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Small dog escapes gator's clutches


Published: March 25, 2008 at 5:21 PM
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LUTZ, Fla., March 25 (UPI) -- The Lutz, Fla., owners of a small dog said their pet was able to escape the teeth of an alligator with no broken bones or internal bleeding.

Mike and Cathy Piendel said Gizmo, their 7-pound Maltese-toy poodle mix, suffered puncture wounds on his ear and back leg from his encounter with the gator, but a veterinarian told them the pooch is expected to make a full recovery, TBO.com reported Tuesday.

The Piendels said they heard Gizmo yelping in a panicked fashion Sunday and they spotted him with his ear in the clutches of the alligator, which was attempting to pull the small dog under the water. The dog briefly escaped, but the reptile managed to take hold of one of his thighs before Cathy Piendel scared the predator off with a scream.

"Not one broken bone; no internal bleeding," Cathy Piendel said. "His white blood cell count is 10 times the normal level, but that's because of the infection" from the bite.

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