Expert: Roger Lederer - 7/13/2007

Question
I have/had a little white Shih stzu dog.  We live on a ranch and she hardly ever was allowed (or wanted) to roam outside alone.  However, one day she followed me to our barn and I went back to the house, ran errands, etc. and later found her in about the same place I had last seen her outside the barn.  She was viciously attacked.  She totally lost her right eye, wounds on her neck.  I rushed her to the vet and they performed surgery on her but unfortunately she did not make it.  I am wanting desperately to understand what happened to her.  We do have coyotes that seem to be coming up closer and hawks, too.  These are the only 2 things we can come up with.  Any ideas on if either of these could be the cause and do such damage?  Being white, in the grass, she could have looked like a rabbit.  I am just heart broken and sick with guilt over it.   Again, I just wish I knew what happened.  Thanks for your thoughts!

Answer
Well, the vet is in a much better position than I to make that detrmination. Given what you tell me though, I'm fairly certain it is a coyote. In addition, I know of no authentic case of a hawk attacking a dog. I'm sure it happens but it must be extremely rare. I live in WY on a ranch during the summer with my cat and I am much more wary of coyotes and badgers than hawks or eagles. I've seen my cat sit out in the sagebrush and watch hawks just fly by with no attention paid to the small cat. I am sorry for your loss.