Maggie - Dog Fight - Tongue Laceration
 She's ok. Happy, active and playful. The mean dog also lunged at Chummie before the owner finally took her out of the park. She was very apologetic. |
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OMG, Val!  How scary that had to be for you! Poor Maggie!  And going after poor, mild-mannered Chum, too? Grrrrr! Visions of the pit bull and Carl all over again. 
Apologetic????? How about coughing up some buckos for the vet bill? Has this dog been in the park before? I would report them to the park association too. Good luck. Please let us know as soon as you get back from the vet, and give that girl a big hug from me and Drez. |
| It was scary. Maggie received lots of praise for how she handled it because she defended herself but did not escalate the aggression. The attack on Chum came out of nowhere. She was just lying off to the side, minding her own business. Everyone at the park rushed to Chum's defense. The woman gave me her name and address as she was leaving but I am not sure I would want to ask her to pay the bills since it seems like a not completely unanticipated consequence of over-excited play. If she had managed to sink her mean sharp teeth into Chum, that would be a different story.
I had seen the dog once or twice before, including about 3 nights ago. The dog was often snarling so I kept a close eye on her and asked the owner alot of questions. Some dogs just make alot of noise, I thought. The owner said that when she was adopted, she could not bring her to the park because she was really dog aggressive but she said she had not had any incidents of actual biting and she had worked hard to socialize her. And nothing particular scary happened that night. But I should have known better. When she arrived last night, the dog immediately went and threw herself on her back for all to sniff, so I guess I let my guard down. Then these two standard poodles came in and got everyone all riled up. . . It was after that that the dog snapped and attacked. |
| Poor Maggie! |
| How scary!! Poor Maggie!! Poor Chumley!!
Is she doing okay this morning, Val? |
| Yes, she actually seems fine. She played happily this morning and is being very good about letting me open her mouth to take a look. The gash is pretty big -- clear through the side of her tongue and maybe 1/2 across. It is still bleeding on and off. It doesn't seem to be swollen or anything (maybe because she's already on antibiotics for her tummy). Her right paw is pink all the way to her elbow from the blood from her mouth and her wet chin. I am bringing her to the vet in an hour and will let everyone know what he says. |
Bless her little heart - what a sweetie. I'm glad she seems to be taking it all in stride and is acting like herself. That's a good sign.  |
| Poor puppy. Give her a big rub for me... |
| Just for next time:
Any gashes or cuts to mucous membranes or soft tissue can be hard to control the bleeding. A nasal spray with neosenepherine in it can be used to help control the bleeding. Just apply it to the cut area, it will constrict the blood vessels in that area and slow or stop the bleeding. They can't stitch the tongues in humans so I'm going to guess they can't do it for dogs either. Hopefully Maggie will get a clean bill of health! Carl says he'll come over and help her recouperate!!! |
| How scary! Hugs and kisses to all. |
Val. When Sue and I took the kids to the park about a month ago, Panda had bit her own tounge...a round puncture wound where her canine tooth is....it was hard to stop....and even harder to apply pressure to a sheepies tounge who didnt want your hand in her mouth  I got it to stop..but dang, it does bleed a lot!
Hope Mags feels better....xo |
| Thanks everyone! Mandy, I was really wishing you were around last night to tell me what I should do. Thinking of how you handled Carl, I did stay calm.
I've been able to see the gash very clearly and it is definitely a 1/2 diagonal sever -- not a puncture. Basically, her tongue looks like it has a thumb. My vet says he has sutured tongues before and while it can be hard to stop the dog from fussing with the stiches, if they stay in, it has a good chance of healing. So I left her there for him to give it a try. Seeing her tongue dangling in pieces looks horrible so I hope it works. Maggie was an absolute angel through the examination and does not seem to be too bothered by it (but she cannot see it). Darcy -- how is Panda's tongue now? |
Wet and slobbery  ....didnt phase her at all either....gave her icecubes though, In my mind that seemed to help...... |
| Wow, and I thought I had a rough night/morning. I can't imagine how devastated you are (once it happened and now). YOU seem to be handling it so well. I'm glad the owner of this other dog didn't leave on bad terms and gave your her number. I hope her tongue can heal properly. Yuki sends her kisses. |
| The ice cubes will definitely help!! Cold will constrict the blood vessels which is why they tell you to put ice on an area where you're probably going to get a bruise. Less blood flow to the area, smaller bruise. Good thinking!!
