WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Some Wichita veterinarians recently saved the life of a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office K-9. A couple of weeks ago, Deputy Kaleb Dailey became concerned when he noticed that K-9 Gator was a bit off and had some mild stomach problems, including vomiting and loose stools.
Dailey, Gator’s handler, took him to Indian Hills Animal Clinic, where Dr. Amber Robinson examined the K-9 and recommended bloodwork. The labwork revealed a problem requiring further testing, including a radiograph and ultrasound.
When she got the results, Robinson diagnosed Gator with splenic torsion, a life-threatening condition in which the spleen becomes twisted around its blood vessels. Chronic cases are sometimes not found until it’s too late.
Within two hours of the diagnosis, Gator was in surgery. Dr. Sarah Neisius and Dr. Jenna Hill worked together to remove his spleen. They discovered it had twisted itself six times. Once they had the spleen out, they weighed it. It was close to five pounds, indicating how much blood had been trapped in it. The clinic posted pictures of the operation and the spleen on its Facebook page.
After the operation, Gator stayed at Indian Hills Animal Clinic for the night and was healthy enough to be discharged the next day. He recovered at home and had his final follow-up appointment last week.
The doctors credit the deputy for noticing the slight change in Gator’s health and bringing him in. His actions led to the life-saving surgery.
“Gator is a pretty special dog with a great team behind him,” Dr. Neisius told KSN.
The sheriff’s office does not know how Gator became ill.
“But we’re happy that Deputy Dailey was able to recognize that his partner wasn’t acting normal and got him the help that he needed,” Branden Stitt, Sedwick County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, said.
Dailey and Gator are part of the Sheriff Patrol Division K-9 Unit. The unit’s four K-9 teams are assigned to patrol. They help the sheriff’s office and other law enforcement agencies find drugs, evidence and missing people. They help protect deputies and promote public relations and awareness through educational programs.
