It Could Happen To You

This past weekend, Michael was bitten in the face by a dog.  No permanent damage physically, no stitches needed.  Pretty sure he won't have rabies.  But still, nonetheless quite a traumatic experience all around. 

I know what most of you are thinking, a 3 year old and a dog don't mix.  You probably are assuming he pulled an ear, tail, snout, hit the dog, etc.  But, here's the sad fact.  He didn't do anything.  He was not touching the dog and sadly he was starting to back away from the dog.  No one knows why the dog snapped.  It breaks my heart to think about it.

So, I can give you the background story, from what hubby told me.  I wasn't in the room when it happened, but thank god he was standing next to him.  If he hadn't been, I don't think I would be sitting at my computer typing about it. I would most likely be sitting at a hospital bed praying that they could do something to recover his eyes/check/lips, etc.

Here is my disclaimer. Michael is extremely skiddish around dogs.  He does not like a dogs face - isn't that poetic?  He would reluctantly pet a dog because hubby or I would want him to but as soon as that dogs face would turn to him he would flinch and back away quickly. You can only imagine what getting over this fear is going to be like now.

Anyway, we went to visit friends about an hour away for the afternoon.  It was a beautiful Saturday during Memorial day weekend and we hadn't seem them in months.   They used to be across the street and we would be with them at least 2 nights a week for dinner so to say we were close friends was true.  But, they moved an hour away and don't have kids.  As all of you know, that makes it harder.  So anyway, we all get in the car and make our way there.  When we got to their house, they leashed the dog.  And seeing that Michael was a bit shy, they put him behind the gate.  James and I have should have just left him there.  They told us how the dog had snapped at another child for pulling his tail.  James and I should have listened a bit harder.  But, Michael was excited about the dog and James and my innocence really wanted him to be exposed to the dog because we want him to love dogs as we do.  So, dog's dinner time is coming and we have been there for about 30 minutes.  James and I had interacted with the dog and didn't find anything to make us suspect he shouldn't be around kids. So we offered to let the dog out from behind the gate.   We watch Michael like a hawk around dogs because he is a bit scared and we don't know if he would do something to the dog.  So, I sat on the floor with him and the dog and we pet it.  We taught Michael not to pet the dog unless the dog knew.  Michael was hesitant around the dog but again would only pet the bum.  I got up and walked into the kitchen to help prepare dinner. To this day I am so thankful that James stayed in the room.  That James was watching like a hawk.  That James was standing next to them.  The next thing I hear is Michael's screams.  I run into the room and he looks fine.  I ask if the dog bit him and they said yes.  I expected it on the hand.  I did not expect my son to lift his head up and his face to be covered in blood.

Maternal instinct is an amazing thing.  I have heard about those mothers that can lift cars off of their kids.  The thing about it is that once something happens to your child and you hear those screams that is the only thing you hear.  You are so completely focused on your child that nothing else being said or done comes onto your radar.  I have no idea what happened to the dog.  I have no idea how I sprinted across the room, how we got him into the kitchen, how I got my child into my arms.  I do not know if there was an apology, what the excuse was, what happened.  All I knew was that my baby was injured and I had to determine how to make it better.

So, after we calmed him down enough to see the injuries and determined that the dog had not ripped off his nose, lip, cheek, eye, etc.  We went to the hospital.  It comes to find out that he had a scratch a hair away from the corner of his eye from a paw, and 4 puncture wounds - 3 on his cheek and one in his lip. The dr said they tend not to stitch those bites and they like to let them ooze and heal on their own. 

So, what was the back story? The story from James is that Michael was kneeling in front of the dog.  James told Michael to stand up.  Michael was backing away from the dog when the dog snapped. No one knows why.  Maybe it was because Michael had a cracker in his hand.  Maybe the dog didn't like him in his space.  But something happened and in all tails of the story, Michael did not provoke.  He was not petting, hitting, leaning into the dog. But, still something spooked the dog.

So, that is the tale.  We will never know.  Thank god James was standing within inches and got the dog off in time.  Thank god it wasn't worse.

Comments

[Heather]

My heart skipped a beat (or several) reading this. So, so sorry this happened, but amazed and grateful that he wasn't more seriously hurt. *hugs*

[Cindy Coon]

Omigod, Christine! Thank goodness he's okay! This is my worst nightmare because Elizabeth loves dogs and has since she was a baby. She runs right up to any dog she sees often screaming with excitement. Every beach vacation we've been on I'm scrambling to get to every dog before she does to intervene. So scary! Hope he's healing okay and is not too traumatized.

[John Deere Mom]

So, so scary. Glad everything turned out okay. I hope he heals quickly...and you too. :)

[misty]

So sad. I am so sorry this happened...

we love dogs too... and my daughter is an animal lover, but one lesson she will not heed to is keeping her face away from animals faces. She's been mauled by cats (once, right across the eye lid.) and had gaping slash makes all over from this. she's been snapped at by dogs (little ones) and she still sticks her face in their faces. She has no respect for an animals boundaries at all.

It's gotten to where we just forbid her from going around our friends' pets for fear she'll end up having her face ripped off.

[Renee]

Oh my goodness Christine!! My eyes about popped out of my head when I read the first line! I'm so thankful with you that it wasn't any worse. Poor baby. I hope everything heals quickly.

[Danielle]

oh! my god.

I'm so sorry! That is terrifying. I hope you all recover from this soon!!