Everyone Meet Matt!
The seven-year-old heading dog!
WARNING: Some people may find some photos graphic and may upset some viewers.
Matt was lost wounded and afraid! Found by a concerned member of the public who kindly called our after hours veterinarian to have the lost dog attended to straight away. On arrival Matt was very frightened, lethargic, withdrawn and in pain. He looked to have sustained a nasty trauma during the time he had been missing. With large scrape, bruises, minor and multiple deep abrasions to all of his feet. The attending veterinarian placed Matt on intravenous fluid therapy, pain relief and antibiotics to make him comfortable until his owner was located.
The next day thanks to the power of the people and social media Matts owner was found and both were extremely happy to be reunited!
The circumstances of what happened to him during the time he was missing are still very unclear but with his owner found Matt could now start his journey to healing. Matt underwent a general anaesthetic as his wounds were very painful and dirty. Our veterinarians and nurses worked carefully to clip, clean, debride and suture his wounds. As you can see from the photos some wounds were very deep and bone was exposed in some areas, pads were torn, nail beds and nails missing on some toes. He was a real mess! Over the next few weeks Matt required strong pain relief as he was quite mobile despite the pain and a course of antibiotics as his wounds were located in areas which commonly touch surfaces making them prone to infection. Matt requires ongoing regular bandage changes to make sure the wounds are being kept as clean as possible to reduce the risk of further complications.
Once Matt’s physical wounds had been addressed it was time to work on his mental health as it’s hard to be away from all that is familiar. A veterinary clinic can be very strange and scary for a dog who has spent his life working on the farm. So with lots of attention, set routines, comfort, music, walks, grooming sessions and yummy treats (he loves cat food and bacon!) the nurses slowly won Matt over -see his happy smile in the photos! Mental health is an important aspect of any patient’s recovery and their experiences during their stay can have a huge influence on this.
Matt got to go home today (YAY!) he still has a lot of healing to do from his ordeal but he has come a long way in a few short weeks and is well on the road to recovery.
