Need Help

[Lori Jordan]

Molly and Lacy got into a fight(again)i was not at home.

Lacy has 4 puntures around her neck,both ears are ripped,and her foot.

Nothing is open until the morning.

WHAT DO I DO?Im so scared of the punctures,I cut all the hair away from around the punstures,Im in such a panic right now i cannot think straight.

She is not bleeding anymore,but she is just laying around like she is lost.

I know puntures cannot be stiched they have to heal from the inside out,But what do i do until the meantime?

any suggestions would be appreciated

[Kfamr]

Are there no emergency vets in the area?

How scary. :(

[Lori Jordan]

nothing is open no emerg...small town

[Lori Jordan]

I dont know what to do with Molly i really dont,Im getting sick of her doing this to Lacy,I'm not getting rid of either dog,There has to be a solution to this,It has been bad before when they have gotten into fights,But never like this,I guess there going to have to be seperated when im out.


I do not mean to sound heartless towards Molly i love her,she is friendly with humans,But if you could see Lacy now,it would shock you!

[Karen]

Disinfect the area around it, and maybe cover it witha loose bandage for now, just to keep gunk from getting in it. I definitely think they need to be seperated when left home alone, this situation will not resolve itself.

[Lori Jordan]

What could i use though?I dont know about peroxide,rubbing alchol?

[Jadapit]

I googled and found this. I hope it helps. You could go to google and find even more I'm sure. I'm so sorry this happened. :(



To provide proper care to a dog suffering from an animal bite, use the following tips.

Step 1: Restrain the dog if necessary.


©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Step 2



Step 1a: Approach the dog slowly, speaking in a reassuring tone of voice.

Step 1b: Slip a leash around the dog's neck, then place the leash around a fixed object. Pull the dog against this object and tie the leash so the dog cannot move its head.

Step 1c: Muzzle the dog to protect yourself.

Step 2: Clip the hair around the wound.

Step 3: Flush the wound thoroughly with clean water. Avoid home antiseptics, which may cause pain when applied.

Step 4: Examine the wound. If the tissue under the wound appears to pass by when you move the skin, the wound will probably require stitches.


©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Step 3


Step 5: DO NOT bandage. Allow the wound to drain unless there is excessive bleeding. If the wound does bleed excessively, follow these steps:

Step 5a: Cover wound with clean cloth, sterile dressing, or sanitary napkin.

Step 5b: Place your hand over the dressing and press firmly.

Step 5c: Keep pressure on the dressing to stop the bleeding.

Step 5d: If blood soaks through the dressing, DO NOT remove it. Apply more dressing and continue to apply pressure until the bleeding stops.

Step 6: If the wound is deep enough to require stitches, transport the dog immediately to the veterinarian.

Step 7: Be sure to contact your veterinarian if your dog is not current on its rabies vaccination

[Sevaede]

When I took in my RB Soni to the vet for the first time (the day after we got home), we had the vet check out his puncture wounds. She cleaned it and then put triple antibiotic ointment on it and told us to do the same (at home) until it healed. :)

[Lori Jordan]

I dont think i have it in me to rip the scabs off...

[shepgirl]

Until you can figure out what to do about the fighting I would probably kennel both while you are out. Meanwhile flushing the punctures sounds like the best thing until you can see the vet, try to keep the area free from dirt and hair, maybe shave around the punctures to make it easier to keep clean.
I wouldn't leave them alone another minute unsupervised, punctures in the neck means that things are serious, you're lucky your dog didn't finish the job this time, but there won't be another warning, I think your big dog wants Molly out of the way....not kidding, I've seen this before.

[shepgirl]

Sorry, I meant Molly wants Lacy out of the way---got the names mixed up.

[Lori Jordan]

Molly is a Newfoundland,I dont think her intensions are killing Lacy,They both have been fighting to be number 1 "Alpha"

[Freedom]

Molly is a Newfoundland,I dont think her intensions are killing Lacy,They both have been fighting to be number 1 "Alpha"
And what do you think happens when 2 dogs battle for the Alpha position??? Mostly, one dies. Rarely, the 'weaker' dog leaves the pack. Lacy has no option to leave; so Molly is NOT going to leave her be until she is GONE.

