Anaheim police K-9 Bruno was recovering in the hospital Wednesday after undergoing emergency surgery one night earlier.
Bruno was shot March 20 when he found a probationer who also shot at police hiding inside a trash bin. The bullet shattered Bruno’s lower jaw and re-entered his chest, missing his heart by less than an inch.
He's had multiple surgeries, including the most recent operation Tuesday night brought on by a stomach condition called gastric bloat.
Bruno's stomach filled with air, which forced his stomach to twist. The health problem is common among German shepherds and can be fatal, most often because it is hard to detect, Anaheim Police Sgt. Allan Roman told NBC4.
"Luckily, the nursing staff noticed that Bruno was not acting himself and looked to be in a lot of pain, so they checked," Roman said. "He underwent a two-hour surgery and he's doing as well as he can be."
The surgery came just hours after the Anaheim Police Department tweeted a photo of Bruno spending time outside with his handler, Anaheim Officer RJ Young.
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"He still tires quickly but is starting to act more like himself," the photo caption read (shown at right).
Young has had to keep his veterinarian visits short to keep Bruno from getting too excited as he recovers.
"I have to do what's best for him, not what's best for me," Young told NBC4 last week. "And what's best for him right now is rest, calmness, relaxing and a lot of sleep."
