Wounded puppy ‘Kuzey’ recovering

ISTANBUL

A stray puppy brought from the southeastern province of Mardin to Istanbul early July for an emergency medical operation after its two legs were injured with a shotgun is now recovering. 

The three-month-old puppy, named “Kuzey” (meaning “North”) by the veterinarians, was shot in Mardin’s Mazıdağı district on June 24 by a 75-year-old man. 

After receiving first aid in the Mardin Metropolitan Municipality’s Animal Rehabilitation Center, Kuzey was transported to Istanbul on an aircraft as it needed a critical medical operation at a fully-equipped hospital. The puppy risked losing his legs because the bones on its left legs were broken into pieces and severely infected. 

During a successful operation, the healthy bone and muscle tissues of the puppy’s legs were compounded, but 12 steel shots in its body could not be removed. 

Bandages on the puppy’s legs have been removed. 

Having received the infection treatment for a long time, Kuzey now is in very good condition and can use three of its legs, the vets said. The dog can only use its wounded front left leg partly, but is slowly walking right now, they added. 

Kuzey will undergo another operation in the coming days as the bones in its back left leg were completely damaged. The plan is to apply the grafting method, according to the vets. With the method, bones will be taken from the puppy’s ribs and placed into the legs. 

Tamer Saka, a doctor at the Istanbul Veterinary Medical Center, said the treatment will be accelerated as the puppy has fought off the infections. “The left front leg rapidly recovered. It can use it. As there is no bone in the back leg, it cannot use it right now. We plan to apply the grafting method but we will decide on it in the operation. The treatment is going very well,” he added.