It all started with a post on Facebook about a puppy in desperate need of help. We cancelled all of our appointments and headed out to find him. After searching for a while, we finally found him tied up to a shrub, hidden from view, and in terrible condition. The puppy, later named Victor, was emaciated and had a deep neck wound that was wider than other rope burn cases we’ve had. It was clear that he had been straining and pulling to get away.
Despite being near a big supermarket, the spot where Victor was tied up was impossible to see from the street. The first thing we did was borrow a box cutter from a hardware store to remove the rope around his neck. We desperately wanted to know if his windpipe was intact or not. Victor was extremely thirsty, indicating that he had been tied up there for a long time.
We took Victor to a shelter where we cleaned his neck wound and got rid of the maggots. The first step was to trim the fur along the edges before applying first aid to the wound. Then we took him straight to a clinic for a blood test and IV drip line insertion. The road to recovery was long, but Victor was a patient and cooperative client. He always stood still for us to clean his wound and take his medicine.
Victor underwent surgery to correct the creases on his neck, which had become tightly folded together and kept getting infected. Although his neck wound would never fully heal as long as the skin was cinched together, the second surgery was successful, and Victor’s condition improved significantly. He still had a few months to go, but we were optimistic about his recovery.
Throughout the process, we were amazed at Victor’s resilience and grateful for the opportunity to help him. His story serves as a reminder of the importance of animal rescue and the need for more awareness and action to prevent animal cruelty. We hope that Victor’s happy ending will inspire others to take action when they see an animal in need.