Thursday, December 3, 2015

So Much Pain Because the Dog Ran Out of His Yard...

בס''ד
We dog owners love our four legged furry pets. And as pet owners we know we have a responsibility to our pets:
-vaccinations
-medical care
-healthy food
-safe environment
-walking with a leash

We also have a responsibility to our neighbors and neighborhood:
-cleaning up after our dog
-not allowing our dog to run free
-not allowing our dog to jump and bite.

So why am I posting this blog? Most dog owners know their responsibility and are very responsible.

Last week, early in the morning, I went to take our Jack A Bee dog Patches for her morning walk. Patches always walks with a leash.

We were 5 steps from our house when a neighbor’s Belgian Shepherd ran from his yard and dashed down the street directly to us at full speed.

I started to scream, Patches pulled and jumped. The shepherd flew at her, banging into me. I lost my balance, fell down on the street and the dog pinned Patches flat on the street.

Patches did not have a chance to defend herself. Patches weighs around 20 kilos, the shepherd was double her size.

Fortunately, because we were outside my house, my husband heard me screaming and came running. Patches wears a harness and the Shepherd was holding onto the harness so tight that my husband could not pull her paws off the harness to release Patches.

Finally the dog’s owner came to help.  It took the two men to release the dog’s paws and free Patches.

He took his dog home, and Avraham and a neighbor who came out to see why I was screaming, helped me stand up. 

My heart was beating so fast. Truthfully, I don’t remember how I walked the few steps into my house.

Avraham went to examine Patches and my son led me to a chair. When I couldn’t sit down easily, I knew I was in trouble.

Our Injuries:

Patches:  Avraham examined her from head to toe and found no scratches or bites.

Me:  I wasn’t so fortunate. My knees were swollen and one knee was bleeding profusely. [It didn’t stop bleeding until the hospital treated it] My legs were also swollen and very bruised. Four knuckles on one hand had been scraped on the pavement and were painful to move.

When I tried to stand up, I couldn’t put any weight on my legs. I thought they were broken.  But my biggest concern was my heart.

While sitting on the chair, I had a hard time breathing and became very dizzy. 

Many of you know, I had a major heart attack last April and although I’m doing well, I’m still recovering.

My husband called a taxi and we went to Clalit [medical center]. [My son told me that Patches sat in the window and cried all the time I was gone]

The nurse saw me immediately. And after checking my blood pressure she called the doctor.

He ordered an electrocardiogram, and when he read the results, he said there were some changes that he didn’t like and told the nurse to call an ambulance for the hospital.

MDA [the paramedics] were wonderful. They hooked me up just in case I had a heart attack in the ambulance. They were ready for any emergency.

Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva is a very busy hospital. Their emergency room is always packed.

When I arrived at the emergency, I was attended to immediately. Since I didn’t have any chest pains, they sent me to the orthopedic section first.

Within 5 minutes, a nurse came, took my vitals and said the doctor would be in shortly. Two minutes later, 2 doctors came to see me. 

They examined my legs, and sent me for x-rays. The results were good..no broken bones.

In the meantime, the cardiologist was examining my EKG and reviewing my chart from the heart attack.  He said, my heart was okay, and that the changes that my doctor saw were the result of fear and anxiety.  

The nurse dressed my bleeding knee and wrapped an elastic bandage around my very swollen right leg and I was discharged.

All I wanted was my bed. Patchy, my loyal friend, parked herself beside me and didn’t move.

















8 days later:


I was still in extreme pain with difficulties to walk, sit down or stand up. I decided to go to the doctor just to make sure the pain I was feeling was normal pain.

It wasn’t…My doctor was horrified that I couldn’t stand up unaided and had to ‘jimmy’ myself up. He called the nurse to see if there was an orthopedic doctor in the building, fortunately there was and he called him. The doctor told my doctor to send me for x-rays and then I should come and see him.

The orthopedic doctor was wonderful. When he asked me what happened and I told him about the dog..his comment shocked me.  “Not again!”  Asking him what he meant, he told me that I would be shocked how many people are injured from dogs jumping on them.