Keep them separated to keep them BOTH safe. If Molly succeeds in her quest, depending on the laws in your area, it could mean she has to be PTS.

Sorry I have no idea what to do about the wounds. When I have had cat bites - puncture wounds - I had to soak them in saline solution every 4 hours to keep them from healing from the top down. I don't know if that would be the same in this case or not.

[Catty1]

Lori - don't rip the scabs off! Just my thought - that is how the skin heals...

Perhaps after this, talk to a behaviour therapist, or get ideas from PTrs here on how YOU become th "alpha". Maybe that will keep them from competing with each other.

Like Jadapit posted, if there is no bleeding, no drastic measures.

The only home stuff I would EVER use is Polysporin - but on vet's advice, as it can keep the wound from 'breathing'.

HUGS to your poor pup!

[Glacier]

She's laying around because she's likely in shock. Keep her warm and calm. Keep the wounds from getting dirty, but don't block them. Punctures have far more damage under the skin than is visible from the outside. They need to drain or they will form nasty abcesses. Do not feed her tonight. Get her to a vet asap. The not feeding is in case they need to knock her out to put in drains or sutures.

You have two females who have fought more than once. Females do not quit. They do not stop when the other dog submits. They do not forgive and forget. I'm really not trying to be harsh or mean, but if you continue to leave them unsupervised, one of them will kill the other. If they were my dogs, they'd never see each other again. They'd be seperated at all times.

[Animalhouse26]

Keep the Wounds clean.. Wash it out ever few hrs if U can. Make sure they stay clean. Keep her away from other dogs till she is seen by the vet. And Call As soon as they are open in the AM. Let the Wounds breath. *Unless they are Really deep and still bleeding. And I wouldn't let those girls NEAR Each other.. at all. PERIOD! Just cause ure around doesn't mean it wont happen again! Talk to a Behaviourist. But, If they can't help.. they may tell you to keep em seperated for the rests of there lives.. This Wont get better without further help.


Good luck!

[Lori Jordan]

We have taken them to behavior councelor,they have not fought in months,My daughter was home when this happend,They were seprerated for almost a year,But in pictures you see them they were fine.They are both spayed also.The vet also said that should help the matter.


They have fought before yes,But never to this measure,Usually they just back off.I really do not know what to do,Lacy will be seen by my vet in the morning,she would be there tonight if it was possible.It is really hard for me to deal with this,I cannot keep one locked in a room for the rest of its life.


I can just do one thing at a time,my first thing is getting Lacy looked after,I dont want to be made out as a bad owner,You all know i always do what is best for my animals.Molly is bad when it comes to Lacy i dont know why she does this to her.

[Lori Jordan]

Lori - don't rip the scabs off! Just my thought - that is how the skin heals...

That is what a friend of mine said......She said if you let it scab it will get infected inside,But Lacy is obviously not going to scab overnight,Im not doing anything other then cleaning her,Im too scared to do anything until i see my vet tomorrow morning.

[Grace]

How is Lacy this morning?

[BC_MoM]

Well, there is definitely hierarchy issues here. You really need to seek some help on how to make them see that YOU'RE alpha.

[countrycowgirl]

hi sorry I am just now seeing this!!..how is Lacy doing this morning???....I work at a Vet Clinic and we had a dog come in about three days ago with puncture wounds from a dog fight the main thing is KEEP IT CLEAN! you don't really want to put a bandage on because punture wounds do better when the can breath to heal...you can put a little vasoline on the wounds after you have cleaned them and such to keep any dirt or debre from getting in the wound or your vet can give you a wound salve which will keep debre out and medicate the wound also ...she should be just fine! :) ...I hope she is doing better today!! :)

[cyber-sibes]

Molly is a Newfoundland,I dont think her intensions are killing Lacy,They both have been fighting to be number 1 "Alpha" :( Don't bet on this ever being resolved peaceably once & for all. Dogs live by their own built-in hereditary code, it's hard-wired. It will be up to you to keep them apart for good, because you won't get any warning when things are about to explode. (This is why we now have only one female)

Mine have had a few scuffles resulting in puncture wounds, I clean them up with hydrogen peroxide & just keep them clean. My vet said to put triple anitibiotic ointment on it. I do recall one vet said not to use peroxide straight, but dilute it with water.

