Been A Tough Week

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Ranch Dog
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Been A Tough Week

Post by Ranch Dog »

When I came home Thursday a week ago, my wife told me my dogs had been missing since 1 pm. I had been at a prescribed burn all day and was tired and a bit upset that they took off. A little after 7 pm, they came dragging in and my Treeing Cur dog, Zeus, was beat up plus they were both in sad shape from the 100º plus heat. They both laid in a wildlife waterer out a ways from the house for about 30 minutes before they finished the walk home.

Zeus had finally tangled with something he should not have. He had eight hourglass shaped bits on his jaw, legs, and tail. Every so often while he walked, he would screech like a nerve in his back was pinched. I talked to my friend with The Nature Conservancy, the guy I was burning with, and he thought from the shape of the bites it was either a badger or a couple of young coyotes. Zeus stood up all that night as he couldn't get down and I doubt if he did he would get back up. So, off to the vet the first thing the following morning.

They put him on pain killers and antibiotics and said the best thing to do was to give him some time. His tail was dead, bitten through, and would need to be amputated, but the vet (three of them) thought it best to see if he improved over the weekend. I took him in Monday, and he was looking a bit better, but whatever was causing the spasms was still a real problem. The vets were also concerned about how extensive the beat down had been, and we discussed putting him to sleep. Instead, we were going to give him a few more days to see if his general health would get any better. It didn't, he was a mess, so I took him in yesterday afternoon and let him go.

Zeus was all dog and all GO 24-7, it is amazing how quiet it is out here without him. Honestly, I thought by now he would have ran head-on into a 6' rattlesnake as he was always looking for something to jack with. With that in mind, it wasn't a surprise and I told my wife that if they were not back at dark they were probably dead.

Rest in peace, Zeus, you crazy bag of fur! See you on the other side!

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Re: Been A Tough Week

Post by Ranch Dog »

Up until last Friday, Zeus had never missed a day delivering the paper to my dad. As soon as I let him out of the yard in the morning, he bolted the 300 yards to cattle guard where the paper would be laying, snatch it up and bolt the 400 yards to my dad's porch. Rain or shine. He did this since I got him in January.

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Once in a while, he would take a detour after a coyote or hawk, but he never dropped the paper until he hit the porch.
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Re: Been A Tough Week

Post by zippy »

Sorry to hear of your loss. Zeus sounds like a fine dog.
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Re: Been A Tough Week

Post by P89DC »

So sorry for your loss. You gave him a home when no one else would. He had a great life once he met you. We really get attached to them.
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Re: Been A Tough Week

Post by GasGuzzler »

There's more than one life lesson here in only two posts above.

Thanks for sharing.

How's the other dog doing? How are you doing?
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Re: Been A Tough Week

Post by rondog »

Dang, so sorry to hear this! My condolences. Sounds like he lived a great life as a ranch dog though.

We've got two old Beagles we're going to lose this year. One from old age and kidney disease, the other from cancer. Gonna be tough.
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Re: Been A Tough Week

Post by HarryAlonzo »

He couldn't have wished for a better Dad. So sorry for your loss.
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Re: Been A Tough Week

Post by Ranch Dog »

Thank you all. I'm doing okay and understand the loss will pass. Early on I braced myself for something like this because of how active he was. Laurel, the hound, seems to be doing okay. He is a total opposite of Zeus. Real quiet and likes to sit where he has a good advantage.

Rondog, sorry to hear about your dogs.
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Re: Been A Tough Week

Post by Mad Trapper »

Zeus, keep my family members company, see you on the other side.
One is Cherokee, an Australian Shepard, she saved my sons life one day when he got out of the house and was standing by the road,
She would even let the kittens jump up and down on her, well, after about the third time she would start growling.
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Re: Been A Tough Week

Post by TinMan »

Really sorry to hear this. My bet is that he's up in Heaven, chasing rabbits.
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