Mom Tries To Treat Dog For Bug Bites, Vet Tells Her She Was Wrong

Waiting For Answers

They were at the vet, but she had no clue what was happening. All she could see was the vet shaking his head at her and giving her a stern look. She knew it looked terrible but was positive she had done all in her power to help her poor boy.

Despite her dog’s condition, the vet was the one who looked as though he was in pain. When was she going to get answers? It felt like an eternity before the vet returned to her with information but what he had to say left her stunned. He told her the marks covering her dog’s body weren’t bug bites like she’d thought.

Jane Augustine

Jane Augustine lived in Ohio with her loving husband and beautiful children. She loved her life and didn’t think anything could make her feel bad. Jane was an animal lover, and after a lot of convincing, her husband agreed to get her a dog.

The dog Jane found was an English Mastiff named Pancakes. Pancakes were the most loving animal she had ever seen before, and she insisted they adopt them from the shelter.

Troubled Life

Pancakes had a troubled life growing up. He was found on the side of the road as a puppy and brought into the shelter at a young age. Thankfully it was a no-kill shelter, and Pancakes lived there for a year before Jane found him.

The poor dog only knew about malnourishment and loneliness. But when he saw Jane, all he had was love to give. And when Jane saw him, she just wanted to give him the love he deserved.

Bringing Him Home

Jane immediately knew that Pancakes would be the dog for her. She felt a connection with the animal that she had only felt as a child with her first canine growing up. Her husband agreed, and they adopted Pancakes to give him a new chance at life.

They had prepared their home for him with plenty of toys, the right kind of dog food, and even a comfortable dog bed. They wanted him to be spoiled to compensate for all the years of neglect.

Getting Used To His New Family

Pancakes settled into his new home throughout the following months and learned to love his new family. He loved to play with the children outside and sit on the edge of Jane’s bed in the evening.

Even though everyone loved Pancakes, he was definitely Jane’s dog. He would follow her around the house and sit with her in her office while she worked from home.

Strange Marks Appearing

After a few months had gone by with Pancakes, Jane was sitting with him on the bed when she noticed something strange. There were marks on his skin that she had never seen before. She worried about what they could have been.

She examined them and hypothesized that they were flea bites. After all, he did love to play in the bushes just outside their house, where all sorts of insects lived.

Solutions

Jane didn’t want her furball to be in pain, so she went to the local pet shop and asked what she could give him. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for Pancakes, and she’d go to any length to see him healed.

The pet shop recommended a dewormer, a flea tablet, and some treats to help make him feel better.

No Changes

After a three-week deworming and flea medication course, Jane decided to check on his progress. The entire time Pancakes was at least enjoying some delicious treats to hide the medication, so he would actually eat it.

But when Jane checked his bites, they didn’t look much better. In fact, there were even more than before. It meant that the medication wasn’t working at all.

Further Actions Needed

It was clear that Jane had to do more for her dog since nothing seemed to be working. She needed to figure out what was going on with her canine and would do anything to make sure he got better.

She decided that enough was enough and that she would take him to the vet to figure out what was really going on. But she wouldn’t be ready for the harrowing news that the doctor would give her.

The Vet

It was a hassle getting pancakes into the car. He somehow just knew when it was a trip to the park, groomer, or the dreaded vet. He was reluctant to go but eventually got into the back before sulking on the seat.

The drive to the vet wasn’t long, but the whole time, Pancakes moped and moaned. It was clear he was willing to endure the pain of the bites rather than go to the vet. But once the vet saw them, his eyes grew wide in shock and disbelief.

The Truth

The vet shook his head and looked at Jane with a scowl. She had no idea what was going on. She knew there were lots of bites, but she had done everything that she could to help her boy.

It seemed that it didn’t matter to the vet. It looked as if he had been punched in the gut. What was wrong with her dog? Then he finally opened his mouth to speak and told her that the marks on the canine weren’t bug bites at all.

Cruelty

The vet explained that the bug bites on Pancakes weren’t caused by any animal at all. They were caused by a human. The cruel reality of the situation washed over Jane as she realized what the vet was saying.

It was cruelty, but Jane couldn’t understand what was going on. She never had and would never lay a hand on her special boy, and she knew her husband wouldn’t either. Even her children were raised better than that. So who was the culprit?

Marks

Jane couldn’t believe what had happened to her poor boy. The doctor informed her that the marks were, in fact, marks. And that the marks were caused by BB pellets. Someone had been intentionally shooting her dog with a BB gun.

Thankfully, the doctor said that none of the BBs had hit anywhere vital. He was especially worried about his eyes, but they were fine. Jane breathed a sigh of relief.

Road To Recovery

The vet put Pancakes on an anti-biotic course and told Jane that he would be fine provided the shooting stopped. Jane assured him that she would make sure that the tragedy wouldn’t continue.

Pancakes started his road to recovery, and Jane stayed home to watch him 24 hours a day. She soon learned where the origin of all his pain came from when she looked over the neighbor’s fence.

Where The Problem Started

Jane peered over her neighbor’s fence to find out bb pellets all over their garden. Furthermore, she saw a BB gun on their outside table. She decided to talk to the owners of the house.

She found out that it was their son using the BB gun, and once his parents found out, he was severely punished, and it was taken away. But Jane wasn’t the only pet owner whose pet got entangled with the neighbors. 

