An Englewood Rottweiler had surgery recently to remove a 3.5 inch nail that had accidentally been fired into his right eye with a nail gun. The dog is on the mend after surgery and his veterinarians say he will be just fine.
Audrey Strong, spokesperson for Englewood’s Veterinary Referral Center of Colorado (VRCC), said that Nick Wise came home from work on Sept. 3 and both of his dogs ran up to him as usual, but Wise noticed that his Rottweilier “Bomber” was squinting. Upon closer inspection, Wise discovered a 3.5 inch construction nail stuck in his right eye.
Wise lives in a duplex and told the VRCC that the neighbor in the adjoining residence was doing some construction. 7News reports that Wise’s neighbor was using a nail gun and a nail accidentally went through a backyard fence post and hit the 5-year-old dog who was jumping up on the other side of the fence investigating the noise.
According to 9News, the neighbor did not intentionally fire the nail gun at the dog and did not realize an accident had happened until the next morning when Wise spoke with him. The neighbor was extremely apologetic.
Experts at the VRCC told Huffington Post that the nail penetrated the eye and ruptured the lens. Unfortunately the eye could not be saved and emergency veterinarians had to remove it surgically. However, VRCC doctors were quick to point out that dogs with one eye, or that have gone fully blind, are able to adapt. A large portion of the the dog’s brain is devoted to scent making heir overall sense of smell exponentially greater -- simply put, their nose becomes their eyes.
Emergency veterinarians at the VRCC have these tips for pet owners the experience similar injuries:
- Any injury to the eye needs immediate veterinary evaluation.
- Don’t try to apply any ointments -- sterile saline only.
- If you have a remodeling going on or live near a construction site, remember animals respond differently than expected to loud noises or feelings of chaos. You may need to rate the animal if you are unable to keep them from getting into a dangerous place.
Visit the Veterinary Referral Center of Colorado website for more information on pet care and health.
WARNING: PHOTOS ARE GRAPHIC