Hope they're both healing up alright. That is so frustrating, we know your not a bad dog mom, just dealing with dogs acting like dogs. (((hugs))) to you!

[Glacier]

My vet said to put triple anitibiotic ointment on it. I do recall one vet said not to use peroxide straight, but dilute it with water.



Straight peroxide kills the healthy tissue too. That's why it's recommended to dilute it.

I hope your dogger is doing better today!

[shepgirl]

Lori I think you're missing the point. It isn't a matter of showing them you are the alpha...they will recognize you as their alpha without a doubt. But they will still keep trying to win the top dog position. Whether Molly is a Newfie or not doesn't count in hiaerchy issues. Since she is bigger and has already traumatized the other pack member, it will be just a matter of time before she kills her. I've seen this more than once, they have to be kept apart period. You could be in the house with them, but get busy or turn your back and the deed is done. When it happens it will be too late for "I should"this or that, you will lose your dog forever. And your vet saying spaying would help is very wrong, it does nothing to help, just as neutering does nothing to tame aggression.
I hope your dog will be fine and that the vet will give you some good advice.
Be careful of scary situations with your dog for a while, the shock of the attack is still fresh and she will need to be reintroduced to noise and commotion again.

[Lori Jordan]

Lacy is doing just fine,and i am relieved now that i have gotten her to the vet.I ended up not taking her to my own vet,I bit my tongue and took her into the Alta Vista Emerg lastnight 2 hours away.

I was just in a panic,I hate seeing them in pain,Molly has a ripped ear,I took her into our normal vet this Am.

There so weird they battle then love eachother.I have done this process before,Im not going to ignore it,But i will never have a house of females again...Im not being cruel but this has been a problem for awhile,Never resulting to this.

So both girls are healing,All i have done is i went and got a gate,One is upstairs and one is down,I cannot lock them in a room,so this works just fine.


They lick eachother thru the gate,After all that happend lastnight.

I have a lady coming out Monday to observe them.That is all i can do,The problem will be fixed,Lacy seems very distant and i dont think she will ever try and pull that again.

[Lori Jordan]

Lori I think you're missing the point. It isn't a matter of showing them you are the alpha...they will recognize you as their alpha without a doubt. But they will still keep trying to win the top dog position. Whether Molly is a Newfie or not doesn't count in hiaerchy issues. Since she is bigger and has already traumatized the other pack member, it will be just a matter of time before she kills her. I've seen this more than once, they have to be kept apart period. You could be in the house with them, but get busy or turn your back and the deed is done. When it happens it will be too late for "I should"this or that, you will lose your dog forever. And your vet saying spaying would help is very wrong, it does nothing to help, just as neutering does nothing to tame aggression.
I hope your dog will be fine and that the vet will give you some good advice.
Be careful of scary situations with your dog for a while, the shock of the attack is still fresh and she will need to be reintroduced to noise and commotion again.

I am not missing any point,There was a problem im fixing it,When they have battled before,it has sounded worse than it really was,And when i spoke they stopped instantly.

I was not home when it happend,My daughter was,and she had no control of the situation,They have not had any problems for months.

There seperated.Until i have a professional out here to observe that is all i can do for the time being,There both safe,and this will not occur again.

[ramanth]

I hope Lacy recovers quickly from her wounds. Fights like that are scary. :(

[krazyaboutkatz]

I've been reading this thread but I haven't replied until now. I'm so glad to hear that both dogs will be okay.:) I hope that you'll be able to keep them separated from each other from now on and that this won't ever happen again. I never knew that having 2 female dogs could result in something like this. I've learned some very valuable information today.

[Lori Jordan]

And your vet saying spaying would help is very wrong, it does nothing to help, just as neutering does nothing to tame aggression.

I dont think he is wrong one ounce,It sure does calm them down,Spaying and Neutering is not only to prevent litters.

[BC_MoM]

I am not missing any point,There was a problem im fixing it,When they have battled before,it has sounded worse than it really was,And when i spoke they stopped instantly.

