What Happened to the Dogs?

Tom sherman's impression that the object was made of glass and had one or more blue liquids bubbling or mixing in it? As your eyes adjust to light sources in dim light, there can be optical illusions. Will o the wisps would not crush them, but since their burning gas, they could set the dogs coats of fur on fire. Once the dogs were down, the fire could spread out from their bodies, creating burned or desicated circles around them.