Val, don't you have my phone number? I thought you had it from the day at the dog park? If not, I'll send it to you. Besides this kind of stuff, you never know when a rockin' party is going to break out in Philly and I need to be alerted! You'll also be able to leave weird messages for me like Chris and Jil! 
If the vet is able to stitch her tongue you need to take pics so we can see his handiwork. |
Maxmm wrote: Val, don't you have my phone number? I thought you had it from the day at the dog park? If not, I'll send it to you. Besides this kind of stuff, you never know when a rockin' party is going to break out in Philly and I need to be alerted! You'll also be able to leave weird messages for me like Chris and Jil!
If the vet is able to stitch her tongue you need to take pics so we can see his handiwork. Send me your number! If I had it, I lost it. I should have taken before pics. . . He says he does a 3 part thing where he sutures the middle (in terms of thickness) portion together and then the top and bottom. Maybe he's just racking up the big bucks but I figured it was worth a try. I'll also add that Maggie's whole right arm was pink this morning from the combination of blood and her wet chin. When I first saw it, I thought "oh no, I must've missed a bite" but a close investigation turned up nothing. Joahaeyo -- thanks for the support. I still think your situation sounded more scary because the cause was unknown. I will hop over to the other post to see if there's been good news. . . |
Geez you guys! Remind me not to go to any Philly dog parks! 
I hope Maggie recovers nicely. Bentley sends her a nice slobber on the top of her head, LOL. Here's to the Amish Farm and House! |
| Vet says the procedure is finished but Maggie needs another 30 minutes or so to fully wake up before she goes home. She will need pain meds, more antibiotics, and moist food. I hope the stiches aren't worse than the untreated gash. . . |
| Poor Maggie I hope she recooperates quickly. |
| If you have crushed ice at home, like snow cone style, it'll probably help to give her some to ease the swelling over the next day or two. Regular cubes might be hard for her to chew and cold water might make her throw up.
Get better soon, Maggie!!! |
| I can probably get crushed ice at the wawa. . . I don't have one of those fridge dispensers. |
| At least she gets snow cones out of this whole thing. |
| Valerie-you could probably crush the ice in the blender or food processor...poor puppy! |
| Poor baby! I hope she doesn't relate the pain and all to the dog park. Was the dog a breed that is common, and she could perhaps prejudge in the future?
We learn so much on this forum! |
| What a trooper Maggie is. Give her a hug from us when she comes home from the vet. You are handling this very well - I would say you and Maggie are two of a kind. Best of luck. |
| Gee whiz you guys. You are so great. I guess I figure it could have been alot worse and I am lucky to be able to afford the medical bills. Maggie really has been exceptional. She's so gentle and calm. She is snoozing down, a little goofy from the anesthesia or the pain killer they gave her. Chum got up close to have a look at it - that was kind of cute.
You can see a picture of it up close if you click on my camera. The gash part extends to just past the two visible stiches. He says the rest of the stiches are internal so she can't get at them. The rest of the injury is surface only. He had to snip bits here and there that were "unviable." |
| Holy Cow!!!
Poor Maggie! Give her a red snow cone on Bentley's behalf please and belly rubs from me. What a girl you've got there - you can tell she's smiling in that picture. |
| Oh my!! Bless her heart! She really is a trooper! That looks so painful. Poor baby. Snow cones treats will help.
