SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU, Que. -- A Quebec woman suffering from multiple sclerosis who was mauled by her two dogs will remain in hospital for a long time due to severe head and facial injuries, police said Tuesday.

The 60-year-old was attacked Monday in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, south of Montreal, and will need extensive surgery, said municipal police spokesman Luc Tougas.

"It's clear she will be in hospital for a long time," he said. "The two dogs bit her everywhere. She has skin torn from her arm and a few places around her head and face. There are pieces of skin missing."

The woman was living with her 29-year-old caretaker son.

She owned a Boston terrier while he owned a dog that police described as a pit bull-type animal.

A witness had called the police early in the afternoon to report that a woman was being attacked by two dogs.

Police found her in the backyard of a residential building near an elementary school.

Tougas said the incident started when the woman fell to the ground and was bitten on the arm by the terrier.

"Then immediately the (other dog) jumped on her face," he said.

Police shot and killed the pit bull-type dog on the scene and they plan to have the terrier euthanized.

Tougas said police will ask the son to have the animal killed.

"We think he's going to say yes, but if he refuses we will make the demand for euthanasia ourselves," he said.

"Even according to the victim the terrier was the more aggressive dog."

He said the neighbours also confirmed the terrier was the more violent of the two dogs.

The son will not face any charges, Tougas said.