Mystery surrounds stray pup found in Cooktown with broken leg, bullet lodged in throat

A Cairns vet has made the startling discovery of a bullet in the throat of a stray rescue pup that was brought in for a broken leg.

A DOG left for dead at a dump with a broken leg has made an incredible recovery after a shock discovery of a bullet in the animal’s throat during treatment.

Nemo, the puppy had been found wandering around Wujal dump in Cooktown, limping from a badly healed broken leg before he was saved by Cairns Animal Rescue and brought to My Pet Hub Redlynch.

Veterinary surgeon at My Pet Hub Redlynch Dr Max Fargher said the team started treating Nemo for an old leg fracture that healed without treatment and “had left his left femur significantly shorter than the other, causing him to walk a bit funny.”

Dr Max Fargher said it was after they started treating Nemo that they found a bullet in his throat.

“He was brought to us looking sick and underfed and because he was favouring one leg more than the other. It wasn’t until we started treating him that we found the bullet,” he said.

“It had entered just above his left eye and travelled through his nasal passage, stopping just above his voice box.

After he was brought in for a badly healed break in his leg, X-rays found Nemo also had a bullet lodged in his throat.

After he was brought in for a badly healed break in his leg, X-rays found Nemo also had a bullet lodged in his throat.

“After finding the bullet, we made the assumption he was taken to the dump to be killed.”

Dr Fargher decided not to contact local police to investigate Nemo’s wounds, wanting to save the puppy from more trauma.

“Often when police are involved, the abused animal – especially if it's a stray – is taken and held at RSPCA and we don’t see them again. By treating him and letting him recover in one familiar environment, he can get back to being a loved puppy a lot sooner”

Luckily, Nemo found his forever home during his two month recovery process at My Pet Hub after veterinary nurse Courtney Ross adopted him recently.

“I was part of his recovery from the moment he came in to us at the clinic and I was with him in his surgery too,” she said.

“It’s second nature for me to foster animals, especially injured ones that come through the business but I fell in love with Nemo because he’s only a puppy but he’s a very sweet and well-mannered little man.

“He stayed two weeks at the clinic while he was healing and then I called animal rescue to say I was interested in fostering him. I’ve had him since that moment and was lucky enough to change fostering to adopting.”

Dr Fargher praised Animal Rescue for doing a great job rescuing dogs from all over the region and their kindness in paying for Nemo’s leg reconstruction.

“Nemo’s made a full recovery. However, going through all the bone, the bullet left trails of lead that can’t be recovered but we managed to remove the main chunks so he won’t be in pain.”

Originally published as Mystery surrounds stray pup found in Cooktown with broken leg, bullet lodged in throat