Bless your heart, Val, you're such a good mom. You're handling this all so well. I'm afraid I'd be a nervous wreck. |
| Pretty gruesome. She doesnt really seem to even realize it. |
| OUCH!!! That looks like it really really hurt!!! She deserves some flavor to her snow cone!!! Pandas was nothing like that...just a hole....give her a big kiss from us!! |
| PS....since you dont have an ice dispenser...(like us)....Mcdonalds sells ice through their drive thru...75cents a bag....for the good clear ice! Much cheaper and better than the grocery store....the bonus being you dont have to get out of your car |
| Oh, the poor baby!!! I know she's handling it well, but it LOOKS so darned painful!! And Val, I admire you through this whole thing - I'd be crying non-stop!!
Big belly rubs all around!!  |
| Oh, no! That looks really rough! Poor baby. I hope it heals up fast and she's back to normal. |
| Poor girl. (for like the 3rd time today!!) Maybe you can pour some chicken broth over the sno cone! |
Here's a picture you might enjoy. She's really loopy and zoned out and moving in really slow motion so I took these pictures while she was slowly falling asleep. These were not "continuous burst" -- this was really drawn out. She paused with her head suspended in each position before lowering her head a bit more. . . Then just when it looked like she would get comfy, she heard something and snapped up again.
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Darcy wrote: PS....since you dont have an ice dispenser...(like us)....Mcdonalds sells ice through their drive thru...75cents a bag....for the good clear ice! Much cheaper and better than the grocery store....the bonus being you dont have to get out of your car
Thanks for the tip! Of course, living and working in the city, I am rarely ever in my car.
Actually, the vet said I should give her room temperature water and moist food and water but not ice. I am not sure why, actually. The Vet Tech said something about it interfering with the stitches. She is very nice. I told them I should open up an account since Ive been there seems like every day for the past month. |
| OWWWWWWWW |
| I could see how the ice would be too sharp--dogs don't know how to gently suck on it. Maybe some chicken broth and rice at room temp? Those pics were cute. I've seen that slow motion lie down thing before! |
| Maybe I will soak her dog food with chicken broth. . . My concern is though that she is still recovering from post-Giardia bacterial imbalance so I am hesitant to introduce anything new into her diet. Is chicken broth generally well-tolerated by dogs with collitis? Poor Maggie has had a rough month. . . She's finally sleeping comfortably in a normal position. |
| I missed the beginning of this - your poor girl! She sounds like she was very brave and is being a good patient. |
| She is. SHe is being awesome. But as she lays here gently next to me, I can feel all the matts that materialized overnight.
She's never been this still before. . . |
| Her mouth is probably all frozen, like when you go to the dentist. That looks like it will hurt like the dickens once the freezing wears off! Ouch!
Remember nothing with salt (of cource), and maybe you can use some gel for baby's when they are teething and rub it on? Or rub it on something she chews, and it will get into her mouth and keep it numb ....Wow. |
| Ouch poor Maggie, that was some tongue laceration. Hugs from all of us and I hope it heals quickly. Poor little baby
What a scary day I would of been an absolute mess, you handled it so well val.
Chicken broth should be fine with colitis provided you make it yourself with just chicken and no salt, you can actually use the broth and soak the dry food in it to make it all sloppy and soft for her. Then you are not really changing her diet too much to upset her tummy again. HUGS MAGGIE we are all thinking of you and sending get well wishes.XX |
| ppr maggie hope it heals real quick. sending belly rubs her way |
| Wow! Poor Maggie and Valerie. That makes my tongue hurt.
