You never know when it will happen to you!

[Particentral]

I was in Columbia SC at the NDGAA show this weekend when my phone rings and its my 24 year old son saying he is on his way to the ER with my groomer who had just been bitten in the mouth. A dog we have groomed since 2004 every TWO WEEKS with no problems of any kind lunged at her as she was puting his collar in him and took a chunk out of her upper lip and almost tore it completely off. They ended up with 15 stiches in her upper lip and 3 in her lower lip to close the damage and she is going back to a plastic surgeon for a consult again this morning. They seem to think the missing "chunk" is a piece of flesh that will grow back since they were able to stich up the outer part of the lip, but this consult this morning will tell us for sure.

SO make sure you have your insurance up to date! SHe has her own personal helathcare as well as our shop coverages, but if I hadn't had it I would be in meltdown mode....well ok, I was in MELTDOWN MODE anyway after hearing this and being so far away.....but it would have been even worse if I hadn't!

[bulldogmom]

Out of curiosity, you say that she has her own personal health insurance... but when an incident like this happens it's completely covered by the shop's insurance, right? Just wondering because I don't have personal health insurance at the moment and I wouldn't want to pay any part of that! lol

[Particentral]

Usually, after one pays out there is still some not covered, like copays and the like. Between the two she will be covered.

We were just glad that she was able to say YES I have coverage.....she is on time off with pay as well. I love my job I love my job.

NOW on another note, the owner decided to start screaming at us that we should have KNOWN that dog bites if you come at him from above him and we had NEVER been told that......so now what??

[gonegrooming]

It's pretty common when a customers dog bites someone for them to blame the person that got bit. It's a terrible thing to do but maybe it's just easier for them to deal with, if they can blame it on someone or something other than their pets behavior. I just chalk it up to strange human nature. We protect our, own including our pets. I hope she recovers fully.

[Dog Daze]

Ouch is all I can say the poor thing. Anything but my face.

I have a very high pain tolerance except the face.

She's lucky to have you for a boss instead of many other small grooming shop owners who try to cut corners but not having workers' comp insurance.

I hope she feels better soon and heals well.

[stacie-gotg]

It's a scary thing if you don't have insurance for your employees. Good for you.

[keyray]

I had the groomer recovers fast. That is so scary. You've groomed him every two weeks for four years. He hasn't shown any signs before? Now the owner says he bites. It really is a scary story.

[redbird]

I would be very surprised if her insurance covers this injury.
One of the first things they ask is where were you, and what were
you doing when you got hurt.
I had my shoulder dislocated while trying to stop a colt that was getting a shot. He reared up and tried to bolt over three people trying to hold him.
Like a dolt, I put my arm out. My elbow locked, and he pushed my upper arm
right out of the socket and the back of my shoulder area.
My insurance said no immediatly to coverage, as I was at work.

She was injured while in your employ, so your insurance will more
than likely need to pay it.
If her own dog bit her while playing, her insurace should cover her,
as long as they don't have certain breeds that they don't insure against.

[foxhound lady]

She is so lucky to have you as a boss. That poor girl, i hope everything turns out ok.

[greymom]

The same exact thing happened to a groomer friend of mine a couple of months ago. Her's is healing really well considering how bad it was. They still may end up having to do some plastic surgery down the road though.

[Boxerfan]

[QUOTE=Particentral;161053]Usually, after one pays out there is still some not covered, like copays and the like. Between the two she will be covered.

We were just glad that she was able to say YES I have coverage.....she is on time off with pay as well. I love my job I love my job.

/QUOTE]

How terrible that this happened to her (and you) must have been very stressfull for you not to be able to be there when it happened.

Also I would think since it would fall under a work injury then workers compensation, which is required by law, would cover 100%.

[furrybestjob]

Oh, wow....poor thing. 18 stitches is alot of stitches. How is she holding up after the ordeal? It sounds like she may have a long recovery road ahead. Such a scary thing to happen, and the whole owner reaction really ticks me off.

[Particentral]

She is actually doing really well. I saw her today for the first time. YES my insurance will cover her, but hers will step in if there is anything that they decide not to. She actually gave them her insurance information to begin with, but they will work it out. She has several older piercings in her lip. I am not sure if they contributed to the injury being as bad as it is or not, but she wasn't wearing a ring at the time (I don't allow facial piercings at work for safety sake).

I think the reason they did 18 stitches is that it is her mouth. They put in very fine "floss" and very close together. STRONG painkillers and STRONG antibiotics.

This dog had NEVER acted up or funny. He had not missed a single appt in 4 years and anyone who works for me will tell you I will take dogs that I KNOW bite (depending on the dog and the circumstances, most of them being cage shy dogs) but I always groom them. I don't even let my bathers bathe them. If the owner had said anything EVER that dog would be a "Debi only" dog. I think I have ten of those total right now.

I am upset at the client bigtime. We have boarded that dog, we have groomed him and NOW he says something after its way too late.

Mandy, btw, was NOT in the cage, she was sitting on the floor in front of the cage and had already put the other dogs collar on that he comes in with. SHe reached for the dog and he lunged, then after he let go he bit her again on the forearm, but only bruised it. I learned that this afternoon.

My point about this is simple. You NEVER KNOW when a sog will flip out.

I hear all the time that "I can't afford insurance" but they don't understand how much this could cost them if they don't have it.

Her ER bill alone was over $500 by the time they had the Plastic surgeon look at her and her next appointment is over $200. Her meds, well the pain killers are not bad but the antibiotics are over $100 and then there will be topical meds to minimize scarring. Not to mention they might eventually want to do colagen or other procedures as needed.........PLUS salary or comission for her recovery time.

Weigh the possibilities. And remember it is always possible it could have been much much worse.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Sorry to hear about this Debi, UNBELIEVABLE!

I am getting a smaller table that has a turning table-top because I decided I want to keep EVERY dog hooked up to the Groomers Helper while being worked on. On my current table I either have to turn the WHOLE table, which is hard in my small space, or I have to take the dog off the GH. I do both for now, but would prefer to keep the little guys hooked up for such reasons as you mentioned.

I realize this dog wasn't on the table, it's just a precautionary measure i am taking.

Hope your groomer is back to work fast.

Tammy in Utah

[Nettie906]

Yikes! Getting bit in the face is always been one of my big fears! I'm so careful around all dogs. Even my own. That's how they play with each other sometimes.
I hope that Mandy does ok and is up and running in no time.

Is this the kind of bite that you're going to have to turn in to anyone?? I mean it sounds like the owner knew this dog had this particular problem.
Too bad it wasn't mentioned beforehand...

I wish all of you better times ahead!!