Unfortunately, dogs suffer wild animal attacks all too often. But here’s one you may not see coming.

Beavers usually keep to themselves, but they’ll attack if they feel threatened. It’s their razor-sharp front teeth that do the most damage — slicing through arteries with a single bite — and the resulting blood loss can kill a dog.

While beavers generally don’t wander more than a hundred yards from the water, young males looking for a mate or beavers protecting kits tend to be very aggressive. The first warning is usually a tail slap on the water, but a wary beaver can get out and charge a dog in no time. Beavers also won’t hesitate to attack dogs in the water.

So, if you and your pooch are strolling near water, keep a lookout for beaver lodges or gnawed sticks on the bank. Then, give these guys a very wide berth.