Yesterday, someone from the local temple called me. Apparently, a dog had been attacked and bitten by a pack of wild dogs at the playground near the temple and was very badly injured. I was at work all day but I told the person to bring in the dog to our panel vet immediately.
By evening, the person still had not sent the dog, and our vet had waited. I found out today that they could not catch the dog....until this afternoon.
The vet called me this evening as I was loading the stuff into my car after the event. Gosh, lots of details....I'd go immediately.
To begin with, this dog is an old dog. She's female. The vet suspects she had been injured in an accident already, and being weak, she was then attacked by a pack of wild dogs. There are easily 10-15 bite marks on her. But that's not the worrisome part. This dog cannot even stand up or walk. We won't know what is wrong until an X-Ray is taken. Probable causes would be pelvic injury, injury to spinal cord, arthritis or brain concussion. There is also a bad injury (already pus-infected) on her leg.
Before you look at the photo, do not be alarmed. The vet has shaven her, or more accurately, "balded" her so that the wounds are visible. Otherwise, it would be very hard to treat them.
Ready?
Here goes...
See the wounds?
Some of these bite-wounds are infected. Some have pus in them. Some have oil oozing out (that means it's from the fat). Some don't even look new, so the poor thing may have been attacked multiple times.
On the underside too.
Now, this is a bad pus-infected wound on the leg.
Being a stranger, I did not want to stress her as it must have been pretty traumatic for her to have been brought to this environment.
The plan now is to put her under sedation, bathe her first, then take X-Rays and after that, treat her wounds. The X-Rays would reveal more.
As I drove home, I prayed her inability to walk would only be a temporary thing. Please, let it not be paralysis or some permanent injury. I called the person who brought her in and asked if the temple might be able to foster her, or provide a space for her later, should everything turn out well and she can be discharged later. The vet said at her age, with the pack of wild dogs there, she should NOT be released back to that area. Yes, I absolutely agree.
Let's look at this positively and hope for the best. I would like to appeal for a fosterer, please. If you can help, please contact me at chankahyein@gmail.com
The vet said she might not even survive the sedation, given her age, but if we do not treat her, she is just going to waste away, suffer and die.
What choice do we have but to go ahead and try.
As I sit here now, writing this, I need to give her a name.
Karuna.
Karuna means compassion in the ancient Pali language. She needs our compassion, and I hope she will bring out the compassion in all of us.
Get well soon, Karuna. We pray for your recovery.
UPDATES: I've just texted the vet. Karuna had been sedated, X-rays taken (the vet says "they look good" in his short sms), and guess what....Karuna's eating!!
I'm now waiting for the vet to be free so that I can talk to him and get more details.
Let's help Karuna by sending her positive thoughts and healing energy.
Thank you!
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