News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Jackson County K9 Ivor recovering after a near-death experience last week.
Last Wednesday, Sheriffs Deputy Miquela Sullivan noticed her K9 partner having difficulty walking. Within minutes he couldn’t stand. Sullivan rushed Ivor to the vet.
Ivor was near cardiac arrest and needed surgery to correct a flipped stomach which required stapling the organ to a nearby muscle for stability.
“So he’s still a pup, and we bonded immediately,” Sullivan said. “He’s my guy. And when all that mess was going on you can imagine how I was. I didn’t know what to do. But I’m glad he’s still here and with us and he’s going to be be able to do what he was sent here to do.”
Sullivan said it all happened from intake to surgery within an hour. She said two days later she brought Ivor home to recover. He has a foot long incision and is recovering nicely on rest and medication.
Sullivan said that as long as Ivor does not jump or run around, his stomach will attach to that muscle and there should not be any further problems. She said Ivor will return to service.
“They said it will be five to six, maybe seven weeks,” Sullivan said. “He was cut all the way from his breastbone to his midsection. So he has that incision and internal healing. He shold be fine as long as he takes his medication.”
Sullivan said all costs for Ivor’s treatment and recover were covered by a K9 foundation out of Virginia. She said she is glad there are foundations like that out there to help with these costs.”
“For them to just say, hey, we know he’s serving,” Sullivan said. “He’s an active member of your department. You’re certified as a team. We want to help. And they didn’t just take care of a portion, they covered the whole thing and then notified me about it.”
K9 Ivor should be be back on duty at the beginning of June.
