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Welcome to the Rough String, and thanks for stoppin' by!! Grab a hot cup of coffee and sit a spell!
10/22/18 You will see a name change on the blog. Lots of things have changed in my life in the past few years, and I feel compelled to share my story.

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Friday, January 21, 2011

Coyote Attack

~I've got a gun. I know how to shoot it. 
When the time's right, I'm gonna use it.~
~gtyyup, 2011~

This is not what I wanted to blog about today...or on any other day for that matter.

It started out just like all our other mornings. Get up, drink a cup or two of coffee waiting for it to get light outside to go feed. Cindy Sue sleeps in every morning...My Man and I jokingly say she's in Denio. Denio is a lil' bit of a town on the Oregon/Nevada boarder. It sounds so much like 'denial' that we just say that something's in Denio when they don't want to face up to reality...like Cindy Sue, who waits until the last possible moment to get out of her cozy bed.

We bundle up for the morning air. Cindy Sue always wears her barn coat since she doesn't have enough hair to keep her warm.

The dogs scampered off out through the alfalfa field toward the neighbor's driveway...the usual routine. I head into the barn to get the first load of hay and pushed the wheelbarrow out to Colt 'n Gus then headed back to the barn for another load for Whiskey 'n Toby.

I had just got inside the barn and heard Cindy Sue screaming...literally. I ran out the closest door and see two coyotes and her about an 1/8 of a mile away in the neighbor's field. Bella Jo, Cowboy and Abby are all with me in the barn.

I begin screaming like a mad woman to leave my dog alone; leaped over the rail fence and ducked under the barbed wire fence. I screamed the whole way across the alfalfa field as I ran as fast as I could...which isn't fast enough with rubber winter boots on.

Bella Jo 'n Cowboy were running ahead of me, and I told them to 'get 'um.' I couldn't tell if Cindy Sue was alive or not; the coyotes had her down on the ground. I was preparing for the worst...still screaming...and those coyotes didn't pay any attention to me.

Bella Jo 'n Cowboy finally reached Cindy Sue, and the coyotes backed off of her just enough for her to get up, and then they got her down again. Somehow Bella Jo 'n Cowboy got them away from her again, and Cindy Sue came running toward me...with one of the damn coyotes right on her tail.

I was at the fence line. There were two fences in front of me with the neighbor's driveway between the fences. Cindy Sue made it under the first fence and I thought the coyote was going to get her again (he was that close), but the coyote finally saw me and turned around. I could see blood and looked at Cindy Sue's belly and saw a big gaping hole. I gently grabbed her up and started walking as fast as I could back to the house. I could see blood dripping down my pants and onto my boot.

I called back to Cowboy 'n Bella Jo...both coyotes and my dogs were right there where Cindy Sue had been attacked. I kept calling them to come...Bella Jo did, but Cowboy didn't.

Into the front seat of the truck went Cindy Sue, who was obviously in shock by this time. I got a phone message to My Man to call the vet office and tell them I would be there ASAP. Cowboy finally got to the house and I locked the dogs up in the yard...and drove 75 mph all the way to town.

Cindy Sue was moaning slightly, her eyes were looking glassy, but she was staying quiet. I talked to her the whole way to town telling her that all would be OK and that she needed to be a tough lil' Rattie Ranch Dog. She'd survived the Great Horned owl attack, the rattlesnake attack...and she wasn't gonna let two lousy, stinkin' coyotes get the best of her.

We arrived at the vet office at 8:20, and My Man was there waiting for us. We took her straight into the surgery room, and they took off her coat and had a look. The Dr. said that it looked like they had just ripped the skin on the underside in the flank area and that no organs had been damaged. She had a couple of bite marks on her neck and a whole bunch of bites on her hips. She would have been a lot worse...maybe dead...if she hadn't had her coat on. Poor lil' Cindy Sue was covered in blood, shaking and totally in shock.

The vet will be putting her under anesthesia to get her all cleaned up and stitched up. They may take x-rays if they suspect any internal damage had happened. She will have a tube for drainage and there will be lots of antibiotics and pain meds. They put her on fluids and whether she still needs those fluids overnight will determine if she comes home this evening or tomorrow.

Ironically, yesterday was Cindy Sue's "Gotcha Day." We got her from a rescue down in Nevada in 2007. We pray that she'll live a long life here with us.



Coyotes are not beautiful wild animals...they are nasty wild animals...who love to take easy prey.




It's 11:45 AM right now, and am anxiously waiting for a call from the vet. So, I don't know how she is at this time. Please keep Cindy Sue in your thoughts and prayers. We appreciate it.

I'm a tough Rattie Ranch Dog...I'm gonna make it just fine.

24 comments:

  1. She is in mine!!!!.....Sorry to hear all this, makes you wonder.

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  2. Oh goodness, I totally cried reading this. Poor girl!!! I'm so very sorry and I will certainly keep her in my prayers. She's a tough girl!
    Those coyotes are bad. I've personally seen them attack my mom's dog (a rifle shot over them stopped that, I couldn't fire AT them since mom's dogs were there) but it was broad daylight and I was within rock throwing distance. Now I shoot whenever they come around. The upside is my horses are used to random gunfire, lol.
    Praying she gets better. Big hug to you!

