# Dog Vs. Bobcat



## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

Heard a goat scream last night and then my aussie/heeler mix got into it with something. Went outside, didn't see anything wrong with the dog and the goats seemed okay. No predator in sight. 

Went out to feed this morning and discovered that the dog had gaping 3" long gash in the crook of her "elbow" on one front leg. Nasty spot. Not sure if she went for round 2 with the predator after I checked her over, or if I just missed it by flashlight. 

She's in surgery right now -- I'm in the vet's waiting room. $700 vet bill. 

GOOD dog. I'm cringing over the vet bill, but she's so worth it. One of the best dogs I've ever known. 

I suspect it was our resident bobcat that she tangled with. I hope she chewed him up good. Cassidy would have been out for blood if he messed with "her" goats. If Cassidy didn't kill him, I need to get serious about getting rid of him.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

Hope she does ok! She sounds like a great dog!


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## Stonybrook (Sep 22, 2007)

Bye bye, Bobcat. Get another dog so they can gang up on the bobcat. I don't know what kind of fencing you have, but I would put up something that will make the bobcat glow if he hits it.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

Usually bobcats are not a match for a dog.
I have had a cocker spaniel kill one and a fox terrier kill several.


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## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

Pancho, you're right -- they usually aren't. Doesn't mean that they can't tear a dog up pretty good, though.


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## MoTightwad (Sep 6, 2011)

We have a Jack Russel that treed a **** and waited for it to come down and then he grabbed it and killed it. The dog is not a big dog but the **** was more then 3/4 grown. Dogs are amazing. Hope your doggie does ok after his wound.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

I hope your dog is ok and has a quick recovery!


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## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

She's home, still sedated, and pretty sore. She's currently sleeping it off in my bathroom. Looks like about 30 stitches. She gets to be a house dog for the next couple of weeks, which, as soon as she's sober, is probably not going to go over well. She much prefers to be outside with her goats!

The cone of shame is not going to go over well either ... 

Vet says he didn't think the damage was caused by a predator -- he suspects she got caught on wire or ran into something. I still need to get rid of that bobcat, though.

I forgot to remind them of her reaction to sedation, and I guess she freaked their brand-new-fresh-out-of-college vet tech out. I'm not sure if the vet saw a note in her chart about her typical reaction to anesthesia or not. Any sort of sedation triggers off-key screaming FITS of yelping, howling, terror from her as she wakes up. She also is very easily startled and will scream like she's being killed if you surprise her, until the drugs wear off. She's normally a very stable, reasonable dog -- she's just a "bad drunk." The poor tech said it was the first time he'd seen a dog react that way.

(Once she was conscious enough to be aware of her surroundings, she settled down and quit screaming. She's a bit yippy about the leg, but nothing that makes me think she's in agony. That top-of-her-lungs screaming is not, as far as I can tell, a pain reaction. I think she's just disoriented and scared and is inclined to tell the world about it.)


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## jen74145 (Oct 31, 2006)

Oh goodness. Sorry for you both!

Good girl, though, and I agree with getting a second dog if feasible. If someday it's not a small predator, but a stray or two.... your girl could be toast.

I know the terror of hearing your dog fight an animal you cannot see. For me, it was just an opossum, but goodness the snarling and screaming had me thinking the worst!


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## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

I have a second dog, for what it's worth, but he's getting up there -- early to mid teens. (He was an adult when I got him, so I'm not sure how old he is.) He isn't much of a help in a fight these days.

(Cassidy's around nine, but you wouldn't know it to look at her.)

I HAVE been keeping my eyes open for a pup - either another aussie/heeler cross, or an aussie with a working type coat. I want a female between one and two years old, and I do NOT want an aussie with a really dense coat. Shouldn't be that hard to find. I'm not quite ready yet -- my financial situation is a bit shaky as I'm on disability for some major medical issues -- but I'm getting there. 

Not sure what she squabbled with last night, but the vet was really sure it wasn't a bite on her leg.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

How scarey for you, your goats & your dog. I hope your dog heals quickly & you catch the Bobcat or the predator. Maybe time for a trap of some sort while the dog is in the house for a few weeks.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Load up some #4 buckshot and go play catch with a bobcat. End the problem! Or yeah set some snares out while your dog is safe. (assuming you don't have neighbours dogs or other animals at risk)


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## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

Ross, the gun is loaded and waiting, and has been for months. It's pretty wary. I have a large homemade box trap I use for dogs that are wary of have-a-hart traps and I may set it up with some kentucky fried and see what I get. 

The dog is doing well -- she's sore and has a vertical scar down her leg as long as my hand, and lots of swelling (vet warned me it would swell up and ooze). She's not real happy about being confined, and the cats are even less thrilled. However, there's no sign of infection, and she's bright eyed and alert and looks good. 

It wasn't the bobcat that cut her up, though. I had a metal wash tub with a big hole in it I'd been meaning to take to the recycler. I never thought about the dog getting into it, but she must have been after something and cut her leg on the sharp edge. There was hair and blood on it. I feel pretty guilty. The tub is now in a place where the dogs can't get to it.


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