Patrocle

Patrocle stood a couple of days in a ditch, with the left front leg broken, and the soft tissue at sight. I had no time to go with him to vet, and I was expecting for his owner to search for him, and look after his dog. He had a collar mark on neck, and I didn’t see him before roaming on street, that’s why I was hoping his owner would not let him suffer in the street, but take him to clinic. Though his owner never appeared. It’s likely that he or she abandoned the dog, seeing that the bad condition was calling for trips to vet and medical intervention and costs.

The doctor saw the X-rays, and said the elbow was too damaged to be repaired. Also there was a bone fracture even below the shoulder, and the paw bones were not entire, either. We decided that leg cannot be saved. I attended the surgery, on a Saturday. Once the skin and muscle tissue were sectioned, the bone broken detached from the upper part, without using any saw. The blood vessels had been so damaged, and the blood accumulated in tissue, that no major bleeding occurred while detaching the damaged leg. There were bone chips among the soft tissues. RAR paid all the medical costs.

The dog laid low for a few days, he had no strength, so that I wondered if the other leg is in one piece, or he had other internal probs . He had suffered a shock, of the accident, of being abandoned, of losing one leg. After bandage and stitches were removed, Patrocle remained at our home. He is very agile for a 3 legged dog. I don’t think he would try to get back to his former home, even if he’s able to move now. He is the 2nd 3 legged dog in my yard, both were victims of car accidents, and for both it was RAR who paid the medical costs. Both of them have a sort of playful temper, though I don’t think this was the cause of their accidents, those could have been avoided, with more care from people. They behave this way since they are grateful and happy that they are alive, and it’s not the 3 legs but their attitude that keeps reminding you of the accident.