Repeat X-rays showed that the injured lung had expanded.
Air was still leaking into the chest cavity, though more slowly than before. The chest tube would need to remain in place.
Ranger was offered a few drops of water once the veterinarian believed swallowing was safe.
He licked weakly from a syringe.
There was no coughing or fluid from the surgical drains, both reassuring signs that his throat and esophagus were functioning.
Several hours later, he was offered a small amount of soft food.
Ranger smelled it but turned his face away.
The clinic did not force him.
His body had survived trauma, shock, respiratory distress and emergency surgery in less than a day. Rest remained more important than a full meal.
That afternoon, the person Ranger had reportedly protected was permitted to visit briefly.
Ranger had shown little response to voices in the medical ward.
When he heard the familiar voice outside the oxygen enclosure, however, his eyes opened fully.
His head moved several inches across the towel.
The effort caused his breathing to quicken, so the visit remained quiet and short. No one tried to make him stand or become excited.
Ranger kept watching until the person stepped out of sight.
Then he lowered his head and slept.
On the second day, Ranger ate several bites of food from a shallow dish.
He required assistance to raise his chest. His front legs shook beneath him, and the bandages restricted movement around his shoulders.
Still, he held himself upright long enough to swallow.
The wounds required frequent treatment.
Bite injuries often continue revealing their full extent after the initial emergency. Bruised tissue can lose its blood supply and begin breaking down days later, creating new areas that need cleaning or removal.
Ranger returned to the treatment table each morning so the drains, bandages and surrounding skin could be examined.
Some tissue along his left shoulder did not survive the crushing injury.
It was removed during a second, shorter procedure. The wound was thoroughly flushed, and fresh dressings were applied.
Despite the setback, Ranger’s breathing continued improving.
By the third day, no additional air could be withdrawn from the chest tube. A repeat image showed that his lung remained expanded without constant drainage.
The tube was removed.
Ranger stayed on oxygen for several more hours. When his levels remained steady, the enclosure door was opened and the oxygen was gradually reduced.
He breathed normally on room air for the first time since the attack.
Standing took longer.
Ranger attempted it on the fourth morning.
He pushed against the bedding with his front paws, but his shoulders trembled and his hind legs slid sideways. A technician supported him with a padded sling before he fell.
Ranger remained upright for only a few seconds.
The next attempt lasted longer.
He shifted weight onto one front paw, then the other. His injured shoulder barely touched the floor, but all four legs responded.
Over the next several days, the swelling around his neck began receding. The outline of his collar area slowly returned, and he could turn his head without moving his entire body.