Radley and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!

It was just a typical Sunday evening. We were reaching that point where I knew it was time to get the little ones in their jammies and to brush their pearl whites, but I hadn't psyched myself up enough to actually get started. When all of the sudden, there was a knock at the door. I wasn't in a hurry to answer it. I usually like Chad to answer the door and he was deep into watching Top Gear clips on You Tube. Then the knock became more persistent. I ran down our stairs and looked out the window. The fog was thick on Sunday, so all I could really see is a soft glow from a flash light and some one behind the light, but I couldn't tell who it was. So I was a little freaked out. It made me a little nervous. But the sight I saw when I opened the door was not even close to what I could ever imagine. In the arms of my neighbor was our sweet little puggle Radley. She was bleeding profusely and very hurt. I was to stunned to even register what she was telling me. I held Radley in my arms numbly thinking that our dog was bleeding to death in my arms. The only thing I could think to do was call for Chad, because Chad is my rock, my stable place, and I needed to find some kind of footing at that moment. After Chad came down the stairs, everything was just kind of a blur. I remember coming up the stairs and holding Radley in my arms while Chad searched google to find an open all night animal ER, which we did in Sunset. We through the kids in the car and rushed off to Sunset hoping against hope that they could save Radley.



She was attacked by a big dog. We believe it was a pit bull mix. She really stood no chance. Chad was preparing me the whole ride to the vets office of the possibility that we wouldn't be bringing Radley home. They told us that they were going to have to shave her to see the extent of the damage. The Doctor was going through all of our options, and it sounded grim. We signed a paper then left our little girl in the hands of the doctors and nurses at Animal ER. We then waited by the phone in anticipation of the news we would receive. The good news is, the dog couldn't get a good grip on Radley. He couldn't get his jaws open wide enough to crush her. We at first thought it was because our puggle is pudgy. But when we got home, we noticed her shock collar. She is a yelper, so when she goes outside to go to the bathroom, we slip on her shock collar. It was dented with teeth marks. We realized then that the dog couldn't get to Radley's throat. Her collar is what saved her life.

I picked her up hours after dropping her off. Poor Radley was going to be in pain for a while, have scars, but as long as infection doesn't set in, she will be fine. Needless to say our relief is substantial. Her head is full of puncture wounds and bite marks. She has multiple stitches all over her head, neck and chest. She has 5 drains in her face to drain the fluid and bacteria that is pooling in the pockets created by the attack which will come out in a week. She cowers every time she hears a big dog bark and is extremely tired and cuddely. But, over all, she is doing amazing. Before we know it, she will be enduring Evan's body slams and Lauren's "make over" sessions yet again.


(Because she is a black dog, it is hard to see in these pictures just how banged up she is. Believe it or not, these pictures really don't do her injuries justice.)