I was not home when it happend,My daughter was,and she had no control of the situation,They have not had any problems for months.

There seperated.Until i have a professional out here to observe that is all i can do for the time being,There both safe,and this will not occur again.

Then Lacy and Molly cannot be around each other when you are not home. Unless someone is home who can control them, they CANNOT be together, unless you want something like this happening again.

Also, spaying a dog = calmer dog is not true.

[luvofallhorses]

I am sorry this happened. :( have you tried crating and rotating them at all? fights can be scary. :( have you done NILIF too? you have to make sure you are the alpha at all times and not them. I know how fusturating this can be. :(

[IRescue452]

Even if you are home with them, I'd use soft muzzles when they are together at any time, even on leash.

Aren't females great!? I always hear people say they don't want two males, and I'm always confused by it. Females are the fighters. Heck, my female rats would kill each other if they ever got in a big scuffle. My males; rarely the tiniest puncture in a male scuffle. Females of all species are much worse together.

[Lori Jordan]

Even if you are home with them, I'd use soft muzzles when they are together at any time, even on leash.

Aren't females great!? I always hear people say they don't want two males, and I'm always confused by it. Females are the fighters. Heck, my female rats would kill each other if they ever got in a big scuffle. My males; rarely the tiniest puncture in a male scuffle. Females of all species are much worse together.
Aint that the truth!Personally i have always liked Males,Hubby likes the the females,Im lucky i got Storm lol.Out of them all he is the most laid back....The others are great dogs,But everyone likes what they like...

[jackie]

I don't have any advise, just wanted to say that I think it is great that you are working with both the girls on the problem, so many people would re-home a dog rather then tackle the problem.

Good luck.

[Lori Jordan]

I don't have any advise, just wanted to say that I think it is great that you are working with both the girls on the problem, so many people would re-home a dog rather then tackle the problem.

Good luck.

I would never do that,There both here to stay i adore and love them both,This is not easy by anymeans,Im sure this is going to be a up and down process,I dont ever want to go through that again,Poor Lacy is really banged up.

She was weighed,And she is 54 pounds i find since she has been spayed she is really puttin on the pounds.

[wolf_Q]

I'm sorry to hear this. I hope both Maggy and Lacy will be feeling better soon. Are you still going to get the other newfie?

[Lori Jordan]

I'm sorry to hear this. I hope both Maggy and Lacy will be feeling better soon. Are you still going to get the other newfie?

To be honest,I Dont know i'm a little scared.Im not ready for that now,I dont want thousands of dollars of vet bills!She is a female also,We were offered to take a male if we wanted.The pup is just over 2 weeks,Even though we put a down payment,I know if we decide against it the pup will find a loving home.

[shepgirl]

KrazyaboutKats---- you don't have to give up on owning two females or two males together in the same house. I've had males together and females together without a problem...right now I have 3 females and one male and still have no problem. It all depends on how you treat the dogs and how you train them from the very beginning. It's something that you have to be very vigilant about and notice every little change in body language, and there will be telltale signs long before a fight breaks out, this is the time to make detours so that the fight never materializes. One of my females isn't spayed and it still causes no problem. Don't rely on spaying or neutering to avoid confrontations, it doesn't work that way. Some people have their males altered to make them less agressive and that doesn't work either as they soon find out. If you would like both female and male go for it, just do the homework beforehand.

[Lori Jordan]

I really do disagree....You cannot prevent two females from fighting,On how you treat them and train.All my dogs have been in training when you have two head strong dogs...there is nothing you can do about that.Lacy and Molly are fine today they have been licking eachother through the gate.


There is no sign...They took one look at eachother and went at it,How are you supposed to take that,Dogs look at eachother all the time.

And females that have not been spayed can sometimes be worse,with all the hormones running through them,I can honestly say Lacy is not half as bad then she was before i had her spayed.


All dogs are different....And i truly believe that temperments do change after being spayed or neuterd,I have seen it with my own dogs.

