A North Austin woman is looking for answers after her dog was attacked by what appears to be some kind of wild animal.

KVUE News

Cheyenne's owner believe she was attacked by a wild animal.

The attack not only injured the dog, named "Cheyenne," but also left her owner worried that other animals and small children may be next.

The 2-year-old dog and two of her siblings escaped from their yard last Wednesday night, and when she returned, she was injured.

"We saw a couple of, you know, 50-cent size puncture wounds on her hip, and I saw on her back a smaller puncture wound, and it looked like she'd been shot," said Sandy Kurtzman, owner.

A trip to the vet revealed the Australian shepherd/red heeler mix hadn't been shot -- she'd been attacked.

Sandy Kurtzman says whatever bit Cheyenne had sharp claws and an 11-inch bite. There are a lot of kids in the neighborhood and an elementary school nearby. Kurtman is concerned the attacker might have been a mountain lion -- even though there have been no other sightings in the area.

Parks and wildlife officials say cougars have been sighted in every Texas county but say there's no evidence a cougar is even in the area. They say the injuries are not consistent with the way a cougar attacks.

"It's more likely that a coyote could have done this, because coyotes tend to be more prevalent," said Tom Harvey, Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Still, whatever took a bite of Cheyenne is still on the loose.

Experts say if you encounter a coyote or mountain lion you should make yourself appear to be as big as possible, and if the animal appears aggressive, you should throw rocks and sticks in its direction. And of course, keep a close eye on your pets anytime they're outside your home.