came I heard him snuffling under the kitchen door. I called to himj before I opened the kitchen door so he knew it was me before he saw me. I expected him not necessarily to jump all over me but at least a tail wag.

I got none of it. He put his head down when I opened the door. I was still talking to him but he backed away without looking at me properly (unheard of for Yiannis) and started whimpering.

My Mom said that last night she went outside with him every time to the garden when he wanted to go out. Aside from her being unhappy about him being outside alone (which I'm pleased about) he wouldn't go by himself. He's afraid to be away from me or my Mom and tried to hide between the sofa and the wall when my Mom's partner came back from work (he does a split shift so is here for about 3 hours around lunchtime).

So, my baby boy who has so much character and is always so happy to meet anyone, whether person or dog, is now afraid of people (or so it seems). Maybe I'm expecting too much and maybe it's good that I've seen this reaction now so that I can deal with it when I take him out.

The physical injuries are bad enough but for him to be so badly affected psychologically or emotionally is horrible to think about. He's in pain an dafraid. He doesn't know why and I can't make him understand. All I can do is to try to get him back to normal with us once he's feeling a bit better. Once he remebers that he can't ever be hurt when I'm with him (although he probably though that at home too), then I can start working with him again.

I feel so sorry for him. Nothing I can do willl amke him understand that he will get better, the pain will go away and life will be good again very soon.

Now he's lying on my Mom's sofa (I won't tell her!! ) sleeping. Maybe the whole episode has taken more out of him than I thought or maybe the tablets are working. I think it's better that he sleeps though if he's in any pain.

Laura xx

So sorry that you and your beautiful boy are having to go through this awful time.
Hugs xx

I have reasd this whole thread through and am pretty speehless to be honest.

Words fail to xpresss what I think about the animal that did this, although caling him an animal is giving him too much respect.....

Hopefully with time and all your love he will make a full recovery.....there is so much knowledge on Dogsey you will have all of our support....

Hi Laura first of all don't be disheartened. Antibiotics and an anaesthetic/shock can make some dogs feel unwell and react differently to normal.

A couple of weeks my neighbours whippet Tia ripped her back open on barbed wire and had to be anaesthetised to have the wound stitched then she was prescribed antibiotics. Tia hasn't been herself at all shaking and fighting with her sister and looking generally miserable. Only now she has finished the medication is he getting back to her old self.

Hard as it is try not to sympathise with Yiannis, your mother too. Jolly him along in a bright voice if you can and if he doesn't wish to respond leave him.
I would sit on the floor and play with him gently giving lots of praise to boost his confidence.

Gradually as the days go by and he heals he should become more like his old self .

I would certainly get rid of the dog door so that the dogs can't get out when you are not around to keep an eye on them . It is very unlikely the same intruder would return, I am sure they would be scared of being confronted by an angry dog.

This has been a terrible episode for you all, but that is just what it is, a small episode don't allow it to make you fearful or get things out of perspective. Dogs are very resilient and usually bounce back .

thanx Mini - I feel better already (kind of). I think maybe I was xpecting too much of Yiannis too soon. i thought he'd recover, in terms of his bounciness, as he did after he was neutered. Maybe the vet used a different anaesthetic this time though which I suppose could have affected him differently. I think I'll just give hi mthe time he needs. There's no rush for him to come home. It's not that I don't want him. I do. Desperately so. But I don't want him to be playing with the others and knock his wounds or cause himself either more pain or further injury so he'll stay at my Mom's maybe for another week or so to be sure. He has steak for dinner tonight so I doubt he'll complain too much. but I do know he'ss missing the other dogs.

I tried to be happy around him when I was at my Mom's today. But he didn't want to know. I left him alone but he needed to sleep as well so at least he knew I was there for him if he chose to interact with me.

The dog door has been sealed shut. I've ordered a new door but I have to wait for an extra large one - it's much taller and wider than a standard door so have to wait for it to be made. But now they don't have the dog flap we can wait for the new door for as long as it takes.

for Yiannis to go out (and he clearly wasn't well enuogh today), I think I'll have to buy a new harness. I tok a closer look at his neck and there are a couple of scratches up right behind his head so I can't used the halti (as already suggested). I'm sure that ordinarily he probably wouldn't even notice these small scratches but the whole area must be so sore I think it's better to stay well away from the area.

Thanks everyone for your kind words and thoughts for Yiannis. I'm sure he appreciates it. I know I do.

Laura xx

I have a fleece lined harness from Dog-games. It is really comfy and very easy to put on and take off. You might want to try one of those.