Police dog recovers from medical scare

Late last month, the handler of a trusty Manatee County Sheriff’s Office K9 had to rush the dog to the hospital for a medical emergency.

Rocky, a 7-year-old Dutch shepherd, was diagnosed with intestinal torsion, which can be fatal.

Deputy Tom Franklin, Rocky’s handler, rushed his partner to the Desoto Animal Clinic, where he was diagnosed with the condition. The K9 was then transported to the Veterinary Surgery Center of Sarasota where he received the 45-minute surgery.

Now, a little more than two weeks later, Rocky has been released back to the force – but is on light duty, for now.

A video shows Rocky with deputy Franklin tugging on a toy and wagging his tail in a park.

The K9 is expected to be back on full duty in another week or so, the sheriff’s office said.

This story was originally published January 5, 2018 at 11:26 AM with the headline "Police dog recovers from medical scare."