The young boy has been suffering some PTSD from the attack. Source: Supplied to Kidspot

The young boy has been suffering some PTSD from the attack. Source: Supplied to Kidspot

WARNING: Graphic images

When Susan got a call from partner that their son Blayde was being rushed to emergency after being attacked by a dog - she could never have prepared herself what she had to face when she rushed through the hospital doors.

When the Mackay mum first laid eyes on her seven-year-old boy she instantly yelled: "Oh my God - I can see his skull!"

I was shocked to see him in that way - I had not imagined it was as bad as it was," she tells Kidspot.

"It was just horrible, seeing my son's skull while he lay there in the trauma bay - it will never leave me."

The horrendous attack happened earlier this month when someone Susan knew took Blayde to visit an acquaintance.

"They went into the back yard for five minutes, Blayde was playing with her two Bull Arab dogs when everyone went inside, but Blayde stayed in the yard," Susan explains.

"He threw the ball to one dog and the other dog attacked him. The owner had to pull and hit her dog to get the dog off of Blayde."

Blayde received a 10cm gash to his head exposing his skull - the dog's teeth left damage on the skull.

Blayde received a 10cm gash to his head exposing his skull. Source: Supplied to Kidspot

The poor little boy also had a 3cm gash to the head, which needed stitching, and a 2cm gash through his left lower eyelid, which also had to be stitched.

Blayde had to immediately undergo surgery to fix his horrific damage and was released from hospital on antibiotics the next day.

"We woke the following day and he had a huge red swollen shut eye - so I rushed him to the hospital," Susan says.

"An eye specialist discovered that he had tear duct damage, a massive eye infection and his eye was pushing forward.

A CT scan discovered the bones behind and around his eye were all fractured and broken, a piece had also moved and was lodged in his sinus."

It is not yet known if Blayde will have permanent damage to his sight.

"His vision might be affected - but we won't know until down the track. His pupil is slow to react and he has blood under the whites and the cornea," his devastated mum says.

"Council have been contacted but we are yet to hear what action will be taken. Meanwhile, the dog is still happily with his owners."

Mackay Regional Council is aware of the dog attack at a private residence earlier this month.

Acting Community and Client Services Director Angela Hays said council was investigating the issue and would advise all parties once a decision had been made.

"Council takes dog attacks seriously and proceeds with actions based on the information and evidence gathered," she said.

"These actions can include a warning, a dangerous dog declaration or seizure of the dog.

"We would like to remind pet owners to be vigilant and never leave their animals alone or unsupervised around children."

Blayde is still very traumatised by the vicious mauling. Source: Supplied to Kidspot

Understandably, Blayde, who has ASD 2 with the developmental understanding of a 4 year old, is still very traumatised by the vicious mauling.

Blayde has been suffering some PTSD from the attack and is having trouble understanding why it happened," Susan says.

"He's confused by it and doesn't understand why the dog attacked him. He has been saying things like 'imagine if the dog didn't bite my eye, imagine if I didn't feel hurt, imagine if we didn't have to see the doctors today'.

"The doctors told me he is lucky to be alive and if the dog had more time he would have killed him and if it bit his neck he would have died."

Susan says she hasn't heard from the dog's owners since the appalling incident.

"I'm disgusted that a dog that tried to kill someone is still alive and that they want to keep him," she says.

"He's dangerous - if it was my dog - it would have been put down ASAP. The next person may not be so lucky.

"This wasn't a nip or a bite, it was a mauling intended to kill my son - if he'd had another minute alone with Blayde he would have succeeded."

However, she's very proud of her boy's uplifting spirit.

"Throughout all of this Blayde has shown so much courage and everyday has found something to smile about."

A GoFundMe has been set up for Blayde's ongoing treatment.

This originally appeared on Kidspot and has been republished with permission.