A man has been left with horrific injuries after he was attacked by a kangaroo while trying to save his dog in north-east Victoria.

Col was having a few beers with his friend earlier this week when the pair heard barking down by the dam and knew “something was wrong”.

“We drove across the paddock to the dam and the kangaroo was standing up trying to grab her,” he said.

Col was attacked by a kangaroo as he tried to save his dog. (3AW)

“I got a stick and hit him with a stick.

“He jumped into the dam and I flicked my dog off to my mate and said ‘put her in the dog cage’.”

Col turned around to look at his dog then turned back around to look at the kangaroo.

“He’s come out of the water like a bloody rocket and headbutted me in the face, then punched the crap out of me,” he said.

“When he came out, we’ve hit heads and I’ve gone onto my back.

“When I stood up, he’s given me what I can describe as a flying roundhouse to the back.

“Then he’s jumped on me and his little gremlin hands have grabbed my head.

“He wouldn’t let go and he’s just started booting the shit out of me.”

Col said the kangaroo started to growl and wouldn’t take his hands off his head.

“He was really pretty well latched on,” he said.

“Then my mate got a shovel and hit him with a shovel.

“I can’t remember too much, it was really quick.”

Col said he was left with a lot of injuries for “about 25 seconds of work”.

“I’m very lucky and if I hadn’t have rolled onto my stomach I would’ve been in a lot worse of a way,” he said.

“They’ve got a big talon toe and he’s got me through both sides of the stomach.

“The ultrasound said it went in about three inches.

“He embarassingly kicked me in the arse and I’ve got a big hole on the arse cheek.”

Col was taken to hospital in an ambulance and he spent about six hours in hospital.

Wildpro Pest Control managing director Alex Krstic described the situation as “unusual” on the kangaroo’s part but “certainly not outside of the realm of what they can do”.

“You’ve got to remember these things are wild animals and they’ll behave like wild animals,” Krstic said.

“They’re very aggressive, especially when they’re fighting with each other.

“Col is lucky that when he did come close to it that it didn’t use its large claw on its rear foot to disembowel him.

“That kangaroo was keyed up to fight, the dog left, he obviously identified Col as a threat and let him have it.”