Janko (Pronounced Zhon' ko)

by Candy
(Panama City, Florida)

Look closely at Janko's pics. Notice anything different about this AKC Black Lab? Common' look real close....no tail! We live in Florida on the bay....Gators are very good at 'details'!!

He is the sweetest boy, just turned 7 yrs on July 7th.

I came home a couple of years ago after working overtime and it was dark outside. I unlocked the door and I kept thinking it was strange that his big tail (we call it his 2'x4') wasn't knocking me around.

When the atomatic porch light came on I almost fell over!! It was gone...all of it... right up to his hips! I could see the spine still trying to wag!

After a trip to the vet she had me pack the 'hole' with powdered sugar 4 times a day for an entire week.

An alligator's mouth is filled with bacteria and this was supposed to help...I'm no vet so I took her advise.

After a week she said it looked great, pulled and stitched up enough extra skin to make a stump of a tail and now he looks like a Bulldog!

Janko did great and never seemed to be in pain except when he would try to sit for the following 6 or 8 weeks.

We have a 5' chain link fence, electric fence and cement poured around the bottom of the fence...he still gets out and goes across the street to play in the bay!

We were lucky that Janko ran into a young gator; an older more experienced gator would have attacked from the side before 'rolling' and drowning his prey!