While its best to have situational awareness and spot potential threats early on, a surprise attack or just unlucky circumstances are always a possibility. It can be a bite, and there are also several other means by which this disease can spread. Guide to Traveling with Dogs in a Car Long Distance, Which Stores Allow Dogs? What To Do If a Dog Bites You: Steps To Take Immediately. Groundhogs are known carriers of the virus, which causes flu-like symptoms that progress into delirium, hallucinations, and insomnia. When others came to try to help her, the groundhog turned on them, too! At the very least, there should be reprecussions for this man as he seemingly aimed for the head (? As responsible owners, its our job to be physically and mentally prepared for these situations and at least try our best. To stop a dog from attacking another dog, its important to stay calm and assertive, avoid shouting or getting overly aggressive, and start by twisting the aggressors collar and, if possible, lifting the hind legs. Depending on your local law, you shouldnt count on that though, especially if you have a breed thats affected by breed-specific legislation. All dogs have a varying potential to bite. 5. Stay calm and assertive, call for help and give clear instructions if possible 2. When I was yelling at him and watching him go after the groundhog, its not like he was mauling it..? As soon as you find out, you should take him to your vet for a quick checkup. Groundhogs have thick brownish fur and claws that help the burrow underground. I actually prefer this method over grabbing the rear legs as it helped me in the past. Groundhog tunnels can often be 6 feet long and have dozens of exits. Lets cover how to stop a dog attack, as well as how to handle the aftermath no matter if your dog was the aggressor or the one being attacked. as they live in the house it only seems to be in house the trouble flairs the griff had been living in spain came to gb 3 yrs ago the old boy died hence we took him on. Once the fight is over, do a health inspection of your dog and if you notice something unusual, take your dog to the nearest veterinary clinic. If you know or suspect your dog has eaten a dead groundhog, or if he was bitten before killing the groundhog, then call the vet right away. Answered by Dr Lajos in 57 mins 13 years ago. ), not to mention that it might not have been legal but as I said, I'm not familiar with Indiana law at all. Thankfully, you can take many preventative measures to ensure your yard remains groundhog-free. Theyre often spotted in backyards and parks, diving into their underground burrows to avoid confrontation with predators and other curious animals. You can also treat your dogs wounds at home by rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. Dog-on-dog attacks are happening across Melbourne more often than people think. Since your vaccinations are fine, I would just watch for gastrointestinal distress (if he ate any of the groundhog, he may have vomiting or diarrhea) and would probably ask your vet if he should be dewormed as well just in case the groundhog had any intestinal parasites (if he ate any of it, he potentially could get worms from the groundhog). In fall, groundhogs also eat roots, leaves, barks, and twigs of trees as plants become scarce though they prefer plants and vegetables. This is why we went tonthe expense of making what was supposed to be a secure kennel ( it's the length of our house). Evaluate how much stress the attack is worth to you and if you feel like worse could happen in the future. They are herbivorous animals and usually eat grass, leaves, and selective fruits. This is extremely important as you don't want your dog to eat it since groundhogs often carry infectious diseases. Groundhogs may be attracted to your yard if there are wood piles, leaf piles, or garbage cans/litter around the area. Image Credit: Justin Dalton-Fiallo, Shutterstock. Dachshunds were bred to go down the burrow of badgers. This disease is spread through the saliva of an animal. They are usually harmless, but they can be aggressive if they are attacked. Moreover, if a groundhog bites your dog, this fatal disease can also be transmitted from the groundhogs body as these rodents are known as the carriers of rabies. Certain lines of breeds whose terrible breeders foster and feed traits such as aggression do exist too. But it turns out they have a very good reason to drag . Rat. Yes, even though they are herbivores, they have very sharp teeth. My dog got scratched in the face, but I'm just worried now about rabies. And yes, you should be worried if your dog has killed a groundhog. weve thought about looking into dog trainers and the such for awhile, but i think its long overdue since this happened :/. If you decide to take an owner to court over medical bills or the cost of your dog, having a police report on file will also help provide important evidence during your case. Then join our exclusive club! My Dog Killed a Groundhog Should I Be Worried? They weigh around 13 pounds (6 kilograms), which is about twice . Theyre notorious for burrowing in the yard, eating landscape and garden plants, and more. These symptoms will soon develop into something more serious, and your pet will start to hallucinate, and they can also experience insomnia and delirium. However, you'd need to consult a lawyer. Has your dog eaten a groundhog? If you see the dog owner, dont be afraid to ask them to leash their dog. He ended up with a long puncture in his neck that was a cm away from his jugular, stitches