Discussion » Questions » Health and Wellness » What's the most serious injury you've ever received from an other-than-human animal?

What's the most serious injury you've ever received from an other-than-human animal?

Posted - November 14, 2020

Responses


  • 11110
    Once a dragonfly larva bit me and caused a bit of swelling and a big red mark on my finger. Other then that I'm like Doctor Doolittle and I walk and talk with the animals in peace. Cheers and happy  weekend! This post was edited by Nanoose at November 20, 2020 12:24 PM MST
      November 14, 2020 8:34 PM MST
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  • 53509
      November 14, 2020 10:32 PM MST
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  • 11110
    What do you want for nothing? A rubber biscuit?
      November 15, 2020 7:47 AM MST
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  • 53509

     

      Why would you assume that I want something?  There’s nothing that I want.

      November 15, 2020 2:12 PM MST
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  • 10052
    That's pretty impressive, Nanoose! 

    Cheers and thanks for replying! :)
      November 17, 2020 7:09 PM MST
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  • 4624
    I knew nothing about dragonfly larva.
    Your post prompted me to look them up and led to all sorts of juicy tidbits.
    Wiki - "Dragonflies are predators, both in their aquatic larval stage when they are known as nymphs or naiads, and as adults."
    Fancy that! You were bitten by a predatory nymph!

    Dragonflies have a uniquely complex mode of reproduction involving indirect insemination, delayed fertilization, and sperm competition. During mating, the male grasps the female at the back of the head, and the female curls her abdomen under her body to pick up sperm from the male's secondary genitalia at the front of his abdomen, forming the "heart" or "wheel" posture."

    I've often stopped to watch them dancing around over rocky creek beds and quiet ponds - have always loved that aerial duet-ballet that seems to be their courtship flight. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to do that! All those glittering wings and jewel colours flashing like miniature strobes in the shade. I've seen that curled-up mating posture and wondered how on earth the gametes ever managed to meet.

    It turns out "dragonfly nymphs vary in form with species, and are loosely classed into claspers, sprawlers, hiders, and burrowers," so I might have seen them as grubs in all sorts of places and had no idea what they were.
    "The nymph lacks wings and reproductive organs. The lower jaw has a huge, extensible labium, armed with hooks and spines, which is used for catching prey." Ouch! No wonder the bite hurt.
    "This labium is folded under the body at rest and struck out at great speed by hydraulic pressure created by the abdominal muscles... Dragonfly nymphs have internal gills, located around the fourth and fifth abdominal segments. Water is pumped in and out of the abdomen through an opening at the tip. The naiads of some clubtails that burrow into the sediment, have a snorkel-like tube at the end of the abdomen enabling them to draw in clean water while they are buried in mud. Naiads can forcefully expel a jet of water to propel themselves with great rapidity." So, the power to escape or attack with the force of surprise - they as fickle as any nymph of Greek myth.

    Now, I wonder, just what was it about you that caused that particular nymph to see you as a juicy morsel. This post was edited by inky at November 20, 2020 8:29 PM MST
      November 20, 2020 12:42 PM MST
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  • 11110
    Not sure why it chose  me but now that I hear that they can be fickle  Im flatterd that it did. Cheers and happy weekend!
      November 20, 2020 5:18 PM MST
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  • 34284
    Cat scratch. 
    Spider bite
    Mosquito bites
      November 14, 2020 8:47 PM MST
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  • 10052
    Spider bites can be quite serious. Hope yours wasn't too bad. 
      November 17, 2020 7:10 PM MST
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  • 53509

     

       While in the Philippines, a water buffalo hobbled me when it crushed the big toe on my left foot. 

      And you?

    ~

      November 14, 2020 10:30 PM MST
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  • 10052
    Ouch!! Lucky it wasn't worse, really. They're quite dangerous animals!

    I was trying to think of my most injurious incident when I wrote this. I think either being thrown from a horse or bumble bee sting to the face (reaction), but I know there was a cat-bite that required medical intervention. Nothing too serious. 
      November 17, 2020 7:20 PM MST
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  • 13277
    I was bitten on the chin by a dog and needed stitches.
      November 14, 2020 11:27 PM MST
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  • 53509

     

      I warned you against cross-species French-kissing, but did you listen? Do you ever listen to me?
    ~

      November 15, 2020 1:03 PM MST
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  • 13277
    Never!
      November 15, 2020 1:12 PM MST
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  • 10052
    Ouch! What kind of dog? 

    It would be really ironic if it was a Japanese Chin.
      November 17, 2020 7:23 PM MST
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  • 13277
    It was about 17 years ago, so my memory is fuzzy, but it was a mix of chow chow and another breed. I was at a friend's birthday party, sitting in a chair feeding treats to the dog as it sat in front of me. Without warning, it just jumped up and bit me.
      November 17, 2020 8:05 PM MST
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  • 10052
    Wow! That's shocking! Had he/she ever done anything like that before? 

    Are you wary of the breed now, or of dogs in general?
      November 19, 2020 7:05 PM MST
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  • 13277
    I think the dog had also once bitten my friend's daughter. They had Rumpus (great dog name!) put to sleep after that. No, I still love dogs, although I can't have my own because of allergies. I even get severe reactions to the supposedly hypoallergenic breeds.
      November 19, 2020 9:06 PM MST
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  • 10052
    That's sad. I hate breed stereotypes, but there is information about Chow Chows having funky brain disorders that causes aggression to appear after having been wonderfully affectionate and good-natured pets for years. I've seen it happen and it's heartbreaking. 

    Yeah, there really are not such breeds. False advertising and fake news! :)


      November 20, 2020 7:01 PM MST
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  • 44617
    A friend's dog split one of my nostrils open. A bloody mess.
      November 15, 2020 1:34 PM MST
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  • 10052
    Was it an accident? 

    Much as I love dogs (and that's a whole lot), I don't usually get in the faces of dogs who I don't know very well. 
      November 17, 2020 7:25 PM MST
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  • 44617
    It was stupidity...mine. I did what you said you didn't. I was 12 years old.
      November 20, 2020 2:43 PM MST
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  • 10052
    We live and (hopefully) learn! 

    Is this why you have cats? (I'm nosey).

      November 20, 2020 6:53 PM MST
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  • 13395
    Mostly dog bites, a few cat bites and scratches, stung under the chin by a wasp, a bull stepped on my foot one time; nothing broken but was sore for a few days, kicked by a cow once -bruised.
      November 15, 2020 6:33 PM MST
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