A dog named Martín arrived at the San Jose Animal Care Center one day, and he was in horrendous pain after being hit by a car. The impact was so forceful that both of the canine’s front legs sustained degloving injuries.
The medical team knew Martín’s wounds were severe, but they couldn’t see how deep they went because the flesh was littered with dirt and debris.
The team patiently cleaned and dressed the canine’s wounds every day to prevent infection and promote healing. Martín had to be sedated while the veterinary staff removed debris and dead tissue from the area.
After a few days of treatment, the medical team finally saw that the injury on Martín’s left front leg went so deep that the bone was already exposed. However, what worried them more was seeing that the pooch couldn’t place weight on that leg.
The veterinary staff took this as an indication that they may have to amputate the limb eventually, but they didn’t lose hope. They still gave the dog their best, knowing his owner would come looking for him.
Weeks passed, however, and nobody visited the San Jose Animal Care Center to ask about the canine. It seemed that Martín no longer had a family to go home to. But the good news was that with the medical team’s perseverance, the pooch quickly regained the use of both front limbs.
It was then time to sew the wounds closed to allow them to heal on their own. Just a month after Martín came into the center’s care, his degloved legs became healthy and whole once more.
The limbs may bear the scars of his traumatic experience, but they could also mean something more positive. The marks will remind Martín’s future family that the staff of the San Jose Animal Care Center never gave up on the pooch.
Speaking of future families, Martín found a new loving home soon after the shelter put him up for adoption. Watch his heartwarming story of recovery in the video below:
Source: Tails of a Shelter Vet on YouTube
