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K9 Ace visits Grady Judd
K9 Ace visited Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd for the first time since being shot and losing a leg.
LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. - A Polk County Sheriff's Office working canine named Ace is back home with his handler to recover and begin retirement after being shot multiple times last Thursday.
K9 Ace Lakewood Ranch
What we know:
Ace sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the line of duty on Aug. 6 while assisting Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies. Deputy Oestreich immediately provided field care before transporting Ace to Park Way Veterinary Emergency Clinic, where Dr. Oscar Aguayo and Dr. Vanessa Navarro stabilized him and controlled the hemorrhage.
Due to the severity of his injuries, Ace was airlifted by Tampa General Hospital's AeroMed flight team to the Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch in a 26-minute flight.
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
Canine blood donor emergency care
What they're saying:
Upon arrival at the emergency facility in critical condition, Ace was diagnosed with hemorrhagic shock. Ace immediately received packed red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma provided by three civilian canine donors named Molly, Rooster and Winnie.
After being weaned from mechanical ventilation overnight, Ace underwent surgery on Aug. 7. Dr. Brianna Miniter performed a left forelimb amputation to address the extensive traumatic injuries.
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
"Ace is incredibly resilient and despite all of his traumatic injuries, he continued to make rapid progress toward discharge home," the veterinary medical center shared.
Polk County Sheriff K9 retirement
What's next:
Ace began walking on three legs with the help of a sling just hours after surgery. He remained in intensive care for monitoring until he was discharged on Aug. 9 to return home with Deputy Oestreich.
Ace will spend his time recovering at home as he transitions into his well-earned retirement following years of service alongside Deputy Oestreich and the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
Veterinary trauma blood donations
What you can do:
The Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch maintains an active blood donor program to supply critical care for severe trauma cases. Pet owners interested in having their dogs screened as potential blood donors can contact bloodbank.vmc@gmail.com.
Eligible canine blood donors must weigh at least 50 pounds, be between 1 and 7 years old, be fully vaccinated, receive monthly parasite prevention, and have no chronic health conditions or chronic medications.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch, which detailed the emergency response, surgical procedures, and medical team involvement.