A therapeutic miniature horse is now the one requiring care after its ear was bitten off in an attack by two pit bulls south of Nanaimo on Monday.
The two-and-a-half-foot-tall horse, named HaliBerry, was first attacked by the dogs in its stall and the attack continued out into the field, said the horse含羞草研究社檚 owner, Eileen Stevens, of Golden Maples Farm in Cassidy.
含羞草研究社淢y horse is very badly injured, she含羞草研究社檚 missing her left ear, but she含羞草研究社檚 a fighter 含羞草研究社� and she含羞草研究社檚 going to recover,含羞草研究社� Stevens said.
The dogs broke through her stucco wire fence 含羞草研究社渓ike it was spaghetti含羞草研究社� and Stevens spotted them outside her door when she went to take her horse for its morning walk. After she realized what was happening, she phoned her brother who came right away, and the two of them tried to fight off the dogs with a walker and a broom.
含羞草研究社淚t was so frightening because it was all happening so fast, but it seemed like so long含羞草研究社卟菅芯可鐫 Stevens said. 含羞草研究社淚 just wish I could stop the pictures in my head. To see her running and then when that dog got her ear, part of me says, thank God I don含羞草研究社檛 have full hearing because I couldn含羞草研究社檛 hear her scream. Because horses will scream.含羞草研究社�
Stevens said she decided to talk to the media about the incident both to correct some misinformation that was spreading, and also to let people know about the dog owner含羞草研究社檚 response. She said he surrendered his animals to be euthanized and is paying all her veterinary bills.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 such an unfortunate accident because this man has lost his two dogs now and they含羞草研究社檙e family pets含羞草研究社卟菅芯可鐫 Stevens said. 含羞草研究社淚 know his pain, because I含羞草研究社檝e had to put animals down before and I含羞草研究社檓 just hoping and praying that we don含羞草研究社檛 have to do that with HaliBerry, that she含羞草研究社檚 going to pull out of this.含羞草研究社�
The horse is going to survive, said Colin Scruton, equine surgeon at Equerry Equine Surgery and Sports Medicine hospital in Nanaimo. He said if the bites near a joint had become infected, or if the bites had punctured the abdomen, 含羞草研究社渢hen yes, it could have been worse, but no, it wasn含羞草研究社檛 worse.含羞草研究社�
Scruton said although treating a horse for dog bites isn含羞草研究社檛 common, it comes down to wound management. Cleaning up the wounds took a long time and the horse was given antibiotics.
含羞草研究社淥ur next challenge is to allow the wounds time to heal and hopefully where there once was an ear canal, for the wound to [heal] so at some point we can skin graft it in the future,含羞草研究社� he said.
Scruton said psychologically, the horse seems normal.
含羞草研究社淪he was in a lot of pain and suffering and shock for the first day, but she含羞草研究社檚 very interactive [now],含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚 have photos of her playing with my son yesterday.含羞草研究社�
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Stevens said she once owned a pit bull 含羞草研究社渁nd it was a lovely animal含羞草研究社� and said she thinks Monday含羞草研究社檚 attack was just a case of dogs getting together and having a 含羞草研究社減ack mentality.含羞草研究社�
Stevens said a farrier, who is a friend of hers, has agreed to look after HaliBerry for the time being. Stevens said she might start up a GoFundMe to build a new shed because she含羞草研究社檚 concerned the existing stall will no longer seem like a safe space for her horse. The therapeutic care HaliBerry has provided will be on hold. Stevens said some people like to brush and talk to the horse, or a two-year-old might just sit on the horse and giggle.
含羞草研究社淪he含羞草研究社檚 that gentle. Everybody falls in love with her,含羞草研究社� Stevens said.
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