I wonder if something like Miracle Mouthwash would help - or hurt her colitis? Magic Mouthwash-version I: Maalox(R), Benedryl, Lidocaine (antacid, antihistamine, anesthetic) Magic Mouthwash-version II: Mylanta(R), Benedryl, Carafate (antacid, antihistamine, anesthetic) Miracle Mouthwash: Tetracycline, Nystatin, Dexamethasone, Diphenhydramine (antibiotic, antifungal, steroid, antihistamine) Most of these concoctions contain a combination of an antibiotic (to reduce the bacterial flora in and around the lesion), antihistamine (for local anesthetic and relief from pain and discomfort), antifungal (to stop any fungal growth), steroid (to reduce inflammation) or local anesthetic/pain reliever. We used them for our patients on certain chemo regimens..... If you were to apply them with a syringe, you could limit how much she got in her mouth. Oh, and prescription only. If the ice numbs her tongue, she will be more likely to bite it. |
| Well Maggie thanks you kindly for your concern but she said it isnt necessary. How did she say it? Actions baby. I left my poor, sweet groggy girl sleeping peacefully, in the area behind the baby gate while I went out with a friend for margaritas (its been a long day!). I came to find Maggie barking at the front door. On my way back towards the area where I had left her, I found the cat's empty food dish, the cat's empty yogurt dish, and an empty container of dog treats. (There were probably 20 little biscuits in it). So I think she is doing ok. For purposes of comparing, the baby gate is 44 inches high. I would have loved to see her get over it. |
We should have know that Maggie wouldn't miss a beat.  |
I think she thought she deserve a little extra treat today. She was just making the job easier on you and helping herself. Now do we say poor cat for not being able to eat this afternoon?  |
| Poor girl.... ouch that tongue looks sore!
I'm glad to hear she is doing so well though, what a girl! |
| It's amazing how they bounce back! I'd be in bed for a week if I stubbed my toe. |
| Wow! That girl is something else!! So glad she's feeling better!! |
| Alright Maggie!!!!
You might want to keep an eye on her tongue for swelling. The tongue tends to swell like crazy, hence the ice comments. Usually when people get their tongues pierced it'll swell to almost twice the size. Also when Bob bit his tongue and did some damage it swelled like crazy. I didn't even think about tongue numbness! Too used to people being smart enough to know. Then again you'd think people would be smart enough to know better than to stick stuff in their own tongues in the first place!  |
| What a crazy character she is!! So glad to hear she's feeling okay! |
ButtersStotch wrote: It's amazing how they bounce back! I'd be in bed for a week if I stubbed my toe.
Or broke your elbow, or broke your tailbone, or rebroke your elbow... |
| Hahahahahaha....good one Steph!
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Darcy wrote: Hahahahahaha....good one Steph!
Thanks, I'll be here all week... |
| Don't forget to tip your waiters and waitresses. Try the Veal, it's delicious. |
| Oh My! Poor Maggie girl and what a brave girl she is for putting up with it all. Mom too is brave as it's so hard when one of our babies is sick.
My boys are all sending Maggie big sheepie kisses and love her way.
Please keep us posted as to how she is doing. Sending hugs your way too. Marianne and the boys |
| CRAP! It looks like the stiches came out!! Now, Maggie doesn't seem at all phased by it or concerned but her tongue has a thumb. What should I do? I could try to have the stitches redone but maybe they will just come out again. . . It is not preventing her from eating or drinking (or getting into things she should not be into).
I'm also feeling a bit guilty for not protecting her from this injury. . . . |
| Oh, my!
If it is left as is I would be afraid of it getting caught somehow, or chewed off, or bitten??? Or she'd be biting on it often....can you control two tongues? Maybe the vet can amputate one part? How awful! And don't feel guilty at all. More than likely she clamped down on her tongue,herself, anyway. A freak accident. |
| I do think she bit herself but I still blame the dog who was snapping at her face. And it was freak but I had a bad feeling about that dog and I let my guard down because Maggie has so much fun at the park I did not want to remove her. I know better than that because Ive seen so many fights emerge. But this dog had a really nice owner and I think that made me respond differently.
The Vet looked at it today and suggested we see how it heals (he thinks it will shrink) and then he can determine whether he need to snip it or smooth it out. . . . I am very bummed that the stitches did not stay put. |
| Val,
Don't feel bad. Harley was missing part of his tongue for over three years. He had an incident where Daddy left him in the garage. (That is where the crates were) He decided not to put Harley in the crate. Then he proceeded to walk out of the garage and turned the light off 
My MIL was watching Ryan in the house, but was scared of him. Harley was always a nervous wreck....he ended up chewing on an extension cord and fried part of his tongue off. The outcome could have been so much worse. We did not even know anything happened until a week later.
He did look funny when he was panting but had no problems. |
| Thanks Elissa. Thats very encouraging.
