FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Inside the intensive care unit of Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists, there is a 3-month-old mixed breed named Murphy.
The puppy is recovering at the animal hospital after he was attacked by another dog on July 10 and then abandoned by his owner.
Murphy's owner had initially dropped him off at VCA Imperial Point Hospital and told the staff that the dog had been attacked by another one of his dogs. The man then turned Murphy over to the staff and ran out of the facility without leaving much personal information.
The hospital's staff gave Murphy X-rays, which showed that the dog suffered puncture wounds to his throat and chest, as well as a broken left front leg, broken ribs, a collapsed lung and lacerations to his front right leg.
To make matters worse, Murphy's owner wasn't returning phone calls from the hospital's staff.
Fortunately, the little dog's luck was about to turn around.
Amy Roman, the founder of 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida, was in the animal hospital and stepped in to help Murphy.
"I just happened to be at Imperial Point Animal Hospital when Murphy came in," Roman said. "He was screaming from the pain and was not going to survive unless he made it to a specialty emergency veterinary hospital. I couldn’t watch him die, so I rushed him to Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists."
At LVS, Murphy was treated for his wounds. The dog underwent open-chest surgery July 17 to repair the extensive internal damage he'd suffered during the attack.
"The trauma to his chest was extensive, and we knew the only way to save him was to perform this challenging surgery," Dr. Jennifer Bibevski said. "Fortunately, Murphy has responded well to the surgery and, with additional care, we are hopeful that he will make a full recovery. His left lungs are working appropriately and he has regained a happy attitude since surgery."
Of course, medical care comes at a cost.
In this case, Murphy's treatment has cost about $12,000.
"The lifesaving care Murphy received does have significant costs and we ask the community to help us through donations, if possible," Roman said.
To donate to Murphy's recovery click here.