# I got bit by my basement tenant's dog!



## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

She is a gorgeous older dog, mostly pittie but with some ridgeback there too. She is nine years old. She loves me.. she will follow me around outside, I can smoosh her face and she gives me tons of kisses. She doesn't like our dogs, not aggressive with them but she will give them warning growls when they try to play with her. She has never bit/hurt one of them. Yesterday I was just sitting outside on the deck and Riley (the dog) was out there with me on the deck sitting beside me. And then she bit my hand for no reason. There was no food, I didn't move, nothing, no warning signs. She ripped the skin between my finger and thumb and I had to get four stitches as well as a puncture wound that almost went through my hand. 

They didn't ask at the clinic who the dog was so I didn't tell. I wouldn't have.. but I am really nervous around her now. What should I do about it? No medical expenses since they are covered by the government.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Did you tell her owners? Dogs don't really bite for no reason, even if we don't know what that reason is. I would be nervous around her too, especially if you don't know why she bit you. Is she ever around kids? Honestly, if she's in a position where people think she won't bite, and she does, she will have a history no one knows about if you don't let someone know.

I'm very sorry she bit you. That's a scary experience. If she's old, maybe she isn't seeing/hearing too well and maybe saw your hand as a threat, or something.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

She has no bite history, I did tell the owner. I didn't tell the authorities because a bite like that she will get put down likely, esp due to her breed. She can still see fine, she catches birds in the backyard! And her hearing is fine, too.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

yes, it would be nice if you could figure out why she did it. That's very odd.


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

that is strange. very odd. I wonder if it has something to do with age/sight, etc....

this one is tough.


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## Porphyria (Jul 13, 2011)

Maybe the owner should take her to the vet and have her checked out. Unprovoked biting is sometimes a sign that the dog is sick or in some sort of pain.


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## Maxy24 (Mar 5, 2011)

Any chance that it could be redirected aggression/frustration? You say she has a high prey drive (since she catches birds) is it possible she wanted to get an animal but was prevented by a leash or gate? Or even in dogs who are punished for attempting to chase animals can redirect because they really want to get at it but don't want to be punished, so they get upset. I remember seeing that in a Dog Whisperer clip of a dog who tried to go after the cat so they put a shock collar on him, instead he tried to bite his owner instead, good job guys.

What was she doing before the bite (I know she was sitting, but was she staring at anything, sniffing you, etc.)


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

Is there anything wrong with her health wise?I am wondering if something is affecting her for her to act out that way. Especially you say you were juts sitting thee. Did you have any smell on your hands meaning meat whatever? That is so unusual a dog would just bite for no reason. well there has to be a reason! Hmmmm! The dog didn't sense something on oyu ? Just seems there is a reason to this. Maybe it smelled your dogs on you. Gee that's sad though for you and the pup. Hopefully no one else (kids~elderly) or anyone for that matter, goes by the dog because then you just never know when the dog will nip. Sad.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

if there is no history, no overt illness, i'd be looking for something neurological....

sorry this happened to you...and quite frankly, until the cause is found i would stay away from the dog, if possible.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

She does have epilepsy but wasn't in a seizure. She has been acting normally now.


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## sozzle (May 18, 2011)

This is probably not much help but something similar happened to my daughter a few months ago. A friend of my inlaws visited with her new adopted stray dog, I think he is some sort of bulldog about 10. Veryfriendly and fine with other dogs but of course no known history, anyway my daughter was in the garden with him and my inlaws dog and she wasn't touching him and he suddenly bit her on the leg. It didn't break the skin but it did give my daughter a fright (she's 10) and knows not to tease dogs etc, it was very strange so we told the owner and I told her that she needed to watch out for that as next time it could be a small toddler and could do damage. I wondered whether or not his eyesight was poor or whether he also had something wrong with him. Hard to know really and awful that you have known the dog for a long time. Quite scary really and now of course you'll be very wary of it.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Wow....I'm sorry to hear this! I'm glad you got all stitched up.....hope you heal up quickly.

I have a few questions to try and get a better grasp on the situation, because things really don't just happen out of the blue...there are things either leading up to such events or causes that we don't see:

Was she sleeping, or resting next to you? 

Did you reach out to pet her, touch her?

Were you already touching her? 

Were you sitting down, standing next to her?

Was she sitting, laying or standing?