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  3. How scary! I'll be thinking about you both. "hugs"

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  4. What a close call, but what a cute tough little girl. Make sure to have that gun handy from now on.

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  5. It's amazing how bold coyotes can be. I'm so thankful that the one chasing her backed off when it finally saw you there. I'll be keeping her in my prayers!

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  6. She's one darn tough little dog, but I'll definitely keep her in my thoughts. I sure hope that good old Cowboy got a'hold of one of those nasty coyotes for her! Hope to hear good news of her recovery soon. Until then ... thinking of you all. Take good care.

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  7. I will keep you and Cindy Sou in my prayers...OMG! Every once in awhile I hear coyotes in the spring and fall out where we live, and their calls just leave chills up my spine...I hope I never have an encounter with them! SO SCARY!

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  8. Oh my, I have a "Cindy Sue", her name is Tootsie and I can't imagine having to go through something like this. I do keep a close eye on her and Lovey, a French Bulldog, when we're at my parents, they are out in the country and lots of coyotes and owls and other critters. Thank goodness you were there and that she had her coat on. Prayers that Cindy heals quickly.

    KarenTx, Tootsie & Lovey

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  9. Oh, I am so sorry that Cindy Sue got attacked! I hate coyotes, we have them around here but non of my critters has been bothered.
    I am sending good thoughts and prayers your way for all of you!!!

    {{{{{Love you Cindy Sue, get better!}}}}}

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  10. Prayers for you and Cindy Sue!!! I HATE those nasty coyotes. I've had people (blog) tell me to put food out for them so they won't hurt our livestock and dogs and cats. OH! GET! REAL!

    We've had coyotes grab calves as they are being born and kill and eat them. Keep a gun handy and shoot to kill...nasty animals.

    Linda
    http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

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  11. I was sick reading this. Still am. I always love your quotes, but today's is spot on. I am a true animal lover, but I would not hesitate one second. Don't mess with my family.

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  12. I love that photo of her. She reminds me of my Dobbie girl with the one wonky ear and the other one a floppy ear. Too stinkin' cute.

    Yep. She's gonna pull through. If she can survive rattlesnake attacks and owl attacks, she can survive an attack by a couple a cannibalistic, thievin', lazy, coyotes!

    Go Cindy Sue! Don't let 'em win!

    ~Lisa

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  13. Oh dear!

    Hang in there girl! We're sending good thought y'all's way.

    Wildlife encounters with your pets are simply terrifying. We don't really have coyotes in Maryland but there is an ever present danger of rabid raccoons and fox.

    One of them tangled with our lab one afternoon. Scariest thing we ever experienced and I can say opening a gun safe is hard as h*ll when your adrenaline is pumping and people and critters are screaming.

    Hang in there, I'm sure everything will be just fine.

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  14. Oh crap, it scared the living pants right off me.
    I read this to Morris [my JRT]. Last year we [Morris and I were stalked by coyotes] in my woods.

    I carry a .22 pistol at ALL times and during the coyote mating season [which is now], I carry a .410 also if Morris is along.

    I am really praying for Cindy Sue.
    Little Ratties are tough nearly lost my Rat-Fiest Xena dog to 'yotes.

    Please keep us updated!
    ...with all my heart,
    Val

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  15. Oh no! I am so sorry, I will be rooting for Cindy Sue. I sure hope she will be OK.

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  16. I'm sure prayin' for my favorite little cutie. She's a tough one, remember that.

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  17. How horrible. Damn coyotes. I've lost my share of cats to them, and I'm astounded that they continued to attack even with a screaming woman and two dogs coming to the rescue.

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  18. Oh my, I adopted a little Cindy Sue and her name is Jackie Jo and we love her like you love Cindy Sue. I pray that she will recover and be safe and have a happy long life at the ranch with you. I hate those darn coyotes. We will keep her in our thought and prayers for a full recovery.

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  19. That sucks, I hope she does well and you get those coyotes.

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  20. What an awful experience for you and Cindy Sue! We are not fans of coyotes here either. Coyotes are predators plain and simple. They prey not only on their wild prey, but also pets, calves, sheep and lambs.
    It is really scarey how brave those coyotes were to attack Cindy Sue in such close proximity to your buildings and how they kept after her even after you appeared on the scene.
    Prayers and best wishes for your little dog!

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  21. I'm just catching up. I'm so sorry to hear about this!

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  22. Poor little Cindy Sue. Those coyotes are just God awful. They've torn to pieces too many of the fawns. Keeping fingers, toes and eyes crossed for your valient little dog.

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  23. I'm just catching up with your blog! I am so sorry about your Cindy Sue- I personally can't stand coyotes! I live in a suburb next to open space and the damn things howl all night.My Hubby, the neighbor and me have all had to run them off of the goat farm next door, and I've seen them skulking around the backyard fences of my neighbors. I'll be pulling for your little dog- be sure to take a shot at them cay-yotes for me too!

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  24. Here I am back at the beginning. I hope you and your man shot those coyotes. I wish I could,but I can't.

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