Injured Alaskan Dog Flown To Sacramento For Surgery

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A seriously injured dog from Alaska got a free flight to Sacramento to get help from the same vets that saved the life of a Sacramento K9 officer shot in the line of duty.

Thor was found back in November and brought to Arctic German Shepherd Rescue in Fairbanks, Alaska. He had severe injuries including a locked jaw. He was also severely underweight and officials believe he had survived by pushing bits of food into his mouth with his paw.

"He weighed 46 pounds, and he should weigh close to a hundred pounds, and he was in below zero weather," Thor's caretaker Teresa Downing said.

After searching for a surgeon who could help Thor, the rescue group found VCA Animal Hospital in Rancho Cordova. It is the same hospital that saved the life of Bodie, a Sacramento K9 officer who was shot in the jaw and leg while on duty earlier this year.

On Thursday, Thor flew free of charge from Alaska to Sacramento on Alaska Airlines along with his caretaker, Teresa Downing.

"I was hurt to think that somebody could go to bed at night thinking that he was starving like he was," Downing said.

As Thor was getting his pre-op evaluation Friday morning at the hospital, he got a chance to see Bodie and his handler. Bodie was there getting the last of his bandages removed.

"Our goal is to go in there, remove all the bone calcification that's fusing his jaw together, and allow him to open his jaw," said Veterinarian Robery Runyan.

After Thor's surgery Friday afternoon, veterinarians were able to get his mouth open three inches after removing many bone fragments and four teeth.

Thor still has a breathing tube and is sedated. Veterinarians will continue to work on Thor's mouth during the next few days in order to give him more range of motion.

Aftr they saw the damage, veterinarians believe Thor was physically abused for years.