I named him, Pommy,

(although it didn't occur to me) as the vet staff said he looks like a pomeranian and thought he was one. Uncle, his owner, thought he was female as he urinated like a girl but after today's investigation, we verified he is a full-blooded boy with 'distorted' genitals.

And today's investigation was -- a shocking one.

Uncle rang two days ago to inform Pommy had a nasty wound on his behind, so we arranged for transport to the vet's to clean out, what I learnt later, was a maggots-swarmed wound on his rear. He's no doubt, biologically a male, but strange enough he lacks testicles. A list of medical instructions ensued and T, after dropping off Pommy, left Uncle with antiobiotics to be refrigerated and orally taken, antispetic cream and powder.

He left Pommy with his e-collar on lest our boy licks his wound. I called Uncle to explain to him the use of the e-collar and to enclose him in his wooden cage to minimize movement and bacterial exposure, and to fast him on Wednesday night for his stitching on Thursday.

Little did we know that today when I dropped by to clean out his wound with antiseptic, Pommy wasn't in his cage but Uncle had let him out in the morning for his 'run'. To our chagrin, Pommy was found under a van wallowing in mud, drenched leaves and his own faeces. When we lifted him to have a look at his bottom, it was nothing far from a messed-up rear, soaked in diarrhoea, dirt and what have you. His e-collar was on, but stained by mud. It was nothing close to a minimally clean and decently sanitized condition we had expected Uncle to provide for Pommy.

The 70+ year old farmer handed me all the medicine, including the antiobiotics he had absent-mindedly placed in the freezer and a syringe that laid on an undusted shelf.

Far, far from ideal.

Pommy's wound was deplorable, Uncle's floor was just too mossy and damp for me to clean his wound, the general hygiene is piteously poor for any dog with a gaping wound to recover.

We left and rushed Pommy to the vet (our second trip for the day after Chocho's booster shot). The vet had to halt her lunch and together with her assistants and me holding down to a writhing Pommy, we flushed out two more dead maggots from his wound with antiseptic and did a thorough cleaning of his behind and legs.

Pommy screeched in pain during the clean-out as his raw flesh was treated with the medicine. Along the process, Dr V explained:

• Lack of testicles: the maggots could have eaten them, hence we found no scrotum on Pommy
• Source of problem: maggots -- not only had the maggots consumed his testicles, but they had also eaten into his urethra such that urine flowed both out of his penis and from the rectum area
• Each time Pommy urinates and poos, the urine and faeces contribute to the wound's infection. Continual cleaning is required to minimize the infection.
• Prognosis not too good: we are unsure if the maggots have eaten beyond his urethra and into his insides. If so, it will be a lot of work done.
• Plan: to hospitalize him for 3 to 4 weeks and do the best to treat his infection. Thereafter, the vet will stitch the wound
• Penis: there is a tear on his pelvis which also needs to be mended to hold his penis in place

Pommy is 3-4 months old. What we had intended to be a simple trip to the vet's to vaccinate him turned out to be an extensive in-progress medical treatment of a gaping wound after his owner raised the red flag.

We had questioned Uncle on his intention to keep Pommy and dropped hints on his deficient care to keep any dog, but he wouldn't have it and reasoned that he plans to rear him to guard the front part of his farm and also "my grandkids want to play with him."

As of now, we don't think we can return Pommy to him and we don't expect him to fork out generously for his half-pet. We'll get more updates from the vet tomorrow.

Another serious case caused by poorly informed pet owners. An unintentional lack of care due to deeply rooted values in animal treatment? Or a deliberate lack of care attributed to 'senior lethargy' and a known inability to provide for his pet? Or just plain ignorance? Burying ethics into a remote corner of his mind?


Absolute filth on a wound that needs recovery on Pommy's rear

Some 30 maggots were found and flushed out the first time T sent him for medical attention

Pommy let out loose on grounds of the farm

Close-up of his penis that hangs on the ruptured skin of his pelvis

Close-up: Amidst the fur on his buttocks which are now shaven off, you can see the pink flesh of his wound which is larger than I expected


Email projectjkteam@yahoo.com.sg if you'd like to help Pommy. We will keep you apprised of more developments on Pommy's progress and plans to handle Uncle's case, either to help him and/or intervene drastically in his attitude and approach in maintaining his pets.