Max arrived unexpectedly at a shelter where Dr. Gandolf was working. He had trauma with open wounds that were several days old, was emaciated (dangerously underweight), and unable to even lift his head.
We suspected that he may have been struck in the face with a baseball bat. Many shelters would have elected to euthanize him due to his severe injuries and poor prognosis. Dr. Gandolf saw a spark of life in his eyes and chose to give him a chance.
She directed his critical care and discovered that he also had multiple open fractures of his maxilla (upper jaw). With the advice of Dr. Jon Dyce (OSU orthopedics), and with help from a local dentist, she cleaned out his upper jaw and stabilized it with wires and a poured acrylic splint. He ate via a feeding tube in his neck for two weeks, then one of his first oral feedings of turkey on Thanksgiving Day!
Max turned out to be such a wonderful dog! He was adopted as soon as he was medically cleared to go home, where he enjoys naps on the couch with his loving family.