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| Yankee one week after her surgery. |
It was a sorry sight of anguish and distress when SPCA Melaka found Yankee, a puppy who was abandoned overnight outside the shelter gate.
Yankee's leg was in a
mangled wreck. Her hind leg was contorted, twisted sideways and pinned beneath her. Her leg was barely attached to her body with
the long thin outer bone at the rear leg protruding through the skin,
revealing the broken edges of bone. She was obviously in a lot of pain. The wound was open and attracted a lot of flies, which could lead to a maggot infection if left untreated. Her
movement was restricted and she was panting heavily from dehydration
and intense pain. Her injuries most likely to have been caused by an auto-mobile accident. Due to her
horrific injuries and the shelter’s limited resources, there was a high chance
that Yankee might have to be euthanised (P.T.S).
However the staff at SPCA
Melaka saw the fighting spirit and the will to live in Yankee’s eyes. Her
injuries were tended to and the dead tissue around her hind leg removed. Antibiotics and painkillers were injected regularly to relieve the
pain. Through tender loving care and patience Yankee’s wounds were healing and she was getting stronger.
The road to recovery is still long for Yankee as
her hind leg was still damaged and her body weight is unable to support
her leg. When she stood up, her injured leg would buckle and she will howl in pain. Most
of her time was spent in a crate where she could keep her upper body upright so
as to alleviate the pain in her lower body.
The
staff at SPCA Melaka made a referral to
Noah’s Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary (NANAS) as they felt she would lead
a better life there. On 14 September 2013, she made her journey
from Melaka to Noah’s Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary. Raymund named her “Yankee”. An
X-ray determined she had multiple fractures of the femur and tibia and a dislocated femur
head. The advice was to amputate to stop the pain. Yankee’s leg was successfully amputated by Dr Alice Liow, a volunteer vet from
Singapore.
Two days after the operation, Yankee was
stricken with Canine Parvo Virus* which could affect her already weakened immune
system and small body. It was a near death experience for Yankee but she was a
fiesty fighter and was determined to live. Yankee survived and recovered from
the personalised attention from Raymund. After recuperation,
Yankee was strong enough to learn to use her three legs to walk. She adapted well to her condition and was soon
running around happily.
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| Yankee all grown up after 6 months at Noah's Ark. |
Yankee is currently residing at Noah's Ark and being
both the feisty and playful puppy, you will not notice that she is different
from the other dogs. Her story is one of great determination and perseverance
against all odds to have a second chance at life.
Written By: Siah Li Mei
* Footnote
What is Canine Parvovirus?
The Canine
Parvovirus (CPV) infection is a highly contagious viral illness that affects dogs. The
virus manifests itself in two different
forms. The more common form is the intestinal form, which is characterized by
vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and lack of appetite. The less common is the
cardiac form, which attacks the heart muscles of very young puppies, often
leading to death. The majority of cases are seen in puppies that are between
six weeks and six months old. The incidence of Canine Parvo Virus infections has
been reduced radically by early vaccination in young puppies. (Source: PetMD)
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