Missouri: Dog Chained Up in Yard for Most of His Life Rescued After Nearly Freezing to Death in Kansas City

MISSOURI -- A German Shepherd who was chained up for most of his life and found nearly frozen to death was recovering after being brought to a local veterinary clinic in the Kansas City area this week.

According to a Facebook post by the Missouri German Shepherd Rescue group, the dog —  now named Caesar — is expected to survive.

“We believe he will conquer the cruelty and neglect he’s suffered his entire life, and will be able to recover and find a loving, forever home he so richly deserves,” a Facebook post from the organization stated.

The dog’s organs “looked good,” according to the group.

Caesar spent Monday night with an emergency vet at the Blue Pearl Emergency Clinic in Overland and was placed on pain medicines.

Rescuers said it difficult to watch him struggle to walk. Severe malnutrition, muscle atrophy and chronic wasting have made it almost impossible for him to support his own weight, according to television station KCTV in Kansas City.

“His teeth are very worn from most likely chewing on a chain,” said Brad Twigg of the Veterinarian Plaza Animal Control.

Rescuers believe he lived his life locked outside.

According to KTLA sister station WDAF in Kansas City, the owner of the dog admitted to having chained the dog up in the backyard for his entire life, even in below zero weather. The area had been hit with snow and freezing temperatures over the weekend.

He was nearly frozen to death when his owner surrendered him to KC Pet Project. Rescuers checked his microchip to confirm who owned him.

“His left leg is swollen, most likely from laying on it for an extended period of time because he couldn’t get up,” Twigg said.

Caesar’s right hind leg may need to be amputated.

Veterinary workers believe with some tender loving care, Caesar could make a recovery. They are hopeful he will someday be healthy enough for adoption.

“One of his eyes is sunken, so he’s had an eye disease of some type for a very long time. He is heartworm positive. He has a bad back right leg and he can not stand on it, it’s extremely painful to the touch, and he is starved, so that doesn’t happen in just a few days,” Nancy Campbell with Missouri German Shepherd Rescue told WDAF.

According to KC Pet Project, over 200 animals were taken in last week, including a huge surge during the weekend’s winter storm.

Because the KC Pet Project is at capacity, they are holding an adoption special through Christmas Eve. $40 dog adoptions and $20 adult cat adoptions. They will be open on Christmas Eve from noon-3pm.

MEDICAL UPDATE: 
Caesar has many problems, but the most pressing need at the moment is to get him rested, hydrated, and start putting weight on him. Once he begins to progress on that, the most pressing problem is his back legs. He can't put any weight on the right leg and it's extremely painful. He can put weight on the left leg but isn't strong enough to stand on his own and must be helped. X-rays show there are no breaks or fractures, and no evident wounds, in his painful leg The cause of his pain is unknown right now and could be several things: lack of blood flow, total lack of muscle mass, or even that he's held the leg up for so long the muscles have actually become shortened. Both legs also appear swollen and there may be infection.

For the time being, he will be kept comfortable while we build up his nutrition with many small feedings a day. The first priority is to stabilize his basic condition, so that further diagnostics can be done on his legs. His eye, teeth, heartworm, coat, etc all need to treated but are secondary for the moment to the two main problems of starvation and back leg pain.

(KTLA - Dec 22, 2016)