Florida Family’s German Shepard Miraculously Survives Alligator Attack: “Zeus Continues To Be Such A Trooper”

A good boy AND a tough boy.

For most of us, it’s not a second thought, but for some pet owners, the fear that a wild animal might see their dog or cat as their next meal is a constant reality. In places like Florida and Louisiana, alligators patrol the shores of local lakes and ponds, and out West, the threat of wolves, mountain lions and bears looms large. And then you have birds of prey, coyotes and venomous snakes that can be found all around the country. And while not inherently dangerous, skunks certainly can create a stinky situation.

Of course, having a larger breed of dog is the easiest way to mitigate this threat, but there are tools that dogs can wear to protect themselves from predators, like the spike vests that little dogs wear so large eagles don’t attack them. Herding dogs sometimes wear spiked collars to protect themselves from wolves and other wildlife… especially in Europe. The heavy metal spikes are placed around their neck for herding dogs to protect their vital arteries.

Here’s a photo of one in Italy:

However, even with protection, that does not mean that dogs will always be wearing them or that they can handle the force of an animal when a predator locks in on them. A Florida family recently learned that predators will get their prey no matter what when an alligator attacked their family dog, Zeus.

On a GoFundMe page, the family shared the unfolding of the attack, noting that their father heard a noise and went to their backyard to investigate when an alligator charged through their fence, wrapping its jaw around their German Shepard.

“The gator grabbed Zeus and dragged him back into the water. We rushed outside with a flashlight and were shocked to see Zeus swimming back toward us, wounded but fighting to survive. My mom waded into the water to help him out.” 

After their dog was free, they rushed him to the emergency hospital, but noticed that his mouth was bleeding significantly. The family was hoping for the best for their beloved family dog to survive, but based on the visual, the worst outcome was sinking in.

Miraculously, Zeus survived, but it was a close call.

“He had a fractured, displaced jaw and multiple puncture wounds around his neck. The vet told us the gator had just missed his jugular—it looked like Zeus’s entire head had been in the gator’s mouth. The fact that he made it out alive is nothing short of a miracle.”

The family shared that Zeus had to have emergency surgery to fix the displaced jaw, and has to wear a muzzle fully for 4-8 weeks while he heals, along with eating a fully liquid diet.

In an update the family gave after the surgery, they told GoFundMe viewers that he’s gotten a skin infection from all of the procedures and the attack, and while they are putting him on medication to help that, they have noticed his anxiety has increased since the attack. But they know that all of this is temporary and Zeus will return to himself with happy tail wags again soon.

“Despite it all, Zeus continues to be such a trooper. He’s getting tons of love, snuggles, and care. Thank you again for being part of this journey with us.”

The family started their GoFundMe to help with his extensive medical bills to save his life, and set the fundraising goal at $10k. The public has been donating like crazy to help Zeus and his family, and the goal is almost reached.

We hope that Zeus makes a full recovery. As for that alligator, we hope he learned his lesson that dogs put up a much more brutal fight than it thought.

The post Florida Family’s German Shepard Miraculously Survives Alligator Attack: “Zeus Continues To Be Such A Trooper” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.