K9 Ace, a working dog with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, was discharged from the Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch on Sunday, August 9, following treatment for multiple gunshot wounds sustained in the line of duty.
Ace was shot on Thursday, August 6, while assisting deputies during an operation. Following the incident, his handler, Deputy Oestreich, provided initial field care before transporting him to Park Way Veterinary Emergency Clinic. There, Dr. Oscar Aguayo and Dr. Vanessa Navarro stabilized Ace, working to control hemorrhage and manage his condition.
Due to the severity of his injuries, officials arranged for Ace to be transferred to the Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch, a Level III Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care facility. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Lakeland Fire Rescue secured a landing zone, allowing Tampa General Hospital’s AeroMed flight team to transport Ace by helicopter while keeping him on mechanical ventilation.
Flight personnel included Pilot Chad Loftin, Chief Flight Nurse Tracy Sanderson, and Flight Paramedic Kenny Sweitzer Jr. The flight took 26 minutes, with ground support at the receiving facility handled by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and Eastern Manatee County Fire Rescue.
Upon arrival in critical condition, Ace was diagnosed with hemorrhagic shock. Veterinary criticalist Dr. Devon Diaz and emergency veterinarian Dr. Lori Awadalla oversaw his emergency care. Ace received blood products, including packed canine red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma provided by three donor dogs named Molly, Rooster, and Winnie.
After being stabilized and taken off mechanical ventilation overnight, Ace underwent surgery on Friday, August 7. Board-certified veterinary surgeon Dr. Brianna Miniter performed a left forelimb amputation to treat severe traumatic damage. Ace received additional blood products during the operation and recovered from anesthesia without incident.
According to hospital staff, Ace was able to walk with the assistance of a sling a few hours after surgery. He remained in the Intensive Care Unit for monitoring until his discharge on Sunday.
The Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch issued a statement regarding the multi-agency response and Ace’s progress following the procedure.
“Ace has spent years serving his community alongside the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Deputy Oestreich,” the hospital stated. “His recovery has been remarkable.”
Ace has returned home with Deputy Oestreich to continue his recovery and begin retirement from law enforcement service.
READ: Injured Polk County K9 Transported via Aeromed Following Shooting, Forced into Retirement
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