A dog was shot and killed by a Contra Costa County sheriff's deputy after attacking its owner in Discovery Bay Wednesday morning, sheriff's officials said.

Deputies responded at about 8 a.m. to the 5500 block of Arcadia Circle after the woman reported being attacked by her own dog.

They arrived to find the woman had severe bite wounds on several areas of her body and was on the ground and being tended to by neighbors, according to the sheriff's office.

The dog ran off before deputies arrived, but later returned. While deputies tried to corral it, it moved toward bystanders and given the earlier attack, a deputy shot and killed the canine, sheriff's officials said.

The woman was taken by helicopter to a hospital and was in stable condition Wednesday afternoon, according to the sheriff's office.

County animal services investigators will be looking into what led to the dog attack.