Stitch my Hero

Monday is still replaying in my head.

I had gone to town, done my chores and noticed how pleasant the temps were especially with no rain. I thought as soon as I get the groceries put away I would surprised the dogs with a walk. Pretty much all winter has been too cold or rainy, so they haven't been for a walk in some time. I quietly got their leases only to realize they weren't wearing their collars. It kinda took away the surprise part but boy oh boy they were excited. Stitch was so excited he started to cough and Chaquita was spinning in circles. Taco on the other hand didn't really want to go for a walk but no way was he going to be left out.

I always wait till we get to the gate to put their leases on. As soon as I cleared the end of the trailer I saw the neighbors pull in their driveway but didn't think much of it. I put their leases on and out the gate we went. They immediately went on a sniffing spree, pulling and twisting up the leases basically good walking fun. The mailboxes are across the street and positioned directly in front of the neighbors gate. That is as far as we got.

The neighbors acquired a very large female Mastiff some weeks ago. This dog saw it's opportunity to assert her authority on my dogs and took it. The gate had been left wide open and she was coming. With her big long strides it only took her maybe 3 seconds (if that) to get to us.

I was thinking that she would come and they would all sniff and that was that. No, she didn't even take time to sniff. She engulfed her mouth over Chaquita's body and picked her up of the ground and proceeded to shake. By the second shake Stitch jumped in and drew the attention to himself. The mastiff dropped Chaquita and went nose to nose with Stitch. She opened her mouth and engulfed Stitches whole head, shook him back and forth two or three times before the neighbors boyfriend grabbed her by the collar and dragged her away.

What was I doing in this 10 second assault? I was on my hands and knees trying to get my dogs under my body and screaming my lungs out the whole time. Chaquita was in so much pain and shock she was biting me for touching her. Stitch was screaming in pain and Taco was hiding behind me. They were all still right there cause the leashes were still attached to my wrist.

Stitch ended up with two lacerations, one on both sides of his neck and a fat lip. BUT all I saw was that my dog was bleeding and Chaquita was still screaming but I couldn't see her injury. I was still screaming and crying, so much so that the neighbors thought it was me that had gotten hurt. They immediately tended to Stitches wounds while trying to calm me down and see what was wrong with Chaquita. I calmed and Chaquita calmed. She had a really large bulge on her tummy, but no blood anywhere.

They helped me get them back inside the gate of my yard, where I finally came to my senses and said I need to call the vet. I remember hearing one of the ladies saying "Internal damage" and the other lady saying "It doesn't look that bad" But really I wasn't listening at that point, I just knew I had to get to the vet ASAP.

Flying down the road and breaking some speeding laws on the way, just barely missing getting stuck by a train, we made it there in record time. I had called hubby just moments after we left the house to tell him what happened and where I was going to be at. I'm not even sure he understood my blubbering...vet, dogs, Mastiff, attack...I guess those were all the word that came out. I'm still wondering how I managed to get us there safely through teary eyes.

The vet looked over Stitch first since he was the one that was bleeding. I couldn't believe my ears when he said that it was just a superficial wound and just cleaned him up and gave him a pain shot. He did say that it was amazing that he was walking because attacks like I described to him usually result in death from a broken neck or end up paralyzed. His words not mine...He is one lucky dog!

I am still blubbering the story out to the doc as he is examining Chaquita. He says..Herniated and surgery all in one breathe. My mouth stopped and my heart sank. They quickly started taping up her belly, I let out a little laugh cause Chaquita refused to use her legs after that.

Stitch came home pretty much the same as he went but with antibiotics and pain meds. Chaquita had to be left at the vets for observation and preparation for surgery in the morning. Heart wrenching to leave her there, I didn't even get to say goodbye or give her any soothing words, they just whisked her out of the room.

As soon as I got home the neighbor was there wanting to know what happened. I really didn't want to talk to her at that moment cause I had created this anger at their carelessness of not keeping that dog more secure. Then come to find out while talking with her that this dog had just done the same exact thing to my other neighbors dog a few weeks ago. I told her that my hubby was on his way home and she had better have that dog gone before he gets here and walked away to tend to my dogs.

Hubby did NOT shot the dog, even though he wanted to super bad. If it hadn't have been for the fact that her kids were home and standing right there with her while talking to him, I am positive of what would've gone down. But my hubby the softie when it comes to kids, calmed down and left the situation gracefully as a grumpy teddy bear instead of a fierce grizzly bear.

We talked about our worries and fears for Chaquita and hubbies final words before going to bed were...She doesn't even have her blankie! We tried to sleep, but to no avail. I even resorted to taking a sleeping pill but even it only worked for a few hours. The replay was constant and kept me on the verge of tears all night.

The long awaited call from the vet came at 11 am. Her surgery went wonderful! She had no other internal damage and the quick thinking on my part and theirs had all her parts back in place as they should be before her surgery ever got started. AMAZING!

I am thoroughly convinced that Stitch's quick thinking, heroic actions and selfless sacrifice saved his sisters life and possibly all of ours. He is my hero!

There are so many different scenarios that have run through my mind as to how bad it could have been. "If" they hadn't been on their leashes, she would've picked up Chaquita and ran off with her. "If" Stitch hadn't jumped in when he did, Chaquita would be dead. "If" the neighbors hadn't have been there to pull the dog away, Stitch would be dead. Soo many "If's".

I am just grateful everyone is still alive and are on the mend. Now if I could just get the replay to stop and let me sleep.

P.s. The Mastiff is gone! I don't know where or how, just happy that it is gone.