"you can't tell me they don't know what they are doing"

[threeplusfire]

My mother works in a vet clinic, and their everyday occurences are something crazier than a person with a 9-5 job pulling faxes or landscaping.

Yesterday, a man brought in his dog. It was a little black mixed breed named Daisy, an ordinary dog in so many ways. She had a rattlesnake bite to the face, and it made her entire head swell up to twice its normal size. Judging from the bite wound and the amount of venom in her blood, the dog was bitten by a large rattlesnake not long out of hibernation. It was full to the fangs of toxin.

They got to the vet pretty quickly. The man told them to spare no expense in getting anti-venom and treatment for his dog. Yesterday, someone at the clinic was always with Daisy. My mother spent two hours sitting with the dog, brushing cockleburrs out of her coat and talking to her. She said the dog was a stoic, sweet thing and she bore the injury gravely. But at some point, it became clear that the anti-venom wouldn't save her and the dog was suffering tremendous pain that would only end in death. The family made the decision to put Daisy to sleep to spare her any futher pain.

My mother spoke to the man this afternoon. He told her that he was out at the ranch with his family, walking around in the long grass and summer air. He heard Daisy give her intruder alert sort of bark, and started walking towards the dog. Apparently she saw the rattlesnake first, and tried to warn them away. But the man's young son was headed straight for the snake. Daisy literally threw herself between the boy and the snake. The dog saved his son's life.

My mother said she had goosebumps on her arms. She took the bite that probably would have killed that little boy, as the dog and child were of about the same size. I think we're all convinced that Daisy knew exactly what she was doing. The little boy was her family, and she protected him with her life.

Godspeed Daisy, brave little black dog.

Comments

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

I echo that thought. Brave little dog, indeed.

C...

[rm.livejournal.com]

Daisy!

[summerain.livejournal.com]

that story reminded me of this welsh legend.

http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/Wales-History/Beddgelert.htm

[schmidtybooger.livejournal.com]

When I was little my sister and I prayed and prayed for a dog. My mother went to five different shelters to try and find one for us, but none of them seemed just right. I always wanted a black and white dog because Oreos were my favorite cookies and I thought Oreo would be a good name for a dog.
One day my best friend who lived about three blocks from me had a stray wander into her backyard. Her family didn't havea fence so they couldn't keep her and since no one claimed the dog we took her in. She was a border collie and the best damn friend I've ever had.
I truly believe most pets come from a higher place and are sent when you need them most.
God speed Daisy. God speed good dog.

[patashoqua.livejournal.com]

I don't really understand dogs, but they amaze me.

And when you posted the story about your cats a while ago and your mom fighting off the neighbor's dog, I meant to ask if she works with animals.
She sounds like a very compassionate, tough person.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

She's always worked with animals, one way or another. She did a lot of Shitzhund training with the German Shepards, and even did some work training police dogs. Then when she decided she hated accounting, she quit her job and went to work as a vet tech. Now she manages the clinic. My mother has this wild, uncanny sense with animals. She knows what they will do, and she's fearless with them. (Well, except for the snakes. She hates snakes.) But watching her work with a dog, or treat an injured animal is interesting because it is just two steps this side of normal. She just seems to know, and I've seen her do it so many times.