Rescued dog receiving light therapy treatment as part of his care
A small dog - likely a Pekingese cross - is on the mend at a Winnipeg animal hospital after being attacked in northern Manitoba two weeks ago, thanks in part to a new light treatment.
Percy, believed to be around three years old, was found on the side of the road near The Pas.
Volunteers with Manitoba Animal Alliance (MAA) rushed him to a veterinarian in Swan River. They initially believed he had been shot.
"We became aware that it was actually a brutal attack by a group of dogs - an alpha male up there and his bullies,” Marly Abel, an MAA volunteer fostering Percy, told CTV News.
Percy was bit several times leaving him with open wounds and at risk of severe infection.
"You could tell he was in a lot of pain. We couldn't give him enough medication to help relax his body,” Abel said.
Percy has been receiving care at Centennial Animal Hospital since arriving in Winnipeg.
Along with antibiotics and hydrotherapy, Percy is receiving a new treatment called Phovia Light Therapy. It was introduced in Canada last fall.
"Essentially, it's really non-invasive which is really nice. It just kind of feels like a warm light for the patient,” Veronique Thompson, a head technician at Centennial Animal Hospital, told CTV News.
Phovia uses an LED light and chromophore gel to produce wavelength fluorescent light energy. The time and cost-effective treatment penetrates skin layers to help accelerate natural regeneration.
"It targets the cells directly and just helps skin heal faster,” Thompson explained.
Each affected area is treated for two minutes at a time. Thompson said in successful cases, Phovia can heal wounds up to 50 per cent faster compared to just antibiotic treatment.
"It's hard to say exactly how much faster it is because every case is a little bit different,” Thompson said. “But for Percy, his skin has definitely healed faster than I've seen in past cases."
Marly Abel, who is Percy's foster, said she’s seen a drastic change in Percy’s behaviour since he first arrived in her care.
"Within the week, we have noticed such a big difference. He's excited to see us. He's excited to come to his spa treatments,” Abel said.
Percy is expected to make a full recovery and hopefully find a forever home soon.
"(He) just (needs) someone that just really cares for him and really appreciates how sweet of a dog he is. I think he deserves that,” Thompson said.
Percy is the sixth animal to get Phovia light therapy at Centennial Animal Hospital.
He is available for adoption through Manitoba Animal Alliance.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.