Puppy Recovering After Ear Mutilation
By: Rachel Spangenthal
Updated: October 2, 2012
It would be easy to fall in love with this puppy. But someone thought harming the dog would be better than loving him.
"This little guy he's persevered through," said Shawn Bryd, Shelter Supervisor of the Lubbock Animal Shelter.
And here's proof of just that. The dog's ears were cropped and sewn together on top of his head. Police arrested Juan Chavira for animal cruelty in August. But the police report said he told officers he bought the dog like that and was planning on taking it to the vet. Since then, the puppy has been recovering at the Lubbock Animal Shelter. Shawn Byrd, the Shelter Supervisor, said he's healed quickly.
"He's probably put that in the past. we've given him a lot of attention, positive attention and he's always getting to go out and play and everyone's always talking to him as he goes by," said Byrd.
But veterinarian Tim Polk said the outcome could have been different.
"No anesthesia you can only imagine, cutting off that part of your ear without any anesthetics or analgesics, that'd be a very bad thing to do," said Dr. Polk.
Dr. Polk said even he doesn't like performing the surgery.
"These dogs, we have to do them when they're young, so they're already a little bit anemic, okay, their red blood cell counts low, and then the blood loss, the ears are so vascular, the blood loss can be so great, so you already have an immuno-comprised animal, a dog that's already anemic, and you're putting a puppy under anesthesia, it's just a risk," said Dr. Polk.
But for this dog, he still has a lot of living left to do.
"He's going to find a good home he's going to be happy he's going to be loved so that's the great part about his job," said Byrd.
"This little guy he's persevered through," said Shawn Bryd, Shelter Supervisor of the Lubbock Animal Shelter.
And here's proof of just that. The dog's ears were cropped and sewn together on top of his head. Police arrested Juan Chavira for animal cruelty in August. But the police report said he told officers he bought the dog like that and was planning on taking it to the vet. Since then, the puppy has been recovering at the Lubbock Animal Shelter. Shawn Byrd, the Shelter Supervisor, said he's healed quickly.
"He's probably put that in the past. we've given him a lot of attention, positive attention and he's always getting to go out and play and everyone's always talking to him as he goes by," said Byrd.
But veterinarian Tim Polk said the outcome could have been different.
"No anesthesia you can only imagine, cutting off that part of your ear without any anesthetics or analgesics, that'd be a very bad thing to do," said Dr. Polk.
Dr. Polk said even he doesn't like performing the surgery.
"These dogs, we have to do them when they're young, so they're already a little bit anemic, okay, their red blood cell counts low, and then the blood loss, the ears are so vascular, the blood loss can be so great, so you already have an immuno-comprised animal, a dog that's already anemic, and you're putting a puppy under anesthesia, it's just a risk," said Dr. Polk.
But for this dog, he still has a lot of living left to do.
"He's going to find a good home he's going to be happy he's going to be loved so that's the great part about his job," said Byrd.