The other thing is that for the next two weeks, no dog park, no kongs, no bones, and no chew toys. I cant imagine what Maggie will be like after being deprived like that. Today, we took a very long walk and both girls are snoozing but I don't always have that much time. |
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| I second what Deb said . . . maybe some mini training sessions will help occupy her? |
| OK. I'm feeling resolved. I will see how it heals and if there's anything more that needs to be done. We will enjoy long walks. CHummie will be happy (she does not love the park). If we do go to the park, we will leave if I even suspect a dog might be dangerous. And I'll look at Maggie's tongue from time to time to remind me how much worse it could have been. With the cuts on top of her tongue, I do think that dog got her teeth in there and that's what caused the tongue to be torn across Maggie's tooth. |
Maxmm wrote: Alright Maggie!!!!
You might want to keep an eye on her tongue for swelling. The tongue tends to swell like crazy, hence the ice comments. Usually when people get their tongues pierced it'll swell to almost twice the size. Also when Bob bit his tongue and did some damage it swelled like crazy. I didn't even think about tongue numbness! Too used to people being smart enough to know. Then again you'd think people would be smart enough to know better than to stick stuff in their own tongues in the first place! It actually looks like it is healing pretty well. It is not swollen or mean looking anymore. Just a bit raw and tender. |
| My first OESD cut his tongue on one of his lower "smiley" teeth. At the time I had no idea what was wrong and he bled terribly. The end result was he had to have a couple of those "smiley" teeth pulled and his beautiful smile days were over. He had a full recovery other than that. |
| Wow, that seems extreme to pull teeth just because a dog cut it's tongue on it once. Kids do that all the time.... we don't pull their teeth out. |
| I was thinking the same thing |
| He was 13 at the time and the teeth were broken and very sharp and jagged.
Also bare in mind that this was done by the vet who killed my second OESD and who I am currently suing for malpractice. The vet told me that it would be a regular occurance from the tongue movement from panting and, at the time, I trusted his judgment. For those following my vet litigation, the jury trial is continued until next March and I will be amending my complaint to include fraud for his representing that vaccines expire after one year. The case has been referred to by Dr. Ford in his vaccination speaches at conventions. Also the AMVA malpractice insurance does not cover lawsuits concerning deliberate acts, eg overvaccination. This policy went into effect once my lawsuit got past summary judgment and was scheduled for a jury trial. Hopefully the every year vaccination practice will end soon. |
| Hi there -- I hope someone reads this. I have a boxer, not a sheepdog, but we had a tongue laceration issue that required cauterizing and stitches, and it's taking a LONG time to heal, so I was googling dog tongue lacerations, and ran across this page. Your post indicates an 11 year old dog and sharp teeth. I am wondering if that is our issue as well. My dog is 9, and his teeth don't seem terribly sharp, but the cut is on the bottom of his tongue, and I think it rubs when he drinks and pants. It's been about a month or more since the stitches, and his water dish still gets pinkish after he drinks alot. How long did it take your dog's tongue to fully heal? Thanks for your time!
Elizabeth |
| Hi Elizabeth. Sorry to hear about Max's tongue. Tongues are really think so I think it is normal for it to take a long time to heal but maybe ask your Vet what s/he thinks. . . I know it took Maggie's tongue at least a few weeks to heal. During that time, she was not allowed to have anything fun in her mouth -- no chews, balls, stuffies, bones, etc. She wasn't even allowed to play with dogs because she might mouth them. I had to keep her in a muzzle alot of the time to prevent her from doing anything with her mouth that would strain her tongue.
Best wishes! |
| Thank you for your reply! That may be part of the problem -- Mom is not disciplined enough. Once his tongue stopped bleeding all the time, I let him have his chew toys back (he was so sad/bored without them!). I feel so bad for him, eating boring food, no toys, that I thought he could handle it. The other thing is, he likes to lick his front paw and legs (he bathes like a cat), and I KNOW that's bad, but he does it when I'm not home. I have an e-collar I may employ when I'm at work. I'm so glad Maggie's better. I loved reading about her and seeing the pics. Thanks again!
Elizabeth |
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