Dog survived vicious mountain lion attack on the road to recovery

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KSBW) – A dog owner in California said his pet was viciously attacked by a mountain lion but feels it’s love that has helped push her through the healing process.

Richard Baker said his dog Bella went outside and came back about 30 minutes later covered in bite marks across her body, even with one puncturing her skull.

“The slice that was on her neck was above her ear and around the throat,” Baker said. “It was millimeters from her jugular vein – that’s what the doctor said. This was amazing the cat didn’t rip it open. Millimeters is pretty small.”

Bella was raced down from Baker’s home in the mountains in critical condition to veterinary specialists at a 24-hour emergency clinic.

With severe wounds, Bella was close to turning septic and her chance of survival was low.

“My first reaction, to be honest, was, I don’t know if I can save her,” veterinarian Nick Macy said.

“She’s got that fighter instinct,” Baker said, adding that her family’s love helped to keep her fighting.

Wound care of this nature is a long process. She’s still battling an ongoing infection, but she’s making an outstanding recovery.

Her vet is hopeful she will make a full recovery by mid-November.

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