Buckley’s new look

 

Buckley with his new ears

As Buckley turned nine weeks old, veterinary staff at The Lost Dogs' Home were planning delicate surgery to repair his damaged ears and tail.

Along with being desexed, senior vet Dr Alan Bolton wanted to tidy up Buckley’s hacked off ears, as well as what remained of his tail, to minimise the chance of infection and allow for healing.

Horrifically mutilated before being dumped in a school playground on 11 July, the pup that has captured the heart of the nation has been in foster care and receiving daily veterinary treatment at The Lost Dogs' Home.

Buckley was given oral medication to calm him down before being prepped for surgery. While he waited in the hospital, he was surrounded with stuffed toys and his embroidered blanket, all donated by generous members of the public, and was comforted by veterinary nurses as the medication started to make him sleepy. Once the grogginess took effect, he was transferred to the operating theatre, where the surgeries took place.

Dr Bolton and vet nurse manager Kate Kemp spent over an hour working on Buckley. His torn and jagged ear skin has been neatly removed and sutured and his bloodied tail stump has now been closed up.

The intricate surgeries were successful. Although Buckley will never be able to wag his tail, nor prick his ears, the hallmarks of the vicious crime against him are no longer raw and uneven.

“His resilience is astounding. By eight o’clock last night the effects of the anaesthetic had worn off and he was eager to have dinner,” said Manager Sue Conroy.

“He is wearing an Elizabethan collar at the moment, which is keeping him occupied as he tries to nibble at the surgery sites; it takes his mind off scratching or chewing at the sutures. He is back on track and we could not be happier.”

The Home has been overwhelmed by the public’s support and generosity towards Buckley. Donations of food, toys, bedding and collars arrive at an almost constant rate and gifts to Buckley’s Scholarship Fund continue to flood in.

Emails and phone calls from concerned people – some from overseas – all ask for updates on his progress and how exactly we will decide on who will adopt him. For the time being, his adoption is not being focused on. All energies are spent ensuring Buckley is given every opportunity to develop into a well-adjusted and happy adult dog.

You can continue to follow Buckley’s progress at dogshome.com.