He examined my legs very well and said that I have massive swelling which is the cause of the pain. He told me he was checking for fractures, and even though there weren’t any when the hospital checked.  He said sometimes, not often, they see fractures 48 hours later. Thank-G-D no fractures.  And then told me my pain can last up to month and I may need physiotherapy.

All this pain because a dog was able to get out of his yard.

But with all my pain I am also very thankful. The dog did not bite either of us. My heart is strong, no broken bones, and my husband was close by and was able to help me immediately.

That’s all for now
Feel free to comment and share.
Miriam

For your information:
-We notified all proper authorities. If you are attacked by a dog, you must make a police report.
-The dog had been vaccinated.
-The dog owners called to see how I was feeling.

From the SPCA Israel:
Rabies Vaccinations: an obligatory vaccine for all dogs when they are 3 months old, against the rabies disease which is contagious also to humans. The vaccination is given once a year. With the first rabies vaccine it is obligatory to inject an electronic chip into the dog, which is done only once in the dog's life. 

The Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for veterinary services in Israel. They told me that it is against the law for dogs to be unleashed on public streets and land. 

Violent breeds must be muzzled when outside. 

There are heavy fines for:
-an unleashed dog 
-no registration and electronic chip 
-not giving the rabies vaccine 

Let the Animals Live told me that their legal department said fines varies from municipality to municipality running between from 250 nis to 750 nis and a dog that isn’t vaccinated can be impounded.

If you have a dog that you can’t care for anymore, please do not abandon it. Bring your pet to a shelter. Israel has several. SPCA, Let the Animals Live, Rescue Me! Each has a web site.

The ministry posted this article about a court case against a man who cruelly abandoned his dog. 

http://www.moag.gov.il/agri/English/Ministrys+Units/Spokesmanship+and+Publicity+Department/publications/abandonment_of_a_dog.htm

This was the penalty for abandonment imposed by the court. The maximum penalty in the law for the offense of animal abandonment is a year’s imprisonment or a fine of NIS 76,500.

If you have any questions about pet regulations and laws in your area, contact the moetza [regional council ].

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing this informative blog post. I'm sorry you had to go through this horrific experience. Hopefully others will learn from your pain. May you have a quick refuah shelayma.

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  2. Exactly... all because the dog got out of his yard.
    Not acceptable.

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  3. Great blog - gosh, what a horror that was!

    Y M R

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  4. Glad you're mending but horrified that that incident caused you so much pain and suffering. Refua shaleima.

    Freyda

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  5. Wow, I am so sorry that happened to you! At the same time, I am thankful that you were not hurt worse and are on the mend now, and that Patches was not physically injured. It scares me when walking my dogs in public, even around my house, because of neighboring dogs that either are not contained or are, but I don't know whether or not they can get loose. Probably, in the old days, neighborhoods were more personally acquainted and one would have a better idea if the dogs around us were good with other dogs or not, but it's just scary because you never know. I don't, however, think there are "violent breeds," only violent people. God bless and keep you, speedy recovery.

    Rebecca

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  6. Hello, dear lady. I apologize: due to a very busy schedule, I am only just now seeing this. I hope you are feeling much better. I think you are quite rare, based on the mess I see on the streets and the roaming loose or frenetically barking dogs: I don't think so many dog owners feel their responsibility to their community as keenly as you do. I grew up with dogs, usually three at a time, and my parents were very strict about our dogs not roaming, and being trained to bark only at intruders. Patches and your community are blessed to have you. May you stick around in good health for long, happy years!

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  7. I'm glad Patches is unhurt and sending prayers for your quick recovery.

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  8. I only had the opportunity to read this tonight. What a NIGHTMARE dear Miriam! Whenever my husband and I go walking he (a heart patient) is always wary of walking in areas where he knows there are dogs because the sudden barking of one causes his heart to race and affect him for hours afterwards. What you described HERE (swollen limbs; bones that ached for weeks; the inability to stand for days) shows just how vital it is for dog owners to make certain that their dogs are securely tied up! I can only pray you bounce back from this distressing event and never ever have a reccurence ever again!

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  9. This post has been included in the latest Shiloh Musings: Blog Round-Up, HH of Sorts. Please take a look and share, thanks.

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