An amazing 5-year-old Lab mix, Sarge made an unexpected discovery during his scheduled neuter procedure. The rescue dog’s tragic past was revealed when he was on the operating table, exposing a previous injury that no one expected.
Lump On Rescue Dog’s Abdomen
Sarge was brought to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay earlier this year. When he moved from a shelter in Northern Florida, no one knew anything about his background. However, Sarge’s wagging tail and attractive manner won over every staff member he encountered, making what happened next more shocking. The shelter surgeon found a lump on his belly during his pre-surgical examination. He thought it to be a harmless fatty abscess of some type. They opted to remove it during his neuter treatment, believing it to be a benign tumor. However, when the surgeon opened the mass to check the area, he found a massive bullet.
It’s hard to determine how long the bullet was embedded in Sarge, the rescue dog’s stomach. But it does suggest that he had a run-in with the wrong person at some time in his past. The shell was much larger than a standard bullet or BB, and it was the biggest caliber bullet any of the staff had ever seen pass through the body of a dog.
Fortunately, Sarge recovered entirely after removing the bullet during surgery. This brave dog has not only survived in the face of adversity, but he has also become stronger as a result of his experience. His past molded him into the finest version of himself. Sarge, the rescue dog’s story had a happy ending, as he ultimately found a permanent home following his struggle. We are delighted that Sarge has found a loving home to call his own, and we hope that he will eventually heal from his suffering.
All photos courtesy of Humane Society of Tampa Bay via Facebook