[krazyaboutkatz]

KrazyaboutKats---- you don't have to give up on owning two females or two males together in the same house. I've had males together and females together without a problem...right now I have 3 females and one male and still have no problem. It all depends on how you treat the dogs and how you train them from the very beginning. It's something that you have to be very vigilant about and notice every little change in body language, and there will be telltale signs long before a fight breaks out, this is the time to make detours so that the fight never materializes. One of my females isn't spayed and it still causes no problem. Don't rely on spaying or neutering to avoid confrontations, it doesn't work that way. Some people have their males altered to make them less agressive and that doesn't work either as they soon find out. If you would like both female and male go for it, just do the homework beforehand.

Well I'm not looking to adopt any dogs any time soon because I already have 6 cats. I don't know much about dogs and I always thought that males were much more aggressive than females so this thread was kind of shocking to me but also informative.

I know with cats that the females are much more territorial than the males and if you have a lot of femles then you can also have a lot of behavioral problems. This is one reason I'll only have 2 females at a time and luckily both of my females have very different personalities so there shouldn't be any problems between them.:)

I also always thought that spaying and neutering animals would make them less aggressive especially the males.:confused:

[Glacier]

I don't know much about dogs and I always thought that males were much more aggressive than females so this thread was kind of shocking to me but also informative.

I know with cats that the females are much more territorial than the males and if you have a lot of femles then you can also have a lot of behavioral problems. This is one reason I'll only have 2 females at a time and luckily both of my females have very different personalities so there shouldn't be any problems between them.:)

I also always thought that spaying and neutering animals would make them less aggressive especially the males.:confused:


Male dogs fight for dominance usually and for the most part, they quit when the other dog gives up--speaking of a one on one battle, a pack fight is a whole different thing. Males will look and sound like they are killing each other, but often do no actual physical damage. Most often they go back to being buddies once the "who's the boss" issue is resolved. I've only ever had one male I couldn't reintegrate into the main pack after a fight and that was a pack fight, not a dominance issue.

Females start to fight for any number of reasons, but they fight differently than males once they start. They fully intend to hurt each other and will not stop, even when the other dog is unable or unwilling to fight back anymore. The worst fight I've ever broken up was two female malamute mixes, littermates. If Stuart hadn't been home to help me, I have no doubt that Kayleigh would be dead. I've broken up 15 dog pack fights alone, but I could not seperate those two females. Females hold grudges. They tend not to go back to being buddies once they've had a battle. They tend to look for the next opportunity to try again!

I have 8 females in my pack. Only the seniors are ever left in the same area when no one is home to supervise them.

Altering an animal does not change the basics of their personality. It has many benefits and may calm things down. I couldn't keep unaltered dogs in the pack setting my dogs live in. It would be chaos all the time. A dominant male will still be dominant after the big snip. A female who doesn't like other females will feel the same way after she's spayed.

Interesting about the cats. I'd never heard that about groups of female cats and I dont' find that here. 5 of my 9 are females. My only one with territorial issues is a male! Course it is one of the girls that sets him off most!

[shepgirl]

I've never owned cats so what you described really surprised me...I always thought cats slept all day and were too independent to look at each other. I know lots about dogs, maybe I should learn about cats too....believe it or not, cats scare me and I have no clue why....lol.

[AnimalLuver90]

there can be many ways to stop this in an easy way or even a difficult way but it's worth the risk. if you see your dogs are about to fight, walk up to them (don't run) and use in a loud and firm voice a commanding, "NO!" trust me, your dogs will pay more attention to you more than the battle that will about to start. another way you can keep your dogs from fighting is keep the more rough dog in a crate and leave your other dogs in an area that they cannot see the new puppy. only leave them alone when YOU, THE MASTER IS AROUND! otherwise, they will definitely want to fight each other when their owner is not around.

[pitc9]

I'm so sorry you're going through this. :(
From my own past experience I know that owning 2 females can be quite challenging.

I hope you are able to help your girls.
I hope Lacy heals up quickly too!

[Lori Jordan]

I'm so sorry you're going through this. :(
From my own past experience I know that owning 2 females can be quite challenging.

I hope you are able to help your girls.
I hope Lacy heals up quickly too!

Thank you,Lacy is doing alot better she is not laying around like she was.

I have to keep the wounds open,Which has been very hard.

She is on strong antibiotics for 10 days,Then they would like to see her back to see how she is healing.