I was in the studio yesterday working. Jack had gone out across the near and far fields to do some field mowing with the tractor. I heard the shelties yapping all the way as they always do and then I heard the most painful, repetitive yelping. After about 9 yelps I bounded out the door and ran down the hill into the woods where the pain emerged from. Not the scene anyone wants to mentally work through. I was thinking "one of the pups has gotten entangled in the tractor and Jack doesn't know it"...help, help. By then the yelps were up to 25-30.
I called both Luna and Kalie's names over and over as I ran the distance and then Luna heaved into the path, encased in mud, limping and with a swollen eye. Not to mention a bit blown out! I looked at her quickly but then thought maybe Kalie is the worser victim...and I couldn't find her. Jack was mowing the far field unable to hear me. I ran on until I got him to shut down and help me search and rescue. As I approached Jack a huge doe bounded across the field in front of his tractor.
And then I knew. Luna had wandered into the woods and found a cute little fawn to play with, not realizing the mother was going to have no part of it. That doe pummelled Luna with her front feet and I heard ever hoof hit her as she yelped. Quite a sound, really.
Kalie, our smarty-pants sheltie was already at the house with her tail tucked in and Luna was just a muddy, achy mess, sitting in front of my studio. We cleaned her up but I decided (against my better judgement about the gouging vets charge for each visit, sorry if you are a vet but the charges are out of sight, thank you!) to have her checked to be sure she didn't have internal bleeding or broken bones. Here's Luna on the way to the vet...she looked good in this picture but she was truly miserable.
Result...shaken not stirred. She got lots of pain meds, we got a big bill. This is Luna on the way home from the vet. You can see where they shaved her back to determine the amount of bruising and damage. Her eye is fine after a bit of treatment, thank God.
Luna, Luna, Luna. Don't mess with Mother Nature or any mother for that matter!
oooh they do distress us so, these woofers with their own minds about things...very glad to read that Luna is not worse off than she is. One angry doe can do so much more damage. Pats & best wishes to Luna for a speedy recovery.
ReplyDeleteSpeedy recovery to poor Luna! So glad she wasn't hurt more. I cringed when I read Jack was mowing, but so relieved it was only beating from a doe. She's very lucky she didn't lose an eye.
ReplyDeleteoh, poor pup. my border collie will dash off when we're in the woods to herd deer. i can hear her voice as she circles and circles, stops, then comes back to me. but your poor girl!
ReplyDeleteyour poor sheltie! my border collie love to herd deer, and i can hear her barking as she circles them in the woods, then stops, then comes back to me. she's never had such a horrific encounter, though.
ReplyDeleteall is well thankfully but i was stuck with the vision of the mower nightmare for awhile. new rule here...no dogs running while machinery is as well. they tie up nicely and can watch from afar!
ReplyDelete.. close call! hope she's learned something from this (some do & some never do .....) ~ m.
ReplyDeletePleased to hear that the dog will be fine. Remember, venison IS tasty....
ReplyDelete