It’s hard to believe that just 24 hours ago, the dog was dead, but brought back to life, according to Veterinarian Bob Litkovitz. He says he’s now eating and drinking on his own but on a long road to recovery. The Rottweiler/German shepherd mix is still in the midst of the biggest battle of his young life after being trapped in the pipe, in the basement of a home on East 110th Street, for two days, with no food or water.
Doctors at Gateway say he was extremely hypothermic when brought there Wednesday, and they say that most likely saved his life. Litkovitz says, “He was not breathing. But his body was cold enough, he didn’t suffer any brain damage apparently from it, so he was able to come back. Took about three hours to warm him to a point where he even had a registered temperature.”
The drama unfolded Wednesday afternoon. The Lewis family says the litter of puppies, born on January 16, had been huddling in the basement of the home when one of them wandered off. They say someone removed the cover from a sewage drain, and the puppy fell through the hole. Johnny Lewis says he initially called police and fire for help, but they didn’t have the proper equipment.
It was FOX 8 who called the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District for help, and they quickly sprang into action. They used cameras to determine the pup’s exact location underground, then dug him out to safety.
Right now, the puppy is on fluids and antibiotics to ward off any infection. The family has relinquished ownership of the dog, who has yet to be named, to Gateway. Right now, two people from the sewer district are interested in adopting him. He is expected to be released from the hospital on Saturday.
FOLLOW US!