in both ears and his left dew claw ripped clean off. But, will they attack a dog if prompted? My Dog Ate Kong Rubber What Should I Do? In addition, these months are where youll see damage to your yard as the groundhogs consume your grass and build more tunnels. Groundhogs are also known as rabies carriers which can be transmitted to your dog through a bite. Some woodchucks are also aggressive. Our 2yr old Texas Heeler ( Australian Shepherd/blue heeler) was attacked about 2 weeks ago by neighbors 2 pit bulls. But they wake up early for love. Stay calm. Groundhogs are smaller in size compared to dogs. If bitten by a groundhog, gently wash and disinfect the bite site. Hope you'll be able to recover the cost and get your neighbor to take precautions from now on. Urination or defecation. If you have a backyard and rodents like groundhogs move in and around it, then there is a high chance that your dog can attack it, and this can also happen when you take your dog out for a walk. The local authorities will need to contact the pet owner to determine if the dog has been vaccinated. was he leashed and viciously attacked or not). Aggression and biting. Shouldn't the owner, knowing their dog is reactive have taken more precautions than just having it leashed? Providing advice, opinion, humor, information, and product reviews. Sometimes, your dog can be the problem too: Why Do Dogs Kill Kittens? Dogs have not always been domesticated animals. Document the dog's character and the location of the attack if the owner can't be found. If the attacking dog is listed as "dangerous" and your dog has to be put down, the owner may be held responsible for the original amount you paid for your dog. Try firmly telling the approaching dog a familiar cue, such as "sit" or "stay.". How did your dog behave? Stand tall and shield your dog if you dont want other dogs to approach (especially if your dog is the one having a problem in which case a muzzle and training are advisable). Their holes can be 8-12 inches in size. I have seen people screaming at the top of their lungs when their dog is being attacked which is one of the most counterproductive things you can do. Try to avoid doing anything confrontational, such as staring her in the eye, standing over her, or invading her space. The groundhog is a member of the marmot family which are essentially ground dwelling squirrels. Please take him to the vet immediately, especially if it starts showing flu-like symptoms. Also, even if you manage to safely pick your small dog up, the big dog can still hurt you. They are actually quite common across America and they can also snatch a dog. The owners have offered nothing not even remorse ( Briar couldn't get up an walk on his own without help for,48hrs +). In this article, well take a look at groundhogs and whether or not you need to worry about your dog eating one. and our I suggest doing so by carefully approaching your dog using a calm voice, averting your gaze, and turning your body away from her. However, Id never let a dog fight play out and instead always step in. So, theyre not nice, small rodents that are easily managed. Rabies can prove to be harmful to all mammals. Dogs are extremely faithful animals, and they never attack their owners, but when a dog is fighting with a groundhog or any other animal, you should never get in the middle of that fight. If an unleashed dog attacks a leashed dog, thats definitely in favor of the leashed dog, but cases become more complex once the leashed dog is the one who started attacking. How Do Groundhogs Dig Holes In The Ground? However, they will most likely be able to dig it out again. The 2 dogs dug into our yard into our dog kennel ( chain link on thier side with privacy fence and decking boards across the bottom, on ourside)outside. What Do I Do If A Groundhog Bites My Dog? While these animals aren't likely to go out of their way to attack a cat, their sharp teeth and claws can do damage. The chances of a groundhog causing rabies in a dogs body are rare, but the chances are not null. A police report was filed. Instead, using repellents to direct the groundhogs back into the woods is a preferred method for the whole neighborhood. I don't know for sure, but I think he hit it in the head, which did largely nothing. You can use carrots, sweetcorn, and other food items that a groundhog eats as baits. The following are some of the ways in which you can keep all the groundhogs away from your home as well as your dogs. Yes, a groundhog can attack a dog if they feel threatened and cornered. What I'm about to say is just my personal opinion, I'm not a lawyer and you'd need to consult one for this. Read on to find out. These are rodents that have large front teeth, which are used to cause damage to wood and other materials. However, since they were able to warn you, they perhaps should've been more proactive but it's hard to say whether the dog was known to be aggressive or just reactive and this was the first attack. Its also possible for dogs to pick up other diseases from eating dead animals, including food poisoning. I asked the woman to help me and we were finally able to free my dog. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'thepupcrawl_com-box-4','ezslot_6',133,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thepupcrawl_com-box-4-0'); If your pet dog attacks the groundhog, the woodchuck can bite your dog anywhere in the body. Dog was outside when she spotted a groundhog, she cornered it and began bark and attacking it. 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