Anything going on in the yard? (other animals, birds, squirrels, etc?)

Did this happen right before or after meal time? Or a long time after food?

Were you eating?

What exactly were you doing at the time? 

I need to know all the nitty gritty details to even get an idea of what happened.......


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

She was just sitting beside me (I was also sitting) on the edge of the deck. She wasn't sleeping or anything, just kind of watching the outdoors. I kind of had my hand back, bracing myself, I wasn't touching her at all but my hand was maybe 4-6 inches from her. My mutts were playing but on the far side of the lawn, we have a big yard (1/4 acre). I didn't see any squirrels though I wasn't really looking and didn't notice afterwards (seeing as my hand was dripping in blood). As far as I know she is free fed kibble so I don't know when she ate. I wasn't eating though I did have a yummy margerita. I was reading a book in the sun. Tbh it was really unexpected, I didn't move suddenly or at all before she bit me. It's that what scares me. I understand a dog biting while being harassed or teased but not for no reason at all.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

How did she turn and bite you? 

How did she grip your hand?

Any shaking?

Or just bite, let go?

What did she do after she bit you?


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

My hand was behind her and to her right, she just reached around with her head and picked it up and grabbed it, one canine punctured my hand webbing and one punctured the flesh between my hand bones about an inch below my ring finger. She didn't give any warning signs at all. She didn't shake, she let go right away but the webbing on my hand kind of tore as I yanked my hand back (involuntary reaction). After she bit me she just went back inside. After I got back from the clinic she was her normal happy self. She likes me more than she does most people (she barks at guys). Normally when I see her she gives me a ton of kisses and her tail is just wagging like mad.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Huh. 

I'm stumped. 

Maybe it was a simple case of redirected frustration based on your dogs rough housing in the yard. 

Either way I would try and let go all of the feelings of being uneasy around her. She can and will pick up on those subtle cues you give her, and thus be on edge around you in return. I know its hard, but I would try if at all possible. Also keep arousal levels around her as low as possible....that means you, other dogs, etc.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

What was her behavior before she reached around and grabbed your hand? Did you notice if she ever looked back at your hand? Clearly she knew your hand was there so wondering if she looked back a time or two in the time you were both out sitting on the deck. All I can think of is that for some reason, strange reason, she did not like your hand being behind her and that close. Does she have any problems in her back area? Hips, legs, etc? 

Someone mentioned neurological...and you say she has epilepsy...maybe have the owner take her in to a specialist and check things out? Maybe something IS going on with that.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Idk about legs.. I know she will freak out if you try to cut her nails. Her hind end though, nope, she loves being smacked by her bum and I do it all the time! I don't know much about epilepsy in dogs but could she have gone into a partial seizure and then snapped out of it?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Its a possibility that she may have had a small seizure (one hard to even notice) and then snapped out of it and in the confusion reached back and grabbed your hand. Ugh...kinda a sticky situation....I think you handled it just right though.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

She isn't on meds to control her seizures, either. Her owners can't afford it and I doubt would pay for it even if they could. I'm just going to watch myself around her for now.. usually I smoosh her face up to mine and stuff but considering what happened probably isn't the best idea. I''m not scared exactly, I did go down and see her earlier to give her some chicken, I guess just more wary. 

If another bite does happen I may report it. I'd feel bad if a kid or something got bit. I am just scared she would get put down right away because she is a pit mix.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

bishopthesheltie said:


> She isn't on meds to control her seizures, either. Her owners can't afford it and I doubt would pay for it even if they could. I'm just going to watch myself around her for now.. usually I smoosh her face up to mine and stuff but considering what happened probably isn't the best idea. I''m not scared exactly, I did go down and see her earlier to give her some chicken, I guess just more wary.
> 
> If another bite does happen I may report it. I'd feel bad if a kid or something got bit. I am just scared she would get put down right away because she is a pit mix.


with all the questions natalie asked and you answered about behavioural reasons for this....it still sounds neurological to me....mainly because we had a dog just like you're describing....

sweet for the most part and then unexpectedly bit. 

it escalated and then my father in law came into the office that we had in our home...they lived with us at the time, and he just attacked his leg....

we had a necropsy done...because it just kept getting worse....and it turned out to be a tumour in his brain..

first time i ever put a dog down for what seemed like a behavioural thing, but wasn't....it still haunts me, even though my vet was right in her guess.....and he was getting worse..


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