A Harsher Side of Life in the Country

Apparently some of the "dogs" we've heard outside at night...are not really dogs.


And apparently, some of the "dogs" that BeBe has been barking at during the night were not really dogs.


BeBe had a run-in with some coyotes on Monday night.


Bottom line: Our sweet, sweet girl is o.k.    And she's back home now.   And we're so thankful.


I will gloss over the details of how Jas and I discovered her...and the van ride to the vet, as blood dripped out of her nose.

They had to sedate her and shave around her wounds.  She's got quite a few bald patches now. She stayed overnight at the vet clinic.  

The worst (by far) is on the right side of her neck, with the left side not far behind.  Then her left cheek.  Then her right shoulder...then her left elbow (is that what you call it on a dog?).

Dr. H said it looked like she'd been a "chew toy" for multiple animals.   Uggghhhhh

In talking with our next-door neighbors (the only house that is visible from ours) we now know how bad the coyotes have gotten around here.  The only reason that BeBe is still alive, apparently, is that our neighbors' two big dogs (buds of BeBe's) were with her when this happened.

She is glad to be home and is laying (semi) low.  She has been an exclusively outside dog - except for the two or three nights this past month that have dropped to freezing, when we brought her kennel inside the sunroom.  But I knew we needed to keep her inside for a few days when we got her home.  She's not sure what to make of this.  She doesn't seem entirely comfortable inside.  We set up a bed in a corner of the kitchen.  She's taken good naps, and then will get up, go outside for a potty break, and look a little chipper for a while...then nap again.

We're having to change her dressings twice a day and give her two different medicines by mouth.  It has been very interesting to watch the children, and to see who could handle a medical job...and who could not.

Lily Kay has been an absolute pro.  She has always been great with BeBe...and she has really stepped up to help me with all the doctoring.  She is compassionate, and confident in what she is doing.  She now says she wants to be a vet when she grows up.

BeBe's neck is almost grotesquely swollen.  We're supposed to take a picture of the wounds in the morning and text it to Dr. H (our friend) and see how he thinks things are progressing.  He really thinks we'll need to bring her back in for some debridement.  

BeBe isn't scared to go outside and she has been all over the front and back.  I'm glad.  Mostly.  I feel better when she's inside with us now.  

And now, one of the animals we are pretty sure we'll be adding to our homestead?  A donkey.  They are great at scaring (and kicking!) away coyotes.