Harry Jackson

A few miles away from her city lived a plumber who had always been a dog lover. Harry Jackson had adored pups since he was a kid. 

Now a thirty-seven-year-old dad, he’d worked hard to give his family everything they could want. But although his life was perfect in every way possible, one thing was missing. 

Different Priorities 

Despite his unwavering love for canines, it had been a while since Harry had a pet dog. Of course, his childhood home was peppered with pups everywhere, but life in the city proved too much for him to care for a dog.

But now that he was older, with his kids in middle high school, his wife working as a successful realtor, and his plumbing business taking off, Harry could finally have a dog in his home. He had no clue what he was stepping into.

Going To Get Him

After a lengthy discussion with his family regarding the possibility of opening their home to a puppy, Harry asked them whether they wanted to bring a dog from the grandpa’s or adopt one from a local shelter. 

Of course, the consensus was that the family adopts a dog, given that the ones back at Harry’s childhood home had everything they needed. With that, the family hopped into their car and drove into town to find the lucky pup. 

Love At First Sight

Harry and his family weren’t in the shelter for more than ten minutes when they saw Ricky, a spritely Golden Retriever that jumped to its feet when it locked eyes with them.

Ricky was a two-year-old rescue with an amputated hind leg, but despite this, he was the happiest dog in the shelter. Harry knew he was the one. 

Taking Him Home

Ricky wagged his tail and barked delightfully as the family signed the papers for him. They’d even bought him a lovely navy blue collar with silver studs.

Everyone in the family said “hi” to the dog. Ricky reciprocated the energy by licking them with all the power in his wonderful body. Seeing that the stars had aligned for everyone involved in this sacred exchange, Harry took his family back home to welcome the newest member of their family. 

Who’s A Good Boy?

Ricky settled into his new home in no time. He was one of the most lively and active dogs Harry had ever seen despite having only three legs. 

He enjoyed running around the backyard, sometimes leaving the compound to play with the neighborhood kids and dogs. But one day, trouble would come knocking on Harry’s door, prompting him to set cameras all over his house. 

A Scary Situation 

Life had been perfect for Harry and his family when the worst news hit the airwaves out of nowhere. There was a string of burglaries all over Harry’s neighborhood, and folks were scared.

But even worse was what the burglars were doing to dogs in the neighborhood. Many families with pets reported that the burglars gave their dogs food poisoning to sedate them during their unsavory activities. Harry knew Ricky’s life was in danger. 

Gearing Up

As any worried dad would when faced with such a harsh reality, Harry bought and installed a state-of-the-art security system in his home. This included a new alarm system and security cameras, each of which was hooked to his phone for easy monitoring.

But although Harry could sleep easier knowing he had his eyes on his property, he was still worried about Ricky’s wellbeing. He couldn’t stomach the thought of losing his little buddy. 

Back To Normal

The string of burglaries cooled after word got around, and most homeowners fitted their houses with security systems. But although Harry and his family could breathe easy now, disaster was just about to strike.

Ricky began leaving the house at odd hours when he should’ve been sleeping or hanging out with the kids. Harry ignored it at first but soon realized something was terribly wrong. 

Working On The House

The week Harry noticed something was off with Ricky was unlike any other. He, alongside a close plumber friend, had been renovating his house’s plumbing system. 

The work had already claimed a few days from his usual routine. The week was almost over, yet Harry had not seen his dog running around the house. 

A Thunderous Night

Harry didn’t overthink it, assuming Ricky was out playing in the backyard or within the neighborhood. But one night, everything would become apparent.

There was a terrible thunderstorm sweeping through the city. As was the custom during such times, Harry huddled up with his wife and kids around the fireplace, each with a cozy book. This time, Ricky was among them. But as the thunderstorm got louder, something odd happened.   

What’s Happening? 

Thunder reverberated through the house, and Ricky bolted out of the room. He whined and cried hysterically, hiding under the chair. 

Harry’s brows furrowed as he followed him. Was Ricky scared of thunderstorms? That wasn’t unheard of in dogs. If only Harry knew that the problem was much more severe than that. The truth would soon come out. 

A Confusing Week

The week continued in the same vein as it had begun, with Harry barely seeing his dog through the day. On his lunch break, he decided to take a look at the house cameras. Perhaps they would reveal what was happening. 

As if on cue, Ricky ran before the garage camera, disappearing down the road before appearing again. But he wasn’t alone. Harry knew he had to get to him before it was too late.  

Who’s The Man?

A man had appeared next to Ricky. He was burly and tall, with a dark beard that shone in the afternoon sun. Harry had never seen him before. He couldn’t tell what was happening and knew he needed to get to his dog.

But he found the man petting the Golden Retriever lovingly, whispering to him with a smile. Harry introduced himself, not knowing what the man was about to reveal about his dog.

Mr. Clay

The man introduced himself as Mr. Clay, the town’s new veterinarian. He’d just moved into the neighborhood and had made a friend in Ricky after finding him hanging out in his yard. “Did you know he has noise anxiety?” Mr. Clay asked. 

Harry was shocked, finally understanding why Ricky had left the house during the day. With the repairs Harry was doing on the house, the noise was unbearable for the dog. Of course, Mr. Clay offered Harry and Ricky a free consultancy session with him. He was more than happy to help Ricky with his condition.     

Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.