It's always Rakka!
Rakka's at the vet overnight getting fluids. She got bitten by some kind of critter (I'm thinking muskrat because she was by the water, but I didn't see the animal). The bite is pretty small, but it got right on the major artery of the leg, so she bled like crazy. I was actually surprised to see the wound was so tiny when the vet got it cleaned up enough that I could see because she seriously had blood on all four legs, belly, face... everywhere. Now she's stitched up, has antibiotics, and the iv and I should be able to get her tomorrow. Her gums were really pale, which means she lost quite a bit of blood. Poor Rakka. When I got there, the vet said to her, "Remember me? I hope not."
I learned two lessons:
1) Vet told me that bites (especially wild animal bites) need antibiotics even if they don't bleed that much. I hadn't thought of that.
2) For the cost of this vet trip, I could've gotten a portable electric fence system, which I was putting off buying because I couldn't decide which one to get. I've gotten pretty lax because I'm always with them and there's no traffic, but being with them didn't stop the animal this time, or the porcupine the last time. I guess two encounters in two years isn't bad, but I'm thinking that not letting them out so much would reduce the odds of a run-in. Run-ins are more common at dawn or dusk, which both of Rakka's wildlife encounters were, so I could keep them fenced in most of the time and only take them outside during the day.
I feel like a real dunce.
I learned two lessons:
1) Vet told me that bites (especially wild animal bites) need antibiotics even if they don't bleed that much. I hadn't thought of that.
2) For the cost of this vet trip, I could've gotten a portable electric fence system, which I was putting off buying because I couldn't decide which one to get. I've gotten pretty lax because I'm always with them and there's no traffic, but being with them didn't stop the animal this time, or the porcupine the last time. I guess two encounters in two years isn't bad, but I'm thinking that not letting them out so much would reduce the odds of a run-in. Run-ins are more common at dawn or dusk, which both of Rakka's wildlife encounters were, so I could keep them fenced in most of the time and only take them outside during the day.
I feel like a real dunce.
Comments
No more animal run-ins Miss Rakka!
I think Rakka and Ahi are just accident prone - must be a sister thing.
Dogs are crepuscular mammals, so they are in pure hunt mode at dawn and dusk. We have actually started keeping the dogs in smaller groups during dawn and dusk because we have found those time are the time when they are most energetic and therefore have the highest chance of having a confrontation. If we let them all out together at night, or during the middle of the day we have far fewer "arguments". You'll notice most of the exciting videos I post are shot at twilight.
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Hope she will be back soon and that she learns something out of it
Get well soon, again!, Rakka!!
Maybe she was just trying to teach you a lesson to not wait too long to make a decision. LOL Rakka says "If you're not going to spend that money, I'll do it for you!" :P
Brad, that is super interesting! That makes total sense, too. Rakka's always trying to kill things first thing in the morning and in the evening...Like the rabbits that hang out near the house. I should've put two and two together.
Although Noah and I were leaving on a ten day vacation tomorrow. I'm having this lady I know watch the animals. Melvin's already over there hanging out with her horses. She boards hunting dogs for people lots, so she's got these nice big runs with shelter and water. I'm just wondering if I can still go because Rakka needs to go back on Saturday to have her bandages changed and then on Tuesday to get the drain out. I guess I'll ask this lady if she's willing to take her in. I'm not paying her, she's just doing it as a favour, so maybe I'll offer some money for taking her in. She'll probably refuse, though. There's no vet charge for follow-up, so that's no trouble.
Hmm...
Glad to hear she is on the mend.
She has to take her pills twice/day, too, but that's not so bad. I'll just give them some treats to put the pills in and it'll be a piece of cake.
You can bring her with to Utah and we will come and pick her up and take care of her for 10 days.
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I like the word "crepuscular" too, but so infrequently get the chance to say it.
Yeah, dogs are sometimes prone to mischief...even if they don't cause them, they are targets -gasps-!
Funny the time of day deley was mentioned...I've noticed heighten and lowered "alertness" & "energys" during different times of day. Especially at night and early mornings for my dogs.
crepuscular. lol.
"Look at the big brain on Brad!"-Jules from Pulp Fiction