ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — With each breath, a gurgled wheezing can be heard coming from Maverick. The black Pit Bull mix is suffering.
- Dog named Maverick found shot, injured
- Veterinarian thinks Maverick experienced animal abuse
- The sooner he gets specialized care, the better, she said
“There is a lot of infection, what we call fibrin in there,” said Dr. Hailee Hobson, shaking her head. “Despite how nice and sweet he is, and wagging his tail, he is a very critical patient.”
Hobson is a veterinarian at Luv-N-Care Animal Hospital in Longwood.
“What I am doing is ultra-sounding his chest area, because there is a lot of fluid accumulating,” said Hobson, as she guides an ultrasound wand over a shaved part of Maverick's stomach.
"His lungs are collapsed underneath that fluid,” she added when looking at the screen.
On an x-ray, a little white mark near his spine and in the center of his body is causing the fluid. The white dot is a pellet or BB bullet. Just over a week ago, Maverick was shot.
“So it looks like the bullet entered back here and lodged itself in his chest,” said Hobson.
Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) picked up the dog after a man called in a tip about seeing the lethargic pup in his neighborhood off Clarecona Ocoee Road.
Maverick was taken to OCAS, but his injuries were too much for them to fix. They then called Adrienne Andino with Tailz Rescue Ranch.
“He is a fighter. He is definitely a fighter,” Andino said. “These type of dogs — pit bull-type dogs — are so resilient.”
Adino’s rescue is not for profit and has helped numerous animals in their most dire time of need. She believes Maverick experienced animal abuse.
Because of that belief and his wounds, OCAS even asked the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to investigate further.
Maverick has now spent three days Luv-N-Care Animal Hospital and undergone several draining sessions to remove the fluid. But as of Thursday, they have reached their limit on care that can be provided.
“Every minute counts right now, because his vital organs are compromised due to this injury, and so the sooner he can receive specialty care, the better,” said Hobson.
Andino will try to get him that care by taking him to Affiliated Veterinary Specialists Thursday night. She holds onto hope that his will to live won’t give out.
“This is just going to be a story in the past that we tell about him,” Andino said.
If you know anything about what happened to Maverick, call Orange County Animal Services at 407-836-3111.
To help Tailz Rescue Ranch with Maverick’s veterinary costs, click here.
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