All of the Westminster Coverage on VetMed at About.com
Westminster Dog Show 2008 - Spotlight. As part of the veterinary medicine coverage of the 2008 Westminster Kennel Club show, dogs and handlers that have a "veterinary story" to tell will be featured on this site. This spotlight is on Bo, a Mastiff who was mauled by his father at 10 months and was adopted by a veterinarian, Terri Marks, who rehabilitated Bo and is now showing him at Westminster.
I first read about Bo in this news story, and thought it would be a great addition to the 2008 Westminster coverage on this site. It is a story about both veterinary medicine and a spotlight on Bo's owner, who is a veterinarian. Bo was mauled by father at age 10 months, viewed as a threat to the older male's female dogs. This happened again, and the breeder felt that it was best to find "Bo", short for Kubota (named after the tractor), a home where he would be safe. The breeder gave the shell-shocked pup to Terri Marks, a veterinarian who rehabilitated him and is now showing this certified "Canine Good Citizen® (CGC)" dog.
Here is Bo's story, in Terri's own words. After reading his story, don't miss Bo's photo gallery showing off his fun-loving personality in full color. All photos featured in this article and the gallery are © Terri Marks DVM.
From Terri Marks DVM:
I got Kubota when he was 10 months old, the breeder called me in a panic because he had been mauled by an older male in the household. The breeder was going to keep Bo to show and for her breeding stock, but after the second time he was mauled she unselfishly decided that he needed to be placed in a new home. The second attack apparently was so bad that her husband, a 250-pound very tall cop couldn't get the other dog off of Bo. The older dog was dragging Bo around the yard by his neck and by the time they got out to him he was blue, limp and not responsive. Her husband tried a board, mace, tazer, and finally out of desperation, he fired his service revolver in the air. I wasn't there when this happened, but they said the loud bang startled the other dog and he let go. Her husband carried Bo into the house and he started to pink up again. I think was more in shock than anything else. I wasn't called until the next day and by then, physically other than a lot of bruising and minor puncture wounds, he looked ok.
My husband and I had lost another Mastiff a few months prior to osteosarcoma at the age of three and we really were not prepared for another Mastiff yet. I didn't want to set myself up for more headache. Anyway, she called me and asked if I would consider taking this puppy because she was afraid one more attack and that would be it, so Keith and I took our older Mastiff up to meet Bo and to see if they got along. Even though Bo was very timid and scared he got along fine with Buford. Mentally this dog was finished; he just stood there and wet himself. I took one look at him and decided I needed him as much as he needed me and I took him home right away. I actually had delivered this dog by C-section 10 months prior and now things had gone full circle.
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