Gun Dog Forum

On Saturday I was out hunting with my dog Blaze and we came upon a sickly coyote. I could tell Blaze wanted to get at it, but he was keeping a little distance. What I probably should have done was kept the dog away with the e-collar and taught him to leave coyotes alone, but instead I broke the "Don't shoot anything you don't want your dog to hunt" Rule and shot it instead. I really didn't want to give the coyote a chance to bite Blaze.

Of course, as soon as I shot it, Blaze grabbed it and started thrashing it. I got him to drop it after a few seconds and got him to back off.

The coyote was very ill or injured, could barely walk away, was not aggressive, but was trying to protect itself as much as it was able in its condition. It was NOT foaming at the mouth. I don't know what it was dying of, but I wanted to kill it before it had a chance to bite my dog. Blaze is current on all vaccinations, including rabies. After calling three Vets this morning, all three said to keep an eye on him, but probably not to worry too much.

Anyone have a similar experience or advice?

Thanks
Al

Was its fur messed up? Yotes usually get mange and the cold makes them nutso.

markj wrote:Was its fur messed up? Yotes usually get mange and the cold makes them nutso.

I didn't give it a real close exam, but its fur was not looking great. It could barely walk/run and didn't really try to get away from us as a result. I think it was very close to death. If it didn't have a disease, a couple possibilities are that it got hit by a car which messed up its back legs, or maybe some other hunter shot it and it didn't die immediately.

My guess is that it was starving to death from its illness or injury. Definitely was on its last legs.

How would I know if it had rabies, other than if it was foaming at the mouth/aggression, or taking it in to get a head sample tested?

Don't confirm on here, but if you were I think you were............ a couple got filled up with 7 shot last week for trying to eat a Brittany.. We have a very very low rabie issue here, but I guess that's why you get the shot. Always a slim chance. I hope it was one of the Britt chasers.

if your dog is current on rabies vaccine you have nothing to worry about. rabies virus is shed in the saliva of an infected animal, and then the virus needs to come into contact with a mucous membrane or open wound, sore, etc.

dog dr wrote:if your dog is current on rabies vaccine you have nothing to worry about. rabies virus is shed in the saliva of an infected animal, and then the virus needs to come into contact with a mucous membrane or open wound, sore, etc.

Thanks Dog Dr!!

We grow them big here. 45 pounder. My JRT would be a nice snack.